KIDS CORNER
DUBAI 92 CORAL REEF CONSERVATION BY STUDENTS FROM THE STAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MIRDIF
During the last half term of the academic year 2020-2021, Dubai 92 launched a coral reef project for children to register with. The children at Star International are keen ocean enthusiasts and ambassadors who are always looking for ways to educate and empower our Mirdif community regarding saving our planet, inclusive of our oceans. Working with Mohamed Helmy, a PADI Course Director at Al Boom Dive Centre, Ms Gill Roberts, the former Principal of the school (also an IDC Staff Instructor) decided to create a competition for the children which highlighted the top ten pollutants of the ocean. Rather than just mentioning the top ten pollutants, the children had to identify how these pollutants injure marine life.
ADAM (6.5 years old) “People are saying stop trashing our oceans. And other people are saying the oceans are very important because a lot of animals are living there and it’s full of plants which produce oxygen that helps us breathe. Oceans provide humans and animals with food.” 22
DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT | SEPTEMBER 2021
As you can see from the images, the children fully researched this topic; their entries to the competition enabling their audience to understand why these pollutants are harmful and why we must educate people not to throw their debris into the ocean, or even on the beach. Our Year 6 also looked at the irony of the mask. The mask being worn by all to protect us against COVID-19. Why the irony? As you can see, our children found out that the main pollutant of our oceans at present, are these masks. They were made to protect our human species, however their lack of correct disposal is killing our ocean life.
LYAN (7 years old) “My poster is about the ocean. A mask might get stuck in reefs and fish might eat them. Plastic bags look like jellyfish and turtles might eat them by mistake. Bottles and straws can get stuck in fish and shark gills, and rubber bands can get stuck in coral reefs or around fish.”
AISHAM (6 years old) “One time we were washing my mommy’s car and we found a plastic bottle on the floor. Then I told my mom, can we take a video please? My mom said yes, then I got the plastic bottle up, then she took a video when I was saying things and throwing the plastic bottle in the bin .”
JAKE (10 years old) “I wrote the poem as if I was a mask and I’ve fallen into the ocean. And to my surprise, everywhere I look it’s just plastic and pollution. I don’t think it’s right. If we kill sealife, we’re also killing ourselves. It’s not right because it’s all part of our life cycle. ”
