Ocean Institute to Present Watershed Education Experience to 4 Newport-Mesa Schools, Sponsored by the Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club

DANA POINT, CA, February 13, 2009 - The Ocean Institute and the Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club are pleased to present a new Watershed Education Experience for schools in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD). Staff members from the Ocean Institute will visit four NMUSD schools in March:

March 2 - Wilson Elementary School
March 17 - Pomona Elementary School
March 24 & 25 - Rea Elementary School
March 31 - Newport Coast Elementary School

The 50-minute program will introduce over 400 4th and 5th grade students to the science of the watersheds, or land area that drains into a body of water, such as the ocean. "The Ocean Institute is dedicated to ocean preservation through education. It's our goal to impact students and the communities in which they live, encouraging them to be good stewards of our environment," explained Jonathan Witt, Director of Environmental Programs. "We want them to understand how pollutants, improperly disposed of, will negatively impact our beaches and oceans and their marine inhabitants."

For additional information on Ocean Institute programs, visit www.ocean-institute.org or call (949) 496-2274.