Transforming Lives Through Marine Science and the Whale Tail Grant
NatureBridge’s Golden Gate campus is at the forefront of providing transformative marine science education through our innovative Intertidal Lab. This unique facility allows students to observe tide pool life, understand coastal ecosystems, and develop a love for environmental stewardship. For many, it’s a transformative experience that sparks a passion for science and conservation.
Thanks to a $50,000 WHALE TAIL® grant, NatureBridge will reconstruct our aging Intertidal Lab tank, and provide scholarships to help more students from communities that face barriers to accessing these educational opportunities.
“It’s clear to me that not everyone has access to outdoor spaces,” says Golden Gate Lab Steward Dylan Meeks. “This grant ensures that students who might not have the opportunity can now experience the wonders of the marine environment firsthand.” These scholarships enable schools with limited resources to bring their students to our Golden Gate campus for a hands-on, immersive marine science curriculum.
At NatureBridge, we are committed to inclusivity and providing enriching educational experiences. The WHALE TAIL® grant allows us to expand our impact, fostering the next generation of environmental stewards. These students carry the lessons learned at our Golden Gate campus into the future, inspiring others to protect and cherish our natural world.
The WHALE TAIL® grant is a catalyst for change, empowering students, inspiring a love for the environment, and fostering conservation commitment through stewardship of the California coast and its watersheds. Learn more about Golden Gate campus programs and support our mission to connect young people with the science and wonder of the outdoors. Together, we can inspire stewardship and create lasting relationships between students and the environment.
Did you know you can help protect the California coast with one easy checkbox? Support coastal education and stewardship projects like ours by adding a donation to the “Protect Our Coast and Oceans Fund” on your 2023 California tax form. If you are a late tax filer, you can help the fund reach its goal of $250,000 for the 2023 tax year! Learn more at CheckTheCoast.org.
Stories
In Memory of Ty Cobb: A Visionary Leader of Resilience and Impact
Ty Cobb, former CEO of Yosemite National Institutes (now NatureBridge), passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2024 in Reno at the age of 84. Known for his visionary leadership, resilience, and ability to inspire collaboration, Ty guided YNI through some of its most difficult moments while building a foundation for its future growth and success.
WildLink November 2024: Woodlake High School
This November, Woodlake High School students and chaperones arrived in Yosemite for their first year as a WildLink school, and we are so excited to have them on the team! That means that the brave students who signed up for this expedition had virtually no idea what to expect before signing up for the trip, because none of their peers had experienced it before them! The week, although quite frigid, was full of lovely views, learning about Wilderness, spending lots of time by the river, and enjoying the beauty of Yosemite Valley and Wilderness. Their educators Sarah and Amelia were excited to help this group feel a sense of belonging in this place. They were also lucky enough to be joined by Ranger Lissie on their first day in the Wilderness!
Fall Reflections from NatureBridge Yosemite
As an environmental science educator, I spend a lot of time teaching about nature, but this season I’ve been finding that as it turns out, nature has a lot to teach us, too. Sometimes I can let the trees, the meadow, and the lichen teach for me. They show us how to respect each other’s boundaries, how to celebrate differences, how to work together, and how to lean on each other’s strengths in order to exist in a new place. These lessons felt incredibly relevant to me heading into the first week of November, a notoriously busy time at NatureBridge Yosemite. I wanted to focus on messages of kindness and inclusivity with my students, I wanted them to feel a sense of belonging in this new space, and I also hoped that they would share those messages with others.