CAUSE (Community and Urban Science Enrichment) Program

The Center for Aquatic Sciences at Adventure Aquarium’s flagship program CAUSE, Community and Urban Science Enrichment, is a multi-faceted youth development program for middle school and high school youth in Camden NJ. The CAUSE program is designed to provide meaningful experiences in science and education, to promote science literacy and to provide educational and employment opportunities to Camden City youth. CAUSE provides youth with character education, personal and professional life skill training, mentoring and advanced aquatic science education that leads to paid work as educators for youth and families in and around their community. Youth are not selected for CAUSE based on academic performance but rather chosen based on their interest, enthusiasm, and long-term goals.

The year-round CAUSE program is comprehensive, focusing on intense academics and mentoring for youth in grades 8-12. Youth undergo rigorous training in marine science, oceanography, ecology, animal classification and learn to handle and teach using live animals. Youth are also immersed in professional and personal life skills training that include connecting theatre arts with science. The time spent with the teens translates into an opportunity to build real-world experiences that develop 21st century work skills.  

New skills are genuinely applied by youth through our focus on Camden’s urban waterways. Addressing real issues with the youth, such as environmental pressure on urban waterways and reconnecting residents with inaccessible natural treasures, encourages civic engagement and provides authentic “learning by doing.” Youth share the challenges and solutions within their own neighborhoods and the large number of visitors that come to the Camden Waterfront and Adventure Aquarium, thereby promoting citizen stewardship of our precious resources. Using both their real-time data and their knowledge, the youth will be environmental stewards that are able to provide residents with an awareness of the situation as well as ways they can help mitigate pollution and increase conservation of the waterways.

Activities include scientific and educational field excursions, outreaches, in-house and overnight programs, summer science camps and college visits. The CAUSE Program consists of two components – the Explorer Program for middle school youth in grade 8 and the Intern Program for high school youth in grades 9-12.

CAUSE Program Explorers

The Explorer component of the program is designed to engage 8th grade Camden youth interested in science and education as community outreach explainers and assistant counselors for the CAUSE summer science camps. The program focuses on science content training, field experiences, character education, personal development, career exploration and the CAUSE summer camp. At the end of their Explorer year, students are encouraged to transition into the high school Intern program.

CAUSE Program Interns

The CAUSE Intern component is a personal and professional life skills program that trains Camden high school students interested in science, education and beyond to work as public program educators and summer camp counselors for the summer science camp. The program focuses on intense aquatic education, life skills, peer to peer learning and many activities such as community service projects, public education programming such as outreaches and overnight programs, college tours and educational and scientific excursions. Students who progress in the program gain more responsibilities each successive year they participate.

Impact

• 100% of the CAUSE Interns who have completed the program (8-12th grades) have graduated from high school.

• Of the graduates, 99% have enrolled in college. The other 1% have gone into trade or certificate programs.

• 78% of the graduates have pursued a degree in science or education.

• Each summer, the CAUSE Interns and Explorers design and implement a five week summer science camp program for up to 200 children from Camden schools.

• CAUSE Interns have presented their research and experiences to federal government agencies, national and international science museum conference attendees and educators across the area.

The benefits of a program like CAUSE on a teen can be difficult to measure. CAUSE becomes a second home for them, and a second family. They are challenged, encouraged and supported through the program and through life as well. The CAUSE admin staff is not an intervention team, but they are the teens’ mentors and support system. It is their mission to mentor, encourage and uplift the teens in their journey to reach their fullest potential.