Our Stewards are part of a dynamic team of motivated staff and volunteers dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Stewards bring diversity of experience, skills, and perspectives to our organization, and they are at the heart of our work in all three of our core initiatives.

The renowned Sanctuary Steward Program prepares citizens to become high-impact marine educators, community organizers, and resident experts on issues affecting the Monterey Bay. Stewards help to
educate the greater community on issues such as pollution prevention, marine debris, habitat conservation and marine fisheries.

Program participants receive a professional-level education from highly renowned Marine Biologists and Conservationists. In return, each Steward makes a personal pledge of 50 volunteer hours per year to saving the shores. Our highly trained Stewards are poised to take leadership roles in hosting beach clean-ups, making presentations, and representing Save Our Shores at special events. To read more about program requirements please read the Steward Job Description and Volunteer Pledge.

Who are the Stewards? Our Steward program is made up of people from all walks of life.
Stewards are retired business folks, full-time professionals, dedicated parents, and college students.

Anyone enthusiastic about the ocean and interested in working with the public is invited to apply!

We are looking for leaders. We need volunteers willing to lead clean-up events and host tables at community festivals. Anyone under the age of 16 must have an adult partner to volunteer with. Parent/child teams are encouraged to apply.

How To Apply:

We will accept applications up until February 15, 2012:

Step 1: Read the Steward-pledge

Step 2: Fill out the Steward Application online or print and mail
the steward-application PDF to Save Our Shores at:

Save Our Shores, ATTN: Andrew Hoeksema
345 Lake Ave Suite A
Santa Cruz, CA, 95062

Step 3: You will be contacted to schedule an interview in January or February.

The Steward Course

The Steward course runs from February 21 - April 10, 2012.
Classes take place every Tuesday, 6:30-8:30pm, in Santa Cruz.
An alternate Stewards training will be offered in Monterey, April-May 2012.

A glimpse of the 2012 Steward course:

Welcome and Intro to SOS: SOS Staff

Appreciating and Protecting the Monterey Bay: Dr. Steve Lonhart (MBNMS, SIMoN)

How to Lead a Beach Cleanup: Andrew Hoeksema (SOS)

Plastic Pollution: Emily Glanville (SOS)

Beach Cleanup Training

Threats to local/global ocean health: Kaitlin Gaffney (Ocean Conservancy) and Mariah Boyle (Fishwise)

Our Blue Planet, Our Blue Backyard: Wallace J. Nichols (Board of SOS, Ocean Revolution)

Dockwalkers; and Working with SOS: Lauren Gilligan and Andrew Hoeksema (SOS)

Seasonal Kickoff and Volunteer Send-off

Earth Day Santa Cruz

Tide Pool Walk

Dockwalkers Training

Visit our Cleanup & Event Calendar...

Meet the 2011 Class of Sanctuary Stewards:

Hear from our dedicated Sanctuary Stewards:

"When I prioritized volunteering last year and began researching local non-profit organizations, Save Our Shores was a natural fit. After a full year on the team, beach clean-ups are only part of what I’ve done with Save Our Shores, but so far it’s been the most fulfilling. Seeing the smiles, community spirit and watching bag after bag, pound after pound of trash and recyclables removed from my playground is the best feeling there is."
-Nancy Connelly, Sanctuary Steward Class of 2011

"I had three goals for the summer of 2011. Do something that would benefit my local community, be outdoors as much as possible, and hopefully learn something in the process. The Save Our Shores Sanctuary Steward program allowed me to achieve all three. The most fulfilling moment for me as a Save Our Shores Steward was on the 4th of July.. I was told on numerous occasions how much my efforts were appreciated, and how thankful they were for my being there."
- Curtis Luckado, Sanctuary Steward Class of 2011

"The Sanctuary Steward program was a very enjoyable and informative course about the beauty and bounty of the ocean, but was also disturbing. The training enlightened me as to how much we have lost just in the course of my lifetime, but also hopeful about what we can do together to turn things around and bring it back. It has been a great personal experience and by-the-way, a terrific father/son activity that Travis happily and frequently participates in."
-Ronn Rygg, Sanctuary Steward Class of 2011

"I was volunteering at the Oakland Boat Show and I talked to a guy about the North Pacific Gyre and the giant trash heap. When I showed him photos of the trash piling up on the beach, he started to cry. I knew right then that this information touches people's hearts and once they learn about it, they want to make a change in their own lives to make a difference."

-Bonnie McKinney, Sanctuary Steward Class of 2009

"We have a motto in my family. We can't do it all, but we can all do a little. Every little bit helps. I can't do it all, but I can do my part."

-Rachael Anderson, Sanctuary Steward Class of 2008

"I live blue because my brain tells me that there are countless convincing reasons that water quality is important, and my heart tells me it is the right thing to do."