Page 7 - Jupiter West - December '23

Jupiter West, Page 7
Loggerhead Marinelife Center Announces

2024 Go Blue Awards Finalists

Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) has announced
the finalists for its prestigious 15th Annual Go Blue
Awards, with presenting sponsor Tampa General Hospital
(TGH). The Go Blue Awards recognizes individuals,
businesses, and nonprofits that promote, implement, or
contribute to a “blue” lifestyle of marine conservation,
while making significant impact improving and protecting
our oceans, beaches, and wildlife. Tickets are on sale to
attend the awards dinner at the center on Friday, Jan. 26,
2024, at 6 p.m.
The Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award was
named for the Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s founder The Blue Hatchling Youth Award recognizes a
who was an innovative pioneer in marine conservation. student up to the 12th grade who has contributed to
Eleanor Fletcher educated thousands of children about marine conservation through volunteer activities.
sea turtles and initiated cultural change to preserve and The finalists are:
protect the species. The recipient of this award exemplifies a • Marina Barto ─ president and cofounder of Surface71, The finalists have been evaluated by an esteemed panel
lifelong, extraordinary commitment to marine conservation a nonprofit organization run solely by students to raise of independent judges who will review the submitted
education through their work or volunteer activities. awareness about plastic pollution and ocean conservation criteria to select finalists and winners. This year’s judges
• Jim Toomey ─ Creator of the daily comic strip throughout Palm Beach County schools. include Sally Murray, daughter of LMC Founder Eleanor
Sherman’s Lagoon, which is syndicated in more than • Cash Daniels and Ella Grace Galaski-Rossen ─ Fletcher; Susan Murray, deputy vice president of Oceana
150 newspapers across 20 countries and in six languages. founders of the nonprofit The Cleanup Kids. Since they U.S. Pacific and granddaughter of Eleanor Fletcher; Greg
Sherman’s Lagoon combines two of Jim’s lifelong were 7 and 6 years old, respectively, Cash and Ella have Marshall, marine biologist and filmmaker; Joel Sartore,
passions: art and marine life. His cartoon books have sold shown exemplary leadership skills and passion toward longtime contributing photographer to National Geographic
more than 500,000 copies worldwide. Jim has received marine life conservation. magazine and author of The Photo Ark: One Man’s Quest
the prestigious Environmental Hero Award twice from • Asa Miller ─ a 16-year-old junior at Edgemont Jr./ to Document the World’s Animals; Lad Akins, curator
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sr. High School in Scarsdale, N.Y., Asa is a coral reef of marine conservation for the Phillip & Patricia Frost
(NOAA) “for using art and humor to conserve and protect restoration specialist, diver, and filmmaker, particularly Museum of Science and an inductee into the Scuba Diving
our marine heritage.” known for his work and research in his homeland of Cuba. Hall of Fame; Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, marine biologist and
The Blue Ambassador of the Year Award recognizes a The Blue Business of the Year Award/Nonprofit author; Sylvia Earle, Ph.D., president and chairman of
person who has made significant contributions to ocean of the Year Award recognizes a business or nonprofit Mission Blue and a National Geographic Society Explorer
conservation through volunteering and work-related that has made outstanding contributions to promoting in Residence; and Brian Skerry, award-winning National
efforts. The finalists are: conservation or restoration of marine life or ecosystems Geographic photographer and film producer.
• Nan Hauser ─ president and director of the Center through its work, outreach, practices, products, or To purchase tickets or to sponsor the Go Blue Awards,
for Cetacean Research and Conservation (CCRC), and technology. The finalists are: visit marinelife.org/connect/goblue.
director and principal investigator of Cook Islands Whale • Inwater Research Group ─ a small, nonprofit Photos by Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Research (CIWR). This nurse-turned-whale biologist has organization dedicated to rescuing and researching
spent the better part of three decades studying humpback numerous marine species, including sea turtles,
whales in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, aiding in the creation elasmobranchs, and bony fishes. Inwater has a strong Stop Yelling At
of a 2-million-square-kilometer whale sanctuary and focus on marine conservation and education, with
educational research center in Rarotonga. research projects spanning across both coasts of Florida.
• Todd Steiner ─ founder and executive director of • Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival ─ founded Your Kids
Turtle Island Restoration Network, an ocean advocacy in 2013 with the mission of raising funds and awareness
and research nongovernmental organization with offices for ocean conservation, Tortuga and Rock the Ocean have
in California, Texas, and Hawaii. For more than 30 years, hosted more than 100 nonprofit organizations within By Jim Forgan, Ph.D.,
Steiner and Turtle Island Restoration Network have been the music festival, and raised over $4 million for ocean School Psychologist
leading advocates for the world’s oceans and marine conservation research, efforts, and education. “Here we go again,
wildlife. • Upwell Turtles ─ a nonprofit committed to supporting mom’s rocket launcher
• Scott Vogel ─ an LMC program assistant and hospital the research, data collection, conservation, and management went off and she’s yelling
interpreter, Vogel has lived a life of volunteer activism and of open ocean habitats in the recovery of threatened or at me.” This statement
education. He has a lifelong passion for ocean conservation, endangered marine turtles. Upwell launched the “Lost Years captures how kids I work
and has been active in promoting stewardship to future Initiative,” a satellite study that tracks sea turtle migration with often describe how
biologists and conservationists. in hopes of protecting and preserving habitats. their mom or dad deals with
them when they are not
acting right. “Yelling is the
only way I can get him to
listen and behave,” is a common parent response. All agree,
yelling does not contribute to a peaceful home.
Yes, at times we parents must raise our voices and make
it stern and serious. But yelling, shouting, screaming, and
threatening is parenting by instilling fear into your child.
Unfortunately, fear and intimidation don’t produce lasting
behavioral changes. Sure, your child might behave when
you’re around but leave them with relatives or a sitter and
prepare yourself for a bad report. When you yell at your child
to get him to do what you want, he is learning that’s how he
should treat his peers or friends when he encounters someone
who doesn’t do what he wants. You are the example he looks
to for learning how to interact with others.
Do you yell at your child when he asks you to read an
unknown word from his homework? No, you teach him how
to pronounce the word. Try to maintain this teaching mindset
when it comes to his behavior. Keep teaching him over and
over how to behave appropriately.
Perhaps ask him questions instead of yelling commands.
“Are you being helpful? Is this good for the family? What will
happen if you don’t stop?” People often tune out yelling, but
a question has an implied response requirement. Being asked
a question requires reflection and thought, and this helps your
child’s mind to shift and transition. Parenting requires us to
modify our behavior just like modifying our child’s behavior
so keep learning and practicing.
Maybe you’ve thought, “Why does he act like
that? Maybe there is something wrong with him. Is he
ADHD or maybe autistic?” Our testing process provides
information to help answer your questions. Call to discuss
your child as we test for autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia,
ADHD, depression, learning disabilities, and anxiety.
Visit JimForgan.com or call (561) 625-4125.