An ocean acidification education program called 4-H pH is coming to Angoon and Petersburg this summer, on the heels of its success in Sitka, to teach elementary school students how to test water for its pH levels.
“In some of these communities in Southeast they are monitoring ocean acidification, and in some they might not be, so the idea is also for community awareness,” said 4-H program assistant Jasmine Shaw with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, who led the Sitka program with Christina Buffington of the Geophysical Institute and Natalie Monacci of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, both at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The idea was to create a curriculum designed for elementary school students that anyone could use, rather than just 4-H, to teach ocean acidification testing, Shaw said.
4-H pH is a specific ocean acidification education program developed for youth, particularly those in elementary school. It aims to engage young people in collecting and understanding data related to ocean acidification, its impacts and potential solutions. Ph measure acidic or alkaline levels.
The curriculum is designed to be accessible and adaptable, not just for 4-H clubs, but for anyone interested in teaching about ocean acidification.
The project, funded by the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, is part of a citizen science program called Global Learning & Observations to Benefit the Environment Program, or GLOBE. The program is led by NASA to advance science and educate tomorrow’s workforce. The National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Department of State are also part of GLOBE.
About a dozen Sitka youth participated in the program from January through May. They learned to measure pH temperature and dissolved oxygen, and measurements were uploaded to the GLOBE program’s open-source database.
During their spring break, 4-H pH students assisted the Sheet’ká Ḵwáan Tribe on its weekly ocean-monitoring trip. They learned about pH in the kitchen with a guest chef. They also created artwork as part of the program and looked at future career opportunities.
Margaret Bauman, Cordova Times, 11 June 2025. Article.
