Social Responsibility
O’NEILL SEA ODYSSEY
"There’s no doubt in my mind that the O’Neill Sea Odyssey is the best thing I’ve ever done".
In 1996, Jack established the O’Neill Sea Odyssey (OSO), a marine and environmental education program. Now in its 21st year, O'Neill Sea Odyssey has served over 94,000 Ocean Stewards and will welcome its 100,000th student in June 2018. Aboard the Team O’Neill catamaran, young minds have explored the newly designated Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and gained a deep understanding for ocean life.
A living classroom was created on board the 65-foot Team O’Neill catamaran sailing the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary where 4th – 6th grade students receive hands-on lessons about the marine habitat and the importance of the relationship between the living sea and the environment.
The program is conducted on board the catamaran with follow-up lessons at the shore-side Education Center at the Santa Cruz Harbor. It is free of charge, but students earn their way into the program by performing a prokect to benefit their community.
OSO also provides online resources for teachers and students that can be used to create a sustained oceanography program with components both inside and outside the classroom.
The OSO curriculum includes three learning stations: Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, and Navigation. At each station, the students record data pertaining to the subject matter of the station.
