Education

Awareness through Education.

Awareness through education is at the heart of everything that Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles does as an organization.

Through our fine-tuned education programs, and with the help of our dedicated volunteers, we make learning about Sea Turtle Conservation fun and engaging! See our Teaching in Schools section for more info_!

Student education at the beach learning to nest like a Sea Turtle.

Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles promotional materials distributed in Walton County.

Reaching our Community

Our dedicated volunteers carefully craft educational materials such as activity books and educational placemats to be colored by local and visiting children in our area. We distribute magnets, information, and other helpful materials to area vacation rentals, hotels, restaurants and turtle friendly businesses.

_{CLICK HERE to view our local supporters!}

Connecting with Kids

Our VBA teams provide free educational programs at area events and lead children’s story time at local libraries & hubs in the community. If you have a heart for children and education, we would love to have you volunteer on our education team!

Get Started

Volunteer VBA's doing storytime in the community for a group of homeschoolers.

Students from Plew Elementary learning how to intake a Sea Turtle and assess care.

Teaching in Schools

Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles works in conjunction with Walton & Okaloosa County schools to educate our youth about Sea Turtles and what we can do to help! _{(View our MOU here.)}

We start with our fun & interactive classroom program, kids learn Sea Turtle facts, followed by a team Jeopardy quiz reinforcing what they have learned, along with a Rehab & Release program where students will decide if their Turtle is healthy enough to be released back into the ocean. Finally, the program ends with our “Fun @ the Beach” field trip where students Nest like a Sea Turtle, Dig an Egg Chamber, and finish up with Beach Cleanup.

There is always more to learn!

Here are some of our favorite links to help you educate yourself on the importance of Sea Turtle conservation and regulations relating to them.

Sea Turtle Regulations, Laws, Ordinances

Walton County Leave No Trace Program/ Ordinance

Sea Turtle Regulations, Laws, Ordinances

Walton County Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting Ordinance

Sea Turtle Species

There are seven distinct species of sea turtles in the world, each with its own fascinating characteristics and ecological importance. From the massive leatherback to the petite Kemp’s Ridley, these species inhabit a variety of marine environments and play crucial roles in maintaining the health of ocean ecosystems. Five of these species we see here in Florida waters. Which are the Loggerhead, Leatherback, Green Turtle, Hawksbill, and Kemp’s Ridley.