A partnership between Lincoln County School District and the Oregon Coast Aquarium has earned national recognition for helping bilingual high school students strengthen their spoken language skills, explore marine science and gain career-connected experience.
The Bilingual Youth Program received top honors in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ 2026 Education Award for institutions with operating budgets under $12 million. The award was announced Sept. 30 during the association's annual conference in Portland.
The program trains LCSD students to teach Aquarium visitors about marine animals and habitats in English and Spanish. Then students work the floor as interpreters, talking with guests in whichever language the guest is most comfortable using. Students earn a stipend for participation and have the option to earn high school credit in environmental science and work-study. It is the only program of its kind in Lincoln County.
“The Bilingual Youth Program has grown immensely since it started,” said Dr. Ben Ewing, program liaison and science teacher for LCSD. “In addition to seeing individual student success, this program deepens the community impact of both organizations. It validates and sharpens the interns’ language skills, opening doors for further academic opportunities.”
The partnership began in 2022 with seven students and grew to 23 students this spring, including 11 who returned for a second or third year.
The program was created to expand opportunities for bilingual students while helping the Aquarium better connect with Latino and Hispanic families in Lincoln County. It treats students’ bilingualism as an asset while building communication, interpretation and workplace skills.
Throughout the program’s history, the two organizations have worked to reduce barriers to student involvement. The school district has provided transportation for field trips and reimbursed students for mileage traveled from Lincoln City to be able to participate. Additionally, students were released from class time to attend training and support interpretation during elementary field trips, when necessary.
This year, the Aquarium also added LCSD North Area Hispanic Family Liaison Deanna Dickey as a bilingual tutor to support students’ language development.
“I firmly believe that marine science and environmental education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of the language they speak,” Dickey said.
Inform Evaluation & Research has evaluated the program since 2023. In its latest report, the firm noted that youth docent programs are common at zoos and aquariums but rarely serve bilingual students, and urged the Aquarium to share the model so other institutions can build their own.
“We are delighted that our unique partnership with Lincoln County School District has been recognized nationally by our peers. A comprehensive evaluation documented the partnership’s impact, allowing it to serve as a model for other zoos and aquariums seeking to engage their bilingual communities,” said Kerry Carlin-Morgan, director of mission engagement, whose department oversees the program.