JUNO BEACH, Fla. — For the first time, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach is introducing Spanish language programs and information in hopes to inspire more Latinos in ocean conservation.
"A lot of us don’t understand that the ocean problem is not just unique to one person. It is something that connects us all together," said Valerie Tovar, conservation field assistant.
Tovar is part of the team that has developed Spanish language educational programs that will launch a week from today.
It will include Spanish tours and educational programs for kids.
The beach cleanup sort reports and the sea turtle patient charts will be translated into Spanish.
"Our ocean is so diverse. There are so many animals and species that have a role in that environment to make it thrive. There’s no reason why the Field of Marine science shouldn’t be the same," said Tovar.
Tovar is a first-generation Colombian. She said it is important to be a visible figure in this field to help empower Latinos to start thinking about marine conservation.
"When I was younger, I didn’t have anyone to look up to in the marine science field. I think the biggest part of this is that we have so many people, especially down here in South Florida, who are going through these barriers and going through the trials of trying to make it in the American dream world," said Tovar. "So I think we want to show people that it can happen, and you have people here to look up to."
The launch will be on September 15 for the commence of Hispanic Heritage Month.
The schedule is as follows:
- Public guided tours in Spanish on Sundays at 1 PM.
- Junior research lab in Spanish on Mondays at 3:30 PM through September.
- Junior Veterinary lab in Spanish on Mondays at 3:30 PM beginning in October.
- Private guided tours in Spanish all throughout the month, based on availability, except for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
