5/6 grade students attended a Public Meeting at the St. John Legislative Building on September 20, 2000. The Public Meeting was held to discuss the coral reef and federal submerged lands of the Virgin Islands with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbit's, office.

Students stood up before over 100 local residents and government officials and shared their thoughts on the local coral reefs.
 

Miss Rachel introduced the class and told the gathering how inspired the children are to be care-takers of their underwater environment through their work with the coral reef. (Posters in the left background were created by Miss Rachel's 1999-2000 5/6 grade students involved with the Coral Transplant Project.) Sarah (far left) was the first student to speak. Every student spoke for approximately 1 minute about things people could do to help the reef, problems they see with the reef, the reef's importance to them and their families, and how much they enjoy the reef.

Those attending the meeting were moved by the children's words and gave them a well deserved round of applause.

Click here to see press coverage of the students at the public meeting.

Click here to go back to the REEF Project introduction webpage.