Nature & Ocean of the Americans
MISSION
To RAISE AWARENESS about the conservation of marine and terrestrial biodiversity by reinforcing connections between people and nature through art projects, community engagement, environmental education, and sustainable living experiences.
Our goals are: Conservation, permaculture, art, cultural exchange and experiential and environmental education.
NOA's conservation goals are:
1. Increase scientific knowledge and interest in the study area
2. Create scientific projects in collaboration with local partners
3. Increase conservation value of the area
4. Empower local coastal communities to develop and implement conservation plans
NOA's Experiential and Environmental Education goals are:
1. Experiential education by participating in real conservation projects carried out
by NOA and local partners
2. Participants awareness of the importance of conservation of the natural resources
available to them.
3. Local community cultural and environmental awareness
NOA's Permaculture goals are:
1. Promote best permaculture and sustainable living practices
2. Participants sustainable living and healthy living awareness
3. Local community sustainable living and healthy living awareness
NOA's Art goals are:
1. Explore creativity and art design inspired by nature
2. Participate in art workshops and create art projects
3. Local community art engagement
4. Expand and influence the developing mind with unlimited possibility
NOA's cultural goals are:
1. Support and promote cultural exchange between foreigners students and local
students and their communities
2. Create connections between people around the world to raise awareness about
wildlife and ecosystem conservation
3. Sponsor cooperation between international participants and local communities
to help the management of conservation projects
Why a marine biology and creativity program with NOA?
The Nature and Oceans of the Americas program is designed to guide young individuals in their life path on this magical world in which we live. Today's fast paced society often rushes our youth into career paths they don't necessarily want to follow. University or college choices based on peer and family pressure and/or other personal life choices that are often altered leading them astray from their true desires. The result of all this daily pressure can lead to altered health, disease, anxiety, eating disorders, obesity and even depression and suicide.
The Nature and Oceans of the Americas program is designed to help teens learn about their inner selves, the pure selves they were when born. Through adventure, challenge, community engagement, life skill development, meditation, art, activeness and yoga they will be able to develop a conscious decision of what they want to do or pursue in their future.
This program is also designed to broaden their worldwide perspective connecting them with the beauty of nature through Art, exploration and discovery with Science.
Program Description
This program is created to empower youth through outdoor education, marine biology, holistic and creativity activities in the wilderness to foster self discovery.
The project duration is 12 months. The group will meet two Saturdays or Sundays every month. Each student will be coached through the program individually once a month.
September: Hike though Redwood Park, Yoga class, meditation to set intentions for the whole program. Create a Vision board and journaling
October: Oceanography class by boat. Trinidad Science Research Station. What is a research project? Design a research project and Costa Rica projects learning. Recycled bag designs Nature Drawings
November: Sacred Geometry inspired in nature Art class and postcards/ paints creation to fundraise for Costa Rica trip
December: Participation in Winter Fairs to sell Art -fundraising for Costa Rica summer program-
January- Art therapy and shamanic journeys. Inner world exploration
Participation in WFA (Wilderness First Aid course by NOLS in Humboldt University)
February - Vision quest and envision our future. Sound theraphy with quarz and tibetan bowls.
March- Beach clean up and recycled materials gathering for Art project.Whale Festival in Fort Bragg: participation in the festival presenting Art with recycled materials. Whale watching activity
April - Eel river Restoration Program: River monitoring like study of the salmon populations. CReative writing and poem design.
May - Kayak tour though Eel river. Nature based art design. Impro and theatre. Create a play for younger kids to present in a local school and a Costa Rican school
June-
July- Summer program in Costa Rica
August- Transference and balance coaching session for the group
Summer Program: Costa Rica
Finca Integral Didactica Agroecológica Loroco:.This permaculture farm is located in Bri bri, a small community in the southern Caribbean. Is run by a local family.
Upon arrival the group will be welcome with a full-moon ceremony on the farm including a speech of the importance of the energetic effects in nature.
The following days the group will be experiencing and acquiring knowledge of the culture with local professionals learning how through the afro-Caribbean music we are part of everything. Storytelling, legends and history will be part of our day.
On our walking city tour of Puerto Viejo we'll learn about the banana empire and how it affected the residents. We'll also visit a therapeutic plants garden including a full explanation of their benefits.
The following recreational activities will be shared with local students:
Cultural experiences, cooking, local school activities, visit Cahuita National Park
A great combination of culture, sports, energetic therapies will be just some of the most exciting and adventurous experiences.
Kuemar: Sea Turtle Reserve located in the North Pacific Coast where we will be working as a research assistant in different conservation projects. You will be sharing with other scientists, research assistants, volunteers and students.
Spanish lessons: we will follow our Spanish lessons. We will invest 45 minutes every day with a native speaker teacher and we will be using a Spanish grammar book and other teaching resources.
Reiki: is a form of alternative medicine developed in 1922 by japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui. The word Reiki comes from the Japanese Word –Rei- which means Universal Life and –Ki- which means energy. Reiki is the life energy that flows through all living things. Reiki is a healing energy made up of life forcé energy that is guided by the Higher intelligence, or spiritually guided life force energy.
Ch’i Kung: is an ancient Asian healing discipline. It Works to enhance and conserve Ch’i by directing energy movement within the body. Ch’i or Ki is an electrical type of energy that creates the body, and determines the state of health. Ch’i Kung movements cleans the meridians.
In the Ch’i kung workshops we will learn through different movements mental peace. Connection with emotions and balance of our own breath. Activation of circulation and flexibility and longevity. Hormonal balance and cleanse of our nervous system.