TIDES Academy & Partner Schools
TIDES partner schools are those that either maintain a TIDES program at their school or promote participation in the program to their student body. At least two teachers or staff members at the institution must champion the program and encourage enrollment.
The program's minimum operating size is 8 students to a maximum size of 24 students per program. TIDES can be incorporated as an extracurricular credit or as an after-school club.
Teacher and Institution Benefits
Partner schools receive ongoing administrative and logistical support from Ocean First Education including:
- • Developing tailored unit and lesson plans for their specific school culture and schedule.
- • Responsive tech support for both the SSI and OFE online materials.
Teachers facilitating the TIDES program in their school are offered several professional development opportunities from Ocean First Education including:
- • Training on mastery of marine science content and proficiency with the TIDES materials, resources, and instructional strategies.
- • Comprehensive scuba diving training.
- • Opportunity to chaperone program expeditions.
Custom Tailored Programs
The TIDES team works with each institution to create a custom program schedule tailored to the specific student body interests and within the budgetary constraints of the institution.
Each program will incorporate scuba courses, marine science courses, and a research focused expedition.
Academy Programs can incorporate any number of different course combinations from our standard TIDES Experiences. Please view our “How it Works” Page for a detailed list of course options to mix and match.
Curriculum Highlights
All science curriculum within the program is aligned to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and provides a safe and secure learning environment.
Our focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) within our courses increases engagement in, and access to, these important fields, which we hope will help combat the disproportionate representation of women in many scientific fields.
Our Current Partners
- • Alexander Dawson Middle School
- • Aspen Ridge Preparatory School
- • Graland Country Day School
- • Kent Denver Middle School
- • St. Anne’s Episcopal School
- • Monarch Academy
For inquiries about TIDES Academy, please fill out a TIDES interest form to get started -or- contact Joel Van Egbert, Youth Programming Director, at joel.van.egbert@oceanfirst.blue.
How TIDES Academy Works
TIDES is open to all students ages 12-18 the program is nonsequential, and each experience naturally builds from one year to the next.
As students progress through the program, they will take courses in both marine science and scuba diving, which together will be utilized as they move from the classroom and pool into the field and become citizen scientists.
With six programs to choose from, the flexible format truly gives students the freedom to explore the aspects and questions that inspire them the most!
About the Experiences
Dive In! - Prerequisite courses
Students will dive into the program as *Explorers, earning their Open Water Diver scuba certification and learning how we are connected to the ocean with the 7 principles of Ocean Literacy.
*Students who have already earned their Open Water Diver scuba Certification may skip the Explorer experience and enter into the TIDES program as Advanced Explorers.
Students will then move on to become Advanced Explorers, building on their scuba skills with Enriched Air Nirtox and Perfect Buoyancy and expanding their marine science skills with Marine Ecology.
Go Deeper! - Choose your own Adventure
Once Students have graduated from Explorer and Advanced Explorer, they are free to choose any of the 4 focused ecology experiences depending on their individual interests. See our TIDES Experience chart above for more information on each experience.
Course Structure
TIDES Courses are made up of four components
Home-Study - of SSI’s online scuba coursework and Ocean First Education’s immersive Marine Science short courses.
Classroom - workshops to reinforce concepts students learn at home and to provide an opportunity for students to ask questions and interact with their instructor.
Pool Training - where students get to breathe underwater and practice their scuba skills in a safe and controlled environment.
- For the Explorer experience, students outside the Denver Metro area can either travel to Ocean First or complete their confined water skills at a dive center in their area. For all other TIDES experiences, confined water training can be completed on the expedition.
Open Water Diving Expedition - Four open water checkout dives are the final step before graduating from the TIDES Explorer experience.
-For all other experiences, students will participate in a place-based learning expedition at a unique ocean-based location. Students will get the opportunity to participate in citizen science projects and log several amazing dives.
Interested in joining? Please fill out an interest form to get started!
