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The Sonoran Desert Warters Institute is organized as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to bringing a world-class public aquarium to Tucson promoting education, conservation and preservation of Arizona's rivers and the Gulf of California for future generations. The Sonoran Desert Waters Institute, Bringing the sea to the desert! El Acuario del Mar de Sonora (Sonoran Sea Aquarium)™ está organizado como una corporación sin fines de lucro 501(c)(3), dedicado a traer a Tucson un acuario público de primera clase para promover la educación, la conservación y la preservación de los ríos de Arizona y el Golfo de California para el disfrute de generaciones futuras. El Acuario del Mar de Sonora. ¡Trayendo el mar al desierto!
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Project Status Dear Friends of the Sonoran Sea Aquarium: It has been a busy year! The Education & Outreach Program has continued to expand and deliver on our mission of educating about Arizona’s waters and the Gulf of California. The SSA’s largest project this year was the hiring of a new Education Director to replace Julie Xelowski-Brooker, who relocated with her spouse’s new job. Julie has been part of the SSA since its beginning and she will be missed. She says she will still be helping and supporting the project from her new home in northern California. Julie’s move necessitated finding a new director of education. The Board of Directors formed a Search Committee and an extensive search was conducted. We had a number of very qualified and capable applicants. It was a challenging decision because there were so many qualified candidates. The Board of Directors chose to hire Franklin Lane as the new Education Director. Franklin has a degree in Oceanography from the US Naval Academy, retired from the US Marines as a Lt. Colonel, went to work at Catalina Foothills High School teaching marine science, moved into administration and retired after ten years there as assistant principal and athletic Director. Franklin had also been a SSA volunteer for the past year. Franklin’s extensive background in education as well as oceanography and administration make him and ideal person to fill the Director of Education and Outreach position. The SSA is delighted to welcome Franklin to our staff and look forward to the future of our Education and Outreach Program under his leadership. In addition to a major change of leadership, 2006 was a busy year with our programming. The SSA educated over 40,000 people in its programs during the year. We participated in 5 major community events, 26 schools and numerous after school programs with Pima County Parks & Recreation, Boys and Girls Clubs and Libraries. I am particularly excited about a new contract with Boys and Girls Clubs to provide environmental education at all of their clubhouses. It’s a very exciting opportunity to visit each club house three times each semester and lead an outdoor field trip for participants. It has been very rewarding to see our relationship with Boys and Girls Clubs grow over the last few years – and to see the fun the kids have with learning about our Desert Waters! I want to thank the ASDM for continuing to allow us to use office space there. We truly appreciate the opportunity to work closely with the ASDM and their staff!! During 2006 we were able to expand our collaboration and cooperation with the ASDM. The SSA and Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM) hosted a luncheon series about the Gulf of California. It was a follow-on to our very successful Gulf of California Conference 2004. We had great speakers and each luncheon was sold out with over 100 attendees. We jointly held two weeks of Desert & Sea Explorers Camp at the ASDM. We also taught class segments in ASDM’s other camps. We participated with the ASDM in Dream Night, provided on-site programming for Week of the Ocean and Zoo Day for the AZAD Conference. The SSA and the ASDM worked with Monterrey Bay Aquarium to expand the Sea Food Watch program into the Gulf of California. Dr. Rick Brusca developed the Sea Food Watch card for the Gulf of California and the SSA and ASDM hosted Monterrey Bay Aquarium to present the program, along with local chefs preparing sustainable seafood at a Saturday Summer Evening at the ASDM. Both organizations have since arranged or given other Sea Food Watch presentations in the community. We continue to cooperate with the ASDM toward building a facility. Dr. Rick Brusca and Robert Edison, Co- Executive Directors, ASDM are both writing and speaking about the need for a facility to interpret the Gulf of California and Arizona’s Rivers. I believe that this will be the next major project at the ASDM – although they have a few currently underway that must be completed first. I also want to thank Cathy Franklin and all of our volunteers for their tremendous efforts in giving classes and staffing community events and truly being “The Sonoran Sea Aquarium” by fulfilling its educational mission and telling the story of “Desert Waters”. Cathy has truly been the backbone of delivering classes! A very special “thank you” to her!! I’d also like to thank Michael Dyer for all the work on our website. Check it out, www.tucsonaquarium.com. It’s getting better and better! Julie Xelowski-Brooker, Franklin Lane and the education staff have been incredible this past year. They came up with new ideas for programming and new ways of delivering that programming. I am very proud of the innovation in our Education & Outreach Program. We go places and interact with people in innovative ways. It’s so critical to continue to expand our education outreach. Preservation of our desert water resources for the future is dependent on people knowing how incredible they are! Sincerely, |
