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New Ocean Guardian Schools Announced

Image: Volunteers

Volunteers – including Louisiana Sea Grant personnel – recently helped with some cleaning and paint-prep work at the École Pointe-Au-Chien Ocean Guardian School.

Four Louisiana schools have now been recognized as Ocean Guardian Schools by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – in partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation – for their hands-on, student-led ocean and watershed conservation efforts.

École Pointe-Au-Chien in Bourg became Louisiana’s first Ocean Guardian School in 2023. Focused on coastal stewardship, students are restoring local ecosystems by planting native seedlings and promoting the protection of Louisiana’s fragile coastline. This year, West Feliciana High School, along with the 4-H Coastal Clubs at Morgan City and Patterson High Schools, are joining the Ocean Guardian network.

West Feliciana High School will lead a campus-wide waste reduction effort based on the “6 Rs” (refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, rot, recycle). Students will label storm drains to raise awareness about marine pollution, establish composting and recycling programs, improve trash storage, adopt sustainable purchasing practices and launch zero-waste lunches using reusable and compostable materials.

“These projects show what’s possible when students are empowered to lead,” said Ali McMillan, education coordinator with Louisiana Sea Grant and liaison to West Feliciana High School. “They’re not only protecting their local environment but also building a culture of stewardship that extends beyond the classroom.”

At Morgan City and Patterson High Schools, student-led Coastal Clubs are focusing on watershed restoration. Their shared projects will include removing invasive species, planting native vegetation, restoring fish habitats, stabilizing streambanks and revegetating local creeks.

“Empowering students to protect our oceans isn’t just education, it’s change. Through Ocean Guardian Schools, we’re helping young people become champions of the planet, one small action at a time,” said Thu Bui, Marine Extension agent with Louisiana Sea Grant and the LSU AgCenter. Bui is the liaison to the two schools’ 4-H Coastal Clubs.

“It’s inspiring to see students across Louisiana taking action to protect their watersheds and coastal ecosystems,” said Dani DiIlulo, education director at Louisiana Sea Grant. “Through the Ocean Guardian School program, students are gaining the knowledge and skills to be lifelong environmental stewards.”

The Ocean Guardian School program, managed by NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and funded by the The Gulf of American Alliance through their Gulf Star program, empowers schools to protect local watersheds and marine ecosystems through environmental projects that engage students, educators and communities in significant ways. Louisiana Sea Grant (LSG) serves as the state’s liaison for the Ocean Guardian schools. LSG identifies, recruits and supports the schools throughout the process.