Daniel@R2R
Living the Reef Life
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My Tank Thread
Hey reef fam!
I wanted to share with you all about my incredible experience speaking at my son's 3rd-grade classroom for their Career Day yesterday. As a proud member of the Reef2Reef team, I had the opportunity to talk about my role and why I absolutely love what I do. It was an amazing chance to inspire these young minds and shed light on the world of saltwater aquatics and reefkeeping.
During the session, I emphasized the connection between what these students are learning in school and how it prepares them for potential careers in fields related to saltwater aquatics or marine biology. I talked about how the knowledge they're gaining now can be applied to future work in things like reef conservation and caring for live animals.
I told them a few stories about some of the exceptional tanks I'm familiar with in the reef community. You should've seen their faces when I told them about @Hedgedrew's 17,000-gallon home aquarium! Their eyes were wide in amazement as they tried to comprehend the idea of someone building their entire house around an aquarium! It was a joy to see their imagination ignite with possibilities, as they realized the incredible dedication and passion some people have for reefkeeping
Another fun moment was when I shared with the class that I have a clownfish that is older than my son and most of his friends in the room. The kids laughed at that idea, but were also amazed to learn that fish can live for such a long time! It was a great opportunity to highlight the longevity and resilience of marine animals and emphasize the importance of providing them with proper care and a suitable environment.
The best part of the experience was seeing the genuine enthusiasm and curiosity in the children's faces and answering their questions. I shared stories of the beautiful marine animals we care for as reefkeepers. I hope that I was able to make an impact by planting a seed of passion for marine animals as a potential hobby or even a future career path. (I know they've still got a long way to go for that, but maybe we can get them started thinking now, right?)
Additionally, I discussed the importance of character building in my job at Reef2Reef. I highlighted our core values as a community of treating others the way we want to be treated, emphasizing the significance of respect, empathy, and cooperation in our community as a whole. I wanted these kiddos to understand that it's not just about the technical skills, but also about cultivating a character of integrity, cooperation, and genuine care for other people.
My hope is that these children might be inspired to explore the world of reefkeeping, marine biology, saltwater aquatics, and perhaps even reef conservation. By engaging their curiosity and emphasizing the relevance of their current studies, I believe we can encourage them to dream big and set goals that align with their passion for marine life.
Here's a photo I took with my kids to commemorate the event. (It was my son Ethan's class that I spoke to.)
I enjoyed the opportunity very much, and wanted to take the opportunity to share about it with you all. This was just one way that I felt I can contribute to encouraging a new generation of reef keepers. What are some other ways we can do this?
I wanted to share with you all about my incredible experience speaking at my son's 3rd-grade classroom for their Career Day yesterday. As a proud member of the Reef2Reef team, I had the opportunity to talk about my role and why I absolutely love what I do. It was an amazing chance to inspire these young minds and shed light on the world of saltwater aquatics and reefkeeping.
During the session, I emphasized the connection between what these students are learning in school and how it prepares them for potential careers in fields related to saltwater aquatics or marine biology. I talked about how the knowledge they're gaining now can be applied to future work in things like reef conservation and caring for live animals.
I told them a few stories about some of the exceptional tanks I'm familiar with in the reef community. You should've seen their faces when I told them about @Hedgedrew's 17,000-gallon home aquarium! Their eyes were wide in amazement as they tried to comprehend the idea of someone building their entire house around an aquarium! It was a joy to see their imagination ignite with possibilities, as they realized the incredible dedication and passion some people have for reefkeeping
Another fun moment was when I shared with the class that I have a clownfish that is older than my son and most of his friends in the room. The kids laughed at that idea, but were also amazed to learn that fish can live for such a long time! It was a great opportunity to highlight the longevity and resilience of marine animals and emphasize the importance of providing them with proper care and a suitable environment.
The best part of the experience was seeing the genuine enthusiasm and curiosity in the children's faces and answering their questions. I shared stories of the beautiful marine animals we care for as reefkeepers. I hope that I was able to make an impact by planting a seed of passion for marine animals as a potential hobby or even a future career path. (I know they've still got a long way to go for that, but maybe we can get them started thinking now, right?)
Additionally, I discussed the importance of character building in my job at Reef2Reef. I highlighted our core values as a community of treating others the way we want to be treated, emphasizing the significance of respect, empathy, and cooperation in our community as a whole. I wanted these kiddos to understand that it's not just about the technical skills, but also about cultivating a character of integrity, cooperation, and genuine care for other people.
My hope is that these children might be inspired to explore the world of reefkeeping, marine biology, saltwater aquatics, and perhaps even reef conservation. By engaging their curiosity and emphasizing the relevance of their current studies, I believe we can encourage them to dream big and set goals that align with their passion for marine life.
Here's a photo I took with my kids to commemorate the event. (It was my son Ethan's class that I spoke to.)
I enjoyed the opportunity very much, and wanted to take the opportunity to share about it with you all. This was just one way that I felt I can contribute to encouraging a new generation of reef keepers. What are some other ways we can do this?
