The Ocean Pathways High School Research Mentorship program, an immersive six-week summer program led by AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, Hugo Neu/Kearny Point, and NY/NJ Baykeeper in partnership with the Newark Boys & Girls Club, officially launched for the third straight year. The six-week program provides high school students in Los Angeles, New York, and New Jersey with firsthand research experience and mentorship opportunities in marine biology, sustainability, and environmental conservation.

Backed by the NJ STEM Pathways Social Innovation Grant, the program has grown from a standalone summer experience into a year-round engine for raising environmental awareness and nurturing the next generation of green-economy leaders. The program takes place at AltaSea’s campus in Los Angeles and on Hugo Neu’s Kearny Point campus in New Jersey.

Since launching in 2023, the Ocean Pathways program has engaged over 120 Newark and Los Angeles students in hands-on projects in marine science, sustainability, and conservation, and has awarded participants up to 50 volunteer hours and stipends of up to $150 to bolster college applications and career readiness. The program has also sparked community-driven initiatives, from oyster reef restoration to neighborhood water-quality monitoring, that continue beyond the summer.

“We’re witnessing real transformation,” says Keion Walker, Education Director at NY/NJ Baykeeper. “Students not only gain technical skills, but they also become ambassadors – spotlighting environmental challenges in their own backyards and inspiring peers to get involved.”

This year’s Los Angeles cohort features 28 local students. They will also hear firsthand from industry experts from Kelp Ark, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, USC Sea Grant, and AltaSea. The students will work on projects that include:

• building underwater robots to study water and sediment quality at the Port of Los Angeles,
• designing aquaculture systems powered by wind and solar energy, and
• researching the critical role of kelp forests in combating climate change via ocean cultivation.

The program will culminate in presenting their projects and findings at an AltaSea’s open house on August 9.

The East Coast Cohort – made up of 20 Newark high schoolers – will devote 8-10 hours per week to various immersive experiences, including:

• Oyster Habitat Restoration with Baykeeper’s Rink-2-Reef®
• Water Quality Monitoring at Liberty Science Center and Lake Lefferts Park
• Urban Systems Exploration at Sims Municipal Recycling Facility
• Green Infrastructure Tours at Duke Farms
• Career-Connected Workshops on environmental policy, regenerative aquaculture, and climate justice

All activities on both coasts are designed not only to teach scientific methods but to inspire students to envision long-term careers in marine biology, environmental engineering, policy advocacy, and beyond.

“The ocean is a shared resource that is vital to the wellbeing of our planet,” said Alan Hill, Director of Education at AltaSea. “Ocean Pathways is connecting students with real-world challenges and opportunities, effectively shaping the next generation with the tools to lead in the blue economy.”

Alumni from the Ocean Pathways program are already making a tangible impact in their communities, presenting water-quality findings at school and community meetings, leading neighborhood clean-up and restoration campaigns, and serving as ambassadors to incoming cohorts on field techniques and professional communication.

Get Involved

Ocean Pathways invites community members, industry partners, and educators to:

• Sponsor stipends and equipment for future cohorts
• Connect high-school students with internships and job-shadowing opportunities

For more information or to support the next generation of environmental innovators, please contact:

• NY/NJ Baykeeper: Keion Walker, keion@nynjbaykeeper.org
• Hugo Neu Corporation: Dan Gura, dgura@hugoneu.com
• AltaSea (West Coast): Alan Hill, ahill@altasea.org

About AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, located on 35 acres at North America’s leading seaport by both container volume and cargo value, is dedicated to accelerating scientific collaboration, advancing an emerging blue economy through business innovation and job creation, and inspiring the next generation, all for a more sustainable, just, and equitable world.

For more information on AltaSea, please visit: https://altasea.org.

About Hugo Neu/Kearny Point

Nestled between Jersey City and Newark, Kearny Point is a revitalized historic shipyard undergoing a transformation into a sustainability campus and innovation hub. Our site's rich industrial history has been repurposed into workspaces and warehouses that foster productivity and scalability. Guided by the Hugo Neu Corporation, the 130-acre development showcases adaptive building reuse, green infrastructure, and renewable energy solutions. Kearny Point's strategic location promises economic growth and sustainable progress at the intersection of innovation and history.

For more information, please visit www.kearnypoint.com.

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