‘Jr Scientists In The Sea’ gives South Florida kids an opportunity to learn how to scuba dive and protect the ocean – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
(WSVN) – Would you like to learn to scuba dive and help save the ocean? A free program is turning divers into coral crusaders. 7’s Heather Walker shows us how in this 7Spotlight.
On the surface, it looks like any other dive class.
But these students aren’t just learning to breath under water — they are training to rebuild the ocean floor.
Noah Fernandez: “I’ve always, always loved the water.”
Noah Fernandez grew up in Miami. He spent most of his childhood in the water — swimming, snorkeling and exploring.
Noah Fernandez: “All the reefs and the fish in the water. It’s just, it’s beautiful.”
His dream was to go deeper. Literally — and become certified to scuba dive.
Noah Fernandez: “We had been wanting to get certified for a really long time, me and my entire family.”
But that dream doesn’t come cheap. Between the training and the gear, it can cost thousands of dollars.
So his parents started looking for other options and found Jr. Scientists In The Sea, or JSIS.
Les Burke: “This was a way for me to engage kids before they got into any kind of trouble.”
Les Burke started the organization. He’s a former lawyer who handled juvenile cases. He also has a deep love for the ocean.
The nonprofit gives young people who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity — a way to earn their scuba certification for free.
In exchange, they learn how to protect and restore South Florida’s coral reefs, the third largest barrier reef system in the world.
Les Burke: “We’re engaging our most precious resource to take care of our most endangered resource.”
Noah Fernandez: “That is actually one of the coolest trade-offs ever. It sounded a little boring, but it’s super cool when you are physically doing it, it’s something you have to experience.”
The students learn how to clean, restore and even plant new coral, while also setting themselves up for success.
Les Burke: “Life-changing, there have been students, where, ‘I don’t have a clue of where I am going or what I am going to do with my life,’ and now all of a sudden, ‘I’m being offered a full ride scholarship,’ and this has happened.”
Noah is still figuring out his future, but his mom is happy they found JSIS.
Mailin Perez: “It makes me very proud of them. The things that they are learning, the experiences that they are gaining, they can’t do in a classroom, at the same time, we are doing a little bit for the Earth.”
She is so inspired, she decided to join too. Soon, the whole family will be diving together.
Mailin Perez: “It’s a beautiful program that hopefully gets bigger.”
A family hobby — turned into a shared mission to protect South Florida’s reefs and preserve them for the future.
Heather Walker, 7News.
If you know of a person, place or group that you think we should highlight, email us at [email protected].
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
