BC Girl Guides dive deep with ONC

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), an initiative of the University of Victoria, has teamed up with BC Girl Guides to introduce girls and young women from ages 5 to 18 to the wonders of the ocean beneath the surface and to inspire their natural curiosity in marine sciences.

The "Ocean Aware Provincial Challenge" is a series of fun, science-based activities designed to encourage Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers to think about how the ocean influences us, and how we influence the ocean. A Provincial Challenge is an elective Girl Guide resource that reflects the unique interests of girls across the country. Currently there are 30 challenge crests offered through the BC Girl Guides program.

To complete the Ocean Aware Challenge, girls explore the seven principles of ocean literacy. Some of the activities include: making a glowing deep-sea fish, creating an ocean circulation "water cake," trying to hear like a whale, conducting science experiments and completing numerous service and imagination challenges. At completion, each girl gets an Ocean Aware Challenge crest, a colourful patch she can sew onto her camp hat or blanket.

The Ocean Aware Challenge-the first of its kind in Canada-was developed by the ONC learning team in partnership with BC Girl Guides. "We're excited to be engaging so many girls and young women in ocean science, as well as Canadian marine technology," says Maia Hoeberechts, associate director of user services at ONC. "This challenge will help create a growing awareness of all the aspects of marine technology, while reaching out to young people who will be the decision-makers of the future."

Ocean Networks Canada operates the world-leading NEPTUNE and VENUS cabled observatories, which continuously collect physical, chemical, biological and geological data, supporting research into complex Earth system processes.

For more information on the Ocean Aware Challenge visit ONC's learning pages at http://www.oceannetworks.ca/new-girl-guides-ocean-aware-challenge or BC Girl Guides at http://bc-girlguides.org/Documents/BC/program/OceanAware.pdf

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An image of the crest is available by request.

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