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As part of my participation in the STEM Ambassador Program, I had the opportunity to design and implement the educational workshop “Biologists for a Day” for elementary students at Dr. Julio J. Henna School. The activity was originally planned for preschool students and focused on explaining the process of decomposition through a science story. However, I was given the opportunity to adapt the activity for older students, which became a positive challenge and a valuable learning experience.

My STEM Ambassador project is taking place in the Corredor Ecológico del Noreste (CEN) Reserve in Luquillo, Puerto Rico, a protected coastal ecosystem co-managed by the community-based organization Coalición para la Protección del CEN and the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA). The Coalition, established in 2005, plays a key role in conservation, education, and community engagement. I have collaborated with this group in the past and continue to work with them through my postdoctoral research within the Reserve. This ongoing relationship has allowed me to observe their essential work in protecting the area and educating visitors. The Reserve receives both local and international tourists, yet it lacks interpretive guides or materials that help visitors understand and appreciate what they are experiencing.

On Thursday, November 14, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., a group of 14 tenth-grade students from Fajardo Academy, Puerto Rico, visited the El Verde field station for an interactive experience through the forest. The main goal of this activity was to learn about the station's history, explore various research projects and their interconnections, and reflect on the importance of ecosystems.