The Aquarium holds an unparalleled contest.
The Primorsky Aquarium is currently accepting entries for the Sixth Ocean Contest which is held to find the best comprehensive assistance programs for children with disabilities. The contest is open to community college and university students specializing in Pedagogy and Medicine.
“The Sixth Ocean consists of four phases, the first one will run through October 30, 2018. Until then students can enter the contest”, says Marina Maslova, Senior Specialist of the Environmental Education Center at the Primorsky Aquarium. “During the second phase the applicants will present their projects. Since children may have various health problems, assistance programs can be various, too. Some contestants will probably decide to concentrate on work with children with cerebral palsy, while others will dedicate their projects to children with autism”.
On reviewing the presentations, the judges of the contest will choose the participants for the third phase, the longest one, which will take place from October 11, 2018 to June 20, 2019. Within this period, students, together with their research advisors and specialists of the Primorsky Aquarium, are to draw up their comprehensive assistance programs using the Aquarium’s resources.
“The Aquarium provides unique opportunities for children with special needs to see the world in a new light”, says Olga Shevchenko, Head of the Research Support Office of the Primorsky Aquarium. “As we have no staff qualified for working with disabled children, we hope to attract such specialists for joint work. In the course of the year the winners of the second phase will be able to implement their ambitious programs, which are so necessary for these children and their parents, in the premises of the Aquarium.”
The fourth phase includes a defense of contest projects, and it will take place in June 21, 2019. The best comprehensive assistance programs for children with disabilities will be further carried out at the Primorsky Aquarium.