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Tongass students present Ocean Guardian project; Kanayama exchange visitors thanked the board
Summary
Students at the Tongass School of Arts and Sciences presented their Ocean Guardian School work ' including reusable bag designs and beach cleanup stations ' and visiting exchange students from Kanayama, Japan, and their chaperones addressed the board.
KETCHIKAN, Alaska ' Tongass School of Arts and Sciences students presented elements of their Ocean Guardian School program to the school board on March 26, describing reusable shopping and swim bags they designed, beach clean-up stations with tethered buckets and tongs, and student-built signposts to hold equipment.
The presentation highlighted student-led stewardship projects. "Students have designed reusable shopping bags," teacher Donna (identified in the presentation) said, and the newest winning design features the slogan "less ocean, less ocean trash, more marine life." Teacher Mr. Schultz described a student enrichment group that built posts and prepared stickers and buckets to be placed at three beach locations (Rotary Beach and South Point Higgins were noted in the slides) to make it easier for families to participate in cleanups.
Visiting students from Kanayama, Japan, thanked the board and said the exchange deepened their appreciation for Ketchikan. "I came to Ketchikan and learned a lot about the differences from Japan," student Yui said. The group included chaperones Mahiro Toyama and Rieko, who spoke about the long-running exchange and the challenges of visas this year.
Why it matters: The Ocean Guardian designation recognizes school curriculum and projects focused on local watershed protection and marine stewardship. Tongass officials said they are the first Ocean Guardian School in Ketchikan and that the program aligns with the school's emphasis on stewardship of air, land and sea.
Student work and local impact: Presenters said students have emphasized reducing single-use plastics and reusing utensils and bags; they cited cleanup quantities collected informally during the current year and noted plans to sell student-designed bags at upcoming school events. The project includes ongoing collaboration across grade levels and aims to increase community visibility of student stewardship.
Voices on the record: Mika, Yui, Kota and Todie (students), Mahiro Toyama (exchange chaperone), Rieko (chaperone), Mr. Schultz and Mrs. Raul Wolf (Tongass teachers). The Ocean Guardian presentation began at transcript time ~31:30 and concluded before the public comment section began.
