Lesson Objective Slide

Daniela’s Story (Full)

Daniela’s Story (Synopsis)

Values From The Story

Language Arts Lesson Activity Options

Stem Lesson Activity Options

Sustainability Innovations

Sustainable Career Pathways

Lessons Learned

TABLE OF �CONTENTS

LESSON�OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

1. Identify the Impact of Passion and Purpose in Driving Social Change
2. Analyze the Role of Resilience and Initiative in Overcoming Challenges
3. Understand the Value of Youth Empowerment and Collaboration

DANIELA’S�STORY

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• Daniela Fernandez founded the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) at just 19, igniting a movement for ocean health and sustainability.

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• As the world’s largest network of young environmental leaders, SOA unites contributors from over 150 countries, driving innovative solutions to protect our oceans.

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DANIELA’S�STORY

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• Growing up in Ecuador, Daniela was immersed in breathtaking natural beauty—from misty cloud forests to majestic volcanoes.

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• The country’s rich biodiversity, home to rare species like the spectacled bear and the Galapagos tortoise, inspired her deep love for nature and fueled her commitment to preserving these fragile ecosystems.

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DANIELA’S�STORY

• Her passion for environmental advocacy crystallized at age 12, after watching An Inconvenient Truth in Chicago.

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• The documentary revealed the devastating impacts of climate change, motivating Daniela to dedicate her life to safeguarding the planet.

DANIELA’S�STORY

• While attending a United Nations meeting on ocean health as a freshman at Georgetown University, she recognized a critical gap: the need for youth engagement in ocean conservation.

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• Noticing a lack of communication with her generation and an emphasis on problems rather than solutions, she was inspired to establish the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA), a platform that connects young people with global leaders to foster innovative approaches to ocean preservation.

DANIELA’S�STORY

SOA empowers youth through three key initiatives:

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• The Ocean Leadership Program supports young leaders in creating regional hubs

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• The Ocean Solutions Accelerator aids entrepreneurs in scaling ocean-focused startups

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• The Ocean Academy offers virtual learning labs to educate the next generation of ocean advocates �and professionals

DANIELA’S�STORY

• As a first-generation student raised in a single-parent household, Daniela encountered numerous challenges, including facing repeated rejections while launching SOA.

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• Yet, she persevered, trusting her instincts and drawing strength from her supportive community of mentors, especially her mother, whose unwavering encouragement inspired her to pursue her vision despite the obstacles.

STORY�SYNOPSIS

• Daniela Fernandez founded the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) when she was just 19 years old. This organization develops leaders, cultivates ideas, and accelerates solutions in the field of ocean health and sustainability – and is the world’s largest network of young environmental leaders, with contributors from more than 150 countries worldwide.
• SOA leads the way in innovation by offering a leadership program, as well as an Oceans Solutions Accelerator aimed at supporting brilliant startups that can contribute to the health of the ocean. For her work, Daniela has been recognized by U.S. Secretary John Kerry and former President Bill Clinton among many others.
• She is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Friends of Ocean Action, and has been nominated by the Forbes 30 Under 30 for her environmental achievements.

What values have you learned from Daniela’s story?

STORY�VALUES

1. Imaginative
2. Flexible
3. Creative
4. Committed
5. Enthusiastic

Language Arts Lesson Activity Options

CHOOSE A WATERWAY �CONSERVATION/SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT.

• Write a three-minute pitch designed to recruit young people to help with this project. Then, write a three-minute pitch designed to attract investors to your project.
• Compare and contrast these two pitches: How are they similar? How are they different?

WHICH WATER CONSERVATION/SUSTAINABILITY �ISSUE NEEDS ATTENTION IN YOUR AREA?

• Imagine that you are deciding to start an organization to tackle this issue.
• Write a one-page mission statement explaining why this cause is important, what your goals are, and how you plan to achieve them.

• Write a script that could be used by a phone operator in a one-minute recruitment call to motivate someone to get involved in the water conservation/sustainability project you have chosen.

STEM LESSON �Activity Options

1. Think about an issue you are passionate about.
2. Grab a pen and paper and brainstorm about 3 ways you might make an impact.
3. On Page 1, jot down how you could organize people to help you solve your problem.
4. On Page 2, brainstorm a technological innovation you could create (or use) to solve the problem.
5. On Page 3, combine the ideas from the previous two pages. Imagine how this technology could be used in conjunction with your movement to solve the problem you have chosen.

Recent research found that “between 1.2 million and 2.5 million tons (1.1 million to 2.2 million metric tons) of plastic generated in the U.S. were dropped on land, rivers, lakes and oceans as litter.” Put that number into perspective. What else weighs a billion pounds? Make a comparison.

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Since reducing plastic in oceans is of paramount importance (and is specifically addressed in Target #1 of the 14th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), explore a variety of ways we can reduce plastic production. SDG Indicator 14.1.1 specifically mentions the measuring of “floating plastic debris density.”

What does this mean? Are these numbers equal around the world? What are the concentrations of plastic in various parts of the world?

Explain these concentrations in simple terms to your classmates. What are the effects of this plastic on ocean ecosystems? Consult this report for answers to these questions.

SUTAINABILITY INNOVATIONS

Daniella has assisted in the development of many ocean-focused projects and hopes to improve current ideas with the Sustainable Ocean Alliance Accelerator Program, which is designed to assist solutionists who are focused on improving ocean health.

Design an idea for a start-up organization and create an “elevator pitch” to present to Daniela.

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In addition to nonprofit organizations that focus on the development of start-ups, organizations like Ocean Conservancy focus on ocean policy that is based on science-based solutions at both the federal and state government levels. When assessing the health of our oceans, identify the issue that is currently the greatest risk to its health.

Research one organization that is similar to the Sustainable Ocean Alliance that is targeting the issue you have identified.

SUSTAINABLE CAREER PATHWAYS

OCEANOGRAPHER

An oceanographer is a scientist who studies the ocean, thereby helping to protect, conserve, and restore marine environments. Oceanographers can study the life, chemicals, fluid dynamics and physics, or even the geology of the oceans’ floors.

Considering that oceans are the true “lungs” of the planet (producing up to 80 percent of the world’s oxygen)—and that climate change deeply threatens the ocean, both through warming and acidification—the world certainly needs more oceanographers. For more on this field and its vast diversity, visit here.

AQUARIST

Do you love marine animals but would rather care for them than study them? Aquarists care for marine life in aquariums and research facilities. This is a niche field and certainly an interesting one to explore.

AQUACULTURIST

One of the great ways to heal the ocean is growing kelp and shellfish to filter and clean it. Farming the seas, or aquaculture, is a growth industry, as is working for companies that help seed aquaculture operations. An aquaculturist oversees the breeding and growing of fish, staff management, and the operation of aquacultural systems. Learn more here.

OCEAN ACTIVIST

If we are to reduce marine pollution, including plastic pollution, and overfishing, we’re going to need more activists fighting for the well-being of the world’s oceans. Organizing beach cleanups, advocacy efforts, and drawing attention to the 14th Sustainable Development Goal are all ways to get involved right now.

As you build your experience in activism, perhaps like Daniela you’ll be able to make a career out of this passion as well! One way to get started might be to join the Sustainable Ocean Alliance’s Leadership Program.

AQUARIST

SOA also hosts an Ocean Solutions Accelerator, offering mentoring and micro-grant funding to support new initiatives. Finding strategic ways to heal the ocean and creating a needed product or business service are great ways to make a career, and a difference in our world.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

WHY ARE HURRICANES GETTING STRONGER?

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This short video uses Hurricane Harvey from 2017 as an example of how climate change is causing hurricanes to grow more intense, resulting in more rainfall and damage.

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COMMUNITY ACTION FOR �RAINFALL EDUCATION

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Coastal cities and island nations are particularly vulnerable to changes in climate and extreme weather patterns. However, flash floods pose a distinctive threat, with rapid waters leaving local communities unprepared for such a sudden flood. �

What Have You Learned From Today’s Class?

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM� TODAY’S CLASS?

1. Daniela changed her career track so she could help encourage entrepreneurs who were doing something to change things.

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• Communication channels are important so that young people can interact with high-level leaders.

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• Think about the problems we face. Find ways to propose them to those who can make them happen.