Save Our Shores Education Programs Receive $20,000 grant from Monterey Peninsula Foundation

By: Jadyn-Kathleen Polk, August 1, 2025

Save Our Shores wants to share our appreciation for the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and their investment in our Coastal Classroom with a generous $20,000 grant. Through Coastal Classroom we deliver grade-specific curricula about Monterey Bay, with lessons that are designed to fit seamlessly into a teacher’s academic year. These lessons include classroom lessons, field visits, and virtual reality tools. With this grant, SOS will be able to continue offering these services to schools within Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

Experiential learning is the most effective way to teach the next generation of ocean stewards. It promotes a deeper understanding of content, encourages critical thinking, fosters life skills, and creates an environment that mirrors real-world challenges. Additionally, we use virtual reality to bring the ocean to the classroom. Due to the nature of marine protected areas (MPAs) being underwater, this program is designed to access these places in a unique way by bringing the MPA directly to the student using virtual reality technology. By providing local youth with access to coastal spaces, environmental education, and stewardship opportunities, the program will help create a generation of informed and engaged community members who are committed to protecting our coast for future generations.

About Monterey Peninsula Foundation:

Monterey Peninsula Foundation hosts remarkable golf tournaments for players and the community to enjoy, which also raise funds for various non-profits and charities across Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties. Monterey Peninsula Foundation has been leveraging the game of golf for positive community change since 1937.

About Save Our Shores:

Save Our Shores was first formed in 1978 as a grassroots movement to prevent offshore oil drilling. Today, from policy change to educational programs, we’re ensuring ocean conservation throughout the community. Our programs and projects are designed to support the foundations of clean, healthy shores and a thriving Monterey Bay for all.

Learn more at saveourshores.org