Nearly 1,000 elementary school students from San Francisco and Marin came

together to “rescue” San Francisco’s Ocean Beach on May 17 at the 24th annual

Kids Ocean Day Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup.

At an assembly in each of their schools earlier in the year, the students learned

about watersheds and how they are personally connected to, and can impact,

their watersheds and the ocean. On May 17 they gathered to make a positive difference

in keeping beaches and oceans clean and healthy.

The first activity was a beach clean-up, which emphasized the positive impact

that each student can have on the environment. The second activity was an aerial

art project. The assembled sat in formation on the beach to form an image of a

hermit crab and sea star with the words “Come Together,” this year’s theme. A

helicopter flew overhead and captured an image of the students. The aerial artwork

was inspired by Sunset Elementary School third grader Natalie Kurpius, who

participated in the first San Francisco Kids Ocean Day Art Contest.

View of the students’ aerial artwork.

Participating San Francisco elementary schools included Alamo, Cleveland,

Longfellow, Sanchez, Lafayette and Sunset.

The Marine Science Institute organized the event that is part of a statewide

Kids Ocean Day Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup effort. It unites children at a half-dozen

beaches along the California coast with similar clean-up events. The state-wide

program is sponsored by the California Coastal Commission.