Join this 11-day summer service adventure in the stunning Florida Keys, where you'll combine hands-on marine conservation work with exploration of one of America's most biodiverse regions. As a middle school student, you'll spend your days volunteering with the world's largest coral restoration foundation, earning up to 25 hours of meaningful service while helping restore Florida's third-largest barrier reef. You'll work directly with critically endangered corals, learning the innovative "coral farming" techniques that have already restored over 130,000 corals to the reef since 2007.

Beyond the reef restoration work, your adventure spans multiple Florida ecosystems and unforgettable experiences. You'll ride an airboat through the Everglades National Park searching for American alligators and crocodiles in their natural habitat, explore nine distinct ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth, and visit a sea turtle hospital where you may witness live rescue and rehabilitation procedures. Each location you visit—from Miami to Key Largo to the iconic southernmost point in Key West—offers unique opportunities to see marine life up close, from manatees and nurse sharks in the mangroves to colorful reef fish during your snorkeling expeditions.

The program balances rigorous service work with leisure and adventure. You'll kayak through mangrove habitats spotting crabs and jellyfish, snorkel in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary identifying fish species, relax on the white sand beaches of Sombrero Beach and Miami, and get behind-the-scenes access at the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science to learn about their conservation and rehabilitation efforts. Optional scuba diving is available for certified divers wanting to deepen their underwater exploration.

You'll stay in small, family-run boutique hotels in Miami, Key Largo, and Islamorada—places that prioritize personal relationships and group supervision over impersonal chain hotels. Your counselors bring infectious enthusiasm for marine conservation and will help you build close bonds with fellow middle school participants from around the world. The included meals feature authentic local cuisine at genuine establishments, with full accommodation for all dietary needs. This program is designed specifically for 7th and 8th graders who are passionate about marine life and ready to make a real difference in ocean conservation while creating lifelong friendships and memories in one of America's most spectacular natural destinations.