Women of Water (WoW!)

Hurricane Island programs embed students in experiences that leverage the art and practices of science as tools for leadership and social change. Through personal and group explorations, students explore their own strengths as transformative leaders who can address the sustainability challenges facing our world today.

The Women of Water program is designed for rising 10th-12th grade female-identifying students with existing interests in marine careers, including but not limited to aquaculture, fisheries, outdoor education, boat captaining, oceanography, and/or marine biology. Participants will engage with maritime topics through hands-on experiences out on the water, classes in a laboratory setting, and presentations given by guest speakers. Students should also be prepared for physically demanding activities such as rowing, camping, or hiking. Through learning about different marine professions, students will hopefully be empowered to pursue careers in and around the ocean and take on leadership roles in these spaces.

The program will culminate in student presentations on the mainland for friends, family, and the general public, providing students with the opportunity to share what they have learned throughout the program and practice science communication skills.

This educational science program is interspersed with group games, team building initiatives, and free time to explore the island, swim off the dock, or relax in the sun. 

Spending the week off-grid, students will become familiar with sustainable practices on the island such as conserving water and minimizing food waste. Students should be prepared to engage in community living, participate in communal chores and responsibilities, and disconnect from personal technology. Through living and learning together in this dynamic environment, students will begin to explore their own strengths as leaders and how they can leverage science as a tool for social change. Students can expect to leave the island with strengthened connection to the natural world and confidence to continue practicing leadership in their home communities.

High School Women of Water activities may include:

• Exploring all aspects of the marine environment from the intertidal to the water column

• Working with the Hurricane Island research team to get hands-on with Hurricane’s aquaculture projects

• Understanding methods of scientific inquiry in land- and sea-based environments

• Experience using marine sampling gear and techniques including a Niskin bottle, Ekman dredge, plankton tows, and analyzing the water chemistry, plankton abundance and diversity, and sediment grain sizes throughout the Penobscot Bay

• Learning from women who have made the ocean their home in science and maritime professions