Empowering young people to chase their dreams and advocate for their beliefs is an impactful approach parents can use to foster independence, promote learning, and highlight the significant change they can bring to their communities and the wider world.
The Ocean Heroes Bootcamp is a yearly global youth summit that equips individuals aged 11 to 18 with the tools to engage in environmental activism and combat plastic pollution. Throughout the weekend, participants attend workshops, hear from guest speakers, and develop hands-on campaigns, gaining valuable mentorship in how to create and implement their own initiatives against plastic waste.
Organized by the Captain Planet Foundation, Lonely Whale, and the Point Break Foundation, along with the support of over ten additional partners, and hosted at Ocean Wise in Vancouver, the 2nd annual Ocean Heroes Bootcamp occurred in June, gathering youth from 20 nations for a weekend focused on interactive workshops, brainstorming sessions, campaign development, and collective spirit.
The Experience
Among the lucky attendees of this year’s Ocean Heroes Bootcamp was 12-year-old Taylor Wheeler, son of Ellen Wheeler from up7op. This three-day event was crafted to equip participants with knowledge in areas such as media literacy, international plastic regulations, scientific education, strategic campaigning, “artivism,” and idea development.
The bootcamp featured squad leaders who guided new participants through the experience while sharing insights from their journeys. Squad leaders Hannah Testa of Hannah for Change and Olivia and Carter Ries of One More Generation expressed their enthusiasm for motivating others to take proactive steps against plastic waste.
Hannah Testa commented, “Our goal is to cultivate activists like myself. It took me time to reach this stage, and I want to help younger individuals bypass the hurdles I faced by providing guidance in policy, campaigning, and social influence. We are equipped to mentor them to accelerate their progress.”
Olivia Ries, another youth activist, points out the importance of adult involvement: “I cherish Ocean Heroes Bootcamp. It gathers youth from across the globe to collaborate in planning for change. However, we also require support from adults.”
Nurturing a sense of community and encouraging interest in advocacy is a meaningful way to empower our children as they mature, demonstrating that their voices hold importance. To find out more about the Ocean Heroes Bootcamp and to inquire about the next event, visit oceanheroes.blue.
What is Artivism?
Alongside developing their campaigns, Taylor Wheeler and his peers engaged in various activities that blended art with activism, termed artivism.
In a heartfelt project titled love letters to the sea, Taylor explored the juxtaposition between the ocean’s splendor and humanity’s destructive impact. He expressed feelings about witnessing “the ocean filled with trash alongside a stunning sunset while the sea cried out, ‘please help me.’”
A Sampling of Bootcamp Workshops
In his role with the #sharksquad, Taylor Wheeler participated in a variety of engaging workshops including:
- Citizen science with Litterati, an application aimed at reducing litter and pollution
- Plastic science presented by 5Gyres
- Media training provided by The Big Blue & You
- Campaign strategies and pitching techniques with insights from Captain Planet, Lonely Whale, and Erin Shrode, a notable activist who ran for Congress at just 25 years old
