Albany Senior High School (ASHS) and Blue Nature Aotearoa are thrilled to announce their partnership with SeaKeepers South Pacific as they launch the Global Junior SeaKeepers Programme. 

ASHS Principal, Claire Amos, also a founding trustee for Blue Nature Aotearoa, is excited to see this next iteration of real world learning available to ASHS students – “ASHS is already recognised around the world for the work we do in Impact Projects, and this joint venture with Blue Nature Aotearoa and SeaKeepers is yet another example of how our school is paving the way in ensuring our young people get the very best future and innovation-focused education.” Meanwhile, ASHS ākonga (students) Liam Shaw and Logan Gardiner are honored to be the first students from Aotearoa to participate in this prestigious partnership – “we’re looking forward to building real-world skills that will shape our pathways as future marine scientists. It’s also a chance for us to connect with professionals around the world who share our passion for protecting the ocean and its ecosystems”, say Liam and Logan.

(L-R: Claire Amos – Albany Senior High School Principal, Melissa White – Director of South Pacific, Seakeepers Society,
Alessandra Vallim – Programme Assistant for South Pacific, Seakeepers Society and Ayla Lunn – Blue Nature Aotearoa Education Lead)

The SeaKeepers South Pacific Chapter, based in Aotearoa, is committed to organizing scientist-led expeditions, promoting citizen science, advancing education, and encouraging community engagement across the South Pacific. Established in 2023, SeaKeepers expanded into the region to enhance marine science and conservation by utilizing privately owned yachts as platforms for oceanographic research, educational outreach, and marine conservation efforts.

(L-R: Logan Gardiner and Liam Shaw, Albany Senior High School students)

Melissa White (Director, South Pacific) and Alessandra Vallim (Program Assistant, South Pacific) from SeaKeepers view this initiative as a powerful way to encourage and empower young people who are passionate about marine conservation. “We at SeaKeepers are incredibly excited about this partnership between Albany Senior High School, Blue Nature, and SeaKeepers. The work they’ve already been doing is amazing, and I can’t wait to see how much further we can help develop it. Meeting the students and hearing their ideas was truly inspiring—they have such passion and creativity for ocean conservation.”

Blue Nature Aotearoa, a charitable trust founded by the late Hon Dr. Nikki Kaye and Dr. Nigel Bradly, aims to restore marine ecosystems and expand ocean biomass. Its mission includes fostering education, supporting social enterprises, scaling blue technologies, and building a dynamic network of educators, scientists, and tech innovators.

For Ayla Lunn (Education Lead, Blue Nature Aotearoa), the collaboration creates meaningful opportunities for rangatahi (young people) to explore, innovate, and grow as leaders. “There’s something really powerful about creating spaces where rangatahi can dream big, test ideas, and collaborate with experts from all walks of life, and this new collab with SeaKeepers allows just that. We’re not just building knowledge—we’re nurturing confidence, leadership, and bold thinking. Seeing that spark in young people reminds me why this mahi matters so much.”