Education

Engaging Minds and Cultivating Conservation: Educational Outreach and Volunteer Partnerships

Engaging Minds and Cultivating Conservation: Educational Outreach and Volunteer Partnerships

On March 6th, Manci, the Assistant Director of Education at the Turtle Conservancy, brought a wave of excitement to the Chadwick School as she visited to enlighten both 3rd and 1st-grade classes about the fascinating life cycle of turtles. The classroom buzzed with curiosity as students eagerly listened and participated in discussions, their eyes wide with wonder at the mysteries of the turtle world. Manci's interactive approach not only brought the subject to life but also allowed the children to see, touch, and inquire about real turtle shells and preserved eggs, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for these remarkable creatures.

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High Schoolers Open their Doors to Confiscated Turtles

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High Schoolers Open their Doors to Confiscated Turtles

Education is the backbone of conservation, and we want to highlight one school that has incorporated lifesaving turtle conservation into their curriculum. Mount Olive High School, a public school in Morris County, New Jersey, goes beyond classroom teachings to engage students in hands-on work with animals in their greenhouse. The School opened their doors to turtles that United States Fish and Wildlife (USFW) confiscated from the global illegal wildlife trade…

Turtle Camp Recap

Turtle Camp Recap

We have just concluded our second annual Turtle Camp: a week-long adventure camp, fully funded and organized by the Turtle Conservancy in collaboration with The Thacher School. Our campers, a group of enthusiastic 7th and 8th graders from schools across Los Angeles and Ventura County, embarked on a transformative journey filled with invaluable lessons, profound conservation efforts, lasting friendships, and, of course, unforgettable turtle encounters. Thanks to the generous support of anonymous donors, we provided twenty-five young minds with the opportunity to embrace their roles as budding conservationists. This generous grant has ignited a new generation of wildlife advocates, instilling a sense of purpose and dedication in each participant…

Paleontologists Visit the Turtle Conservancy to Explore Questions About Turtle Evolution

Paleontologists Visit the Turtle Conservancy to Explore Questions About Turtle Evolution

Earlier this month, the TC was delighted to host paleontologist Dr. Walter Joyce and PhD student Léa Girard from the University of Fribourg Switzerland and facilitate their use of the Pritchard Collection for research. The visit marks a new chapter for the collection since it was incorporated into the TC nearly two years ago.

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The Many Paths To Conservation

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The Many Paths To Conservation

On July 14th, the Turtle Conservancy was invited to present to Nordhoff High School’s College and Career Foundations course. This summer the class is instructed by Peter Deneen, an Ojai local turned environmental writer and educator bringing inspiration to the public high school. Deneen had an innovative approach that included inviting professionals from diverse fields to come and speak to his students. He shared with us that his goal for the class was to “create a container of self-exploration for 10-12th graders living in our current chaotic uncertainty of now, where the traditional pathways to ‘success’ have been eroded by the social, political, and environmental realities of the moment, and equip them with the tools they will need to get to know themselves and their core purpose as well as possible.”

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Summer Internship

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Summer Internship

Meet our Summer Intern, Lily King! Lily is an upcoming senior at The Thacher School and her internship is focused on a more veterinary aspect of turtle conservation. Lily’s passion for animals caught our eye during her year in our Field Biology and Conservation class and this past month, she has exceeded our expectations by aiding in general animal husbandry tasks, and minor veterinary procedures under supervision that included beak trims, pit tagging, deworming and caring for animals under quarantine protocols. We also had some fun going out into the field and surveying for our native Southwestern Pond Turtles. Lily, we’ve had fun learning alongside you, thank you for your dedication to turtles and for all your help this summer!

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A Look Inside Turtle Camp

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A Look Inside Turtle Camp

Over the past three years, the Turtle Conservancy and The Thacher School have developed a partnership aimed at innovating a new kind of science curriculum that engages students in real-world turtle conservation programs through hands-on learning experiences. This summer we took it to the next level by inviting middle school students from Los Angeles County and surrounding areas to join us on a week-long adventure. The students were immersed in learning about various aspects of turtle conservation and Ojai ecology. Some specific topics that we covered include learning about individual chelonian species, conservation management techniques, egg development, the climate crisis, and the theory of convergent evolution in giant tortoises….

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Thacher School X Turtle Conservancy

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Thacher School X Turtle Conservancy

The Thacher School and Turtle Conservancy have reached another milestone in our partnership as we have successfully wrapped up our second full school year of teaching the Field Biology and Conservation courses!

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Thacher Course End-of-Term Recap

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Thacher Course End-of-Term Recap

The winter school term has come to an end for our Thacher School students! This has been our most abundant year yet with 28 students enrolled in our Field Biology and Conservation courses which focus on field biology techniques and conservation through the lens of turtles. Our innovative students are currently working on various conservation projects which have research, design and engineering aspects to them. This is a wonderful opportunity for students, who are especially interested in future careers in the animal field, to get hands-on experience...

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October Outreach

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October Outreach

On October 16th, the Turtle Conservancy team joined the community of Ojai to celebrate one of its most historic days, Ojai Day. Ojai Day traces its origins back to 1917 and continues its annual celebration with local vendors, art exhibitions and entertainment...

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Field Biology and Conservation Through The Lens of Turtles

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Field Biology and Conservation Through The Lens of Turtles

School is back in session and once again we have teamed up with our neighbors, The Thacher School, by incorporating turtle conservation into several class curriculums. This year the Field Biology and Conservation course has expanded to two separate sections plus an advanced class. For the duration of the school year, each student will be paired up with one of our giant tortoise ambassadors where they will be conducting weekly behavioral observations and health checks!

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Turtle Tales

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Turtle Tales

Last month our education coordinator, Manci Rasmussen, and Thacher School intern, Katie Vyhnal, were invited to join our local library and elementary school for their weekly children's storytime event. That week’s topic happened to be turtles, so we took this opportunity to share our mission to protect turtles and tortoises and their natural habitats with the kids...

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Giants in the Classroom

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Giants in the Classroom

It does not happen every day that elementary, middle and high school children share their classroom with Galapagos and Aldabra Tortoises. This summer, however, the time has come when these gentle giants finally made it to school, as Turtle Conservancy launched its academic virtual field trip program...

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Conservation Field Techniques Class Trip

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Conservation Field Techniques Class Trip

TC staff and Thacher School students enrolled in the “Conservation Field Techniques” class (a collaborative course between TC and Thacher School) went on their first field trip up to the Sespe Wilderness to record stream conditions and survey for Southwestern Pond Turtles…

Our new education program concludes its first semester

Our new education program concludes its first semester

The first semester of the Thacher School’s Field Biology and Conservation course at the Turtle Conservancy is almost over! This pioneering class is the result of an exciting collaboration with our neighbors - the Thacher School and educators Tommy Hattori and Heather Grant.

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Tour Our Conservation Center Virtually

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Tour Our Conservation Center Virtually

The Turtle Conservancy is pleased to announce our new interactive virtual tour experience! Please join us via ZOOM at our beautiful conservation center for an exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes of our giant tortoise habitat! This exciting and unique education program will allow you explore alongside our island dwellers as you and your family will be introduced to our Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises. Participants will learn about the diversity of two different species while engaging alongside a knowledgeable turtle guide...

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