Erosion, ocean acidification, intense hurricanes, flooding, tsunamis, and sea level rise are major hazards faced by the coastal communities of Puerto Rico. As pressure from climate change increases, communities become more vulnerable. Therefore, far-sighted community planning and preparedness will be vital in facing these impacts effectively.

On March 30, 2023, CARICOOS and Sea Grant Puerto Rico joined efforts with the Instituto Nueva Escuela and the Puerto Rico Department of Education to integrate the parties’ efforts and resources to educate and prepare youth, and their communities, for coastal hazards, helping keep them safe. As a pilot project, CARICOOS will design a coastal hazard and resilience informative center at the Montessori Public School Alejandro Tapia y Rivera in La Parguera, Lajas, Puerto Rico, where information about ocean, meteorological, and water quality observations from nearby waters will be shared with students and the local community. A meteorological station will also be installed as a tool to learn how to read and interpret local observations for knowledge and preparedness. In addition, a series of educational guides developed by Sea Grant Puerto Rico will provide information about the science behind coastal hazards and ecosystems, increase awareness, and help coastal communities better prepare for them. Meanwhile, the Puerto Rico Department of Education will support developing and maintaining the informative centers and back up the inclusion of marine sciences and coastal hazards topics in their certified Montessori curriculums.

CARICOOS and Sea Grant Puerto Rico seek to expand this initiative to other Montessori public schools around the island and engage more students to be facilitators for their communities.