Building a Culture of Marine Safety: Empowering Local Educators to Prepare the Next Generation

Last month, AMSEA welcomed seven educators to Sitka, Alaska, for a four-day Educator's Workshop focused on marine safety and survival. Participants traveled from communities across Alaska, along with one instructor from Washington, to learn how to lead engaging, youth-focused marine safety workshops in their own schools and communities.

For many Alaska youth, the water is part of everyday life. Whether traveling by skiff, harvesting subsistence foods, fishing with family, or simply exploring the coastline, marine safety is an essential life skill. By training local educators, AMSEA helps ensure that this knowledge is shared by trusted community members who understand the unique waters, weather, and traditions of the places where their students live.

The workshop immersed participants in the same hands-on curriculum they will soon bring to their classrooms. AMSEA's youth marine safety program blends science, games, outdoor activities, and storytelling to teach practical skills while making learning memorable and fun.

During the marine safety pool session participants practiced cold water survival formations in Immersion Suits.

One favorite activity was the "Hypothermia Potatoes" experiment. Participants dressed pairs of heated potatoes in different clothing materials, including wool and cotton. One potato from each pair was submerged in water while the other remained dry, allowing educators to measure and graph temperature changes over time.

The experiment does more than teach graphing and data analysis. It introduces students to concepts such as insulation, hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials, and heat loss, while demonstrating an important survival lesson: the clothing you choose can dramatically affect how quickly your body loses heat in cold water. For young people who spend time on Alaska's waters, understanding the value of proper clothing can one day save a life.

Outdoor learning continued on the ballfield, where educators tested the holding power of different anchors and participated in games covering anchoring techniques, tides, currents, weather, and navigation. Later, a visit to the harbor gave participants the opportunity to conduct a vessel safety orientation and complete a pre-departure checklist—skills that many of their future students will use as they begin operating boats and skiffs on their own.

Another highlight of the week was a field trip to Starrigavan Recreation Area, where participants practiced one of the most fundamental wilderness survival skills: building a fire in wet conditions. Using flint, cotton balls, usnea lichen, corn chips, and other natural or unconventional tinder, educators experimented with different fire-starting techniques while learning the strengths and weaknesses of various fire lays. The exercise emphasized careful preparation and helped participants visualize the amount of tinder, kindling, and fuel required to build a sustainable fire in Southeast Alaska's often rainy environment.

Wilde edibles lesson at Starrigavan Recreational Center with aquatic, alpine, muskeg, and forest plants.

The group also explored the abundance of edible plants growing around them. With field guides in hand, participants practiced identifying edible and poisonous species while sampling seasonal greens. Learning to safely identify local plants reinforces another key survival principle: knowing your local environment can make all the difference during an emergency.

The workshop concluded with educators designing and teaching their own two-hour marine safety and survival workshop for local youth. The lessons showcased the interactive teaching methods that make AMSEA's curriculum so effective.

Students learned about fire classifications and extinguishing agents through a game using oversized dice. They practiced emergency damage control by plugging leaks in a simulated flooding vessel using tools from a damage control kit. They reinforced boating terminology through an energetic game of Captain's Calling and assembled personal survival kits while discussing the importance of carrying essential emergency gear.

One especially meaningful lesson centered on the true story of a nine-year-old Sitka boy who survived a night alone in the woods. The story prompted thoughtful discussions about decision-making, preparedness, and how even a few carefully chosen survival items carried every day can make a critical difference in an emergency.

While the workshop lasted only four days, its impact will continue for years to come. Each educator returns home equipped to teach hundreds of students, multiplying the reach of these life-saving skills across coastal Alaska and beyond. By investing in local educators, AMSEA strengthens communities from within, ensuring that marine safety knowledge is taught by people who understand the challenges, culture, and waterways their students encounter every day.

Together, these educators are helping build a lasting culture of safety, preparedness, and confidence for the next generation of Alaskans who will work, recreate, and harvest on the water throughout their lives.

AMSEA is grateful for the support that made this workshop possible, including funding from the RurAL CAP Foundation, the Crossett Fund, the University of Alaska Southeast, the Aleut Corporation, and the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Their investment in local educators will continue to benefit Alaska's youth and the communities they call home for generations to come.