FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2003

Youth Demonstrate
Ocean Conservation Ethic

On Tuesday, September 16th an enthusiastic group of program participants from the Murphy Centre will spend the morning hours (approximately 10 a.m.- 12 noon) cleaning up the beach and surrounding area of Beachy Cove – a small cove located between Portugal Cove and St. Thomas.

The Murphy Centre, in partnership with Ocean Net Newfoundland and Labrador, has organized similar beach clean-ups for several years now. The Centre has chosen to partner with Ocean Net because they agree there is a great need to instill an ocean conservation ethic, especially with today’s youth.

Bruce Peters and Jeff Steiner, both Facilitators of Learning at the Murphy Centre, have incorporated Ocean Net’s philosophy into the courses they teach – Global Issues and Environmental Science. Staff and administrators strongly endorse this initiative and encourage all Murphy Centre program participants – not just the Science participants - to become involved each year. The Murphy Centre is in the process of applying to become a Senior Chapter of Ocean Net. If accepted, they will be the first alternative learning centre to become a Senior Chapter.

The Murphy Centre is a registered charity that delivers academic, career/employment and lifestyle education programs primarily to “at-risk” or “excluded” youth. The Murphy Centre addresses the school dropout, and the under-employed youth population. As the only organization of its kind in the province, they work with youth that for some reason have ‘fallen between the cracks in the education system’. As an alternative learning centre, youth access individualized programs and services, develop an understanding of their particular learning style, design a career path and outline the steps necessary to achieve academic, career and life goals.

Ocean Net was established in 1997 and is an action oriented, non-governmental volunteer organization. The focus of the organization is ocean conservation. Their mandate is “To instill an ocean conservation ethic”. Ocean Net presently has nine chapters, five of which have adjacent ocean conservation areas. The Senior Director in each chapter is a volunteer who leads environmental activity in that area, working to achieve positive attitudinal change.

For further information please contact:

Bruce Peters, Murphy Centre: 579-6606 or bpeters@stemnet.nf.ca
Bob O’Brien, Ocean Net: 753-3680 or info@oceannet.ca