Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant hosts Savannah’s 12th Annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit

Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant hosted the 12th annual Savannah Youth Ocean Conservation Summit (YOCS) on February 21, 2026. YOCS provides middle- and high school students with an opportunity to receive hands on marine science experience from local experts. It is an annual event to nurture young ocean champions through creative learning activities. Marine Education Fellows coordinate the event, providing them with valuable workforce training in leadership and planning. Their roles include the coordination of speakers, volunteers, sponsorships, communications and registration. The theme for this year’s YOCS was “Conservation Successes.”

Forty-seven middle and high school students from around Georgia attended YOCS. Abbey Crossman, coastal ecology research staff at Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, was the keynote speaker and highlighted conservation success stories, featuring research on diamondback terrapins, gopher tortoises, and American alligators. Workshops were led by Rileigh Leach, a Masters student part of a Georgia Sea Grant funded project at Georgia Southern, and Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant staff Courtney McGill, program specialist, and Dodie Sanders, marine educator and boat captain. Students finished the day by collaborating to create conservation action plans to implement in their communities.