What happens when a classroom full of Reef Guardian students get the chance to ask the Chief Scientist their biggest questions about the Great Barrier Reef?
Sea Week 2026 saw the Reef Guardian education team reach over 900 students and teachers across 187 school bookings. A highlight of this outreach was a virtual session with St Joseph's Catholic School, The Strand in Townsville, where students learned first-hand how the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority manages the Reef for future generations.
Aligned with this year's "Caring for Planet Water" theme, the session explored the Great Barrier Reef, key threats facing the Reef and how the Reef Authority monitors and protects it. Joining the session as co-host was the Reef Authority's Chief Scientist, Dr Roger Beeden who spoke with students about the challenges facing coral reefs and answered a series of thoughtful questions from the class.
The session gave students the opportunity to connect what they are learning in the classroom with Reef science - hearing directly from people working to manage and protect the Reef every day.
For Reef Guardian student Lucy McLennan, the session was an exciting opportunity to learn more about the Reef she cares about.
- "I liked learning about how scientists study the Reef and check if it is healthy," Lucy said.
"The Reef is really important because lots of animals live there, and we need to look after it."
Lucy said being able to talk to the Chief Scientist helped me understand and I learned a lot.
"It was cool to ask questions and hear from someone who works on the Reef," she said.
"I learned that even small things we do can help protect the ocean."
Throughout the session, students asked questions about coral bleaching, how scientists monitor Reef health, and what young people can do to help protect the Reef. Their curiosity and enthusiasm highlighted the importance of building ocean literacy and creating opportunities for young people to engage with Reef science.
For the Chief Scientist, it was also a chance to connect with the next generation of Reef stewards.
- "Speaking with students is always incredibly rewarding. Their curiosity and passion for the Reef is inspiring," Dr Beeden said.
"Helping young people understand the challenges facing coral reefs - and the role we can all play in caring for our oceans is an important part of protecting the Reef for the future."
By connecting students directly with the Reef managers, initiatives like this help inspire the next generation to learn about, care for and advocate for the Great Barrier Reef. Students can learn about the Reef, it's animals, habitats and the pressures it faces. Ultimately, the future of the Reef will be shaped by the people who grow up caring about it today.
