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This feature highlights a collection of students who have participated in various BREEF programmes. Each student shares their vision for the future of The Bahamas, specifically from a marine conservation perspective, answering the question: “Where would you like to see the future of The Bahamas?” Their responses were published as part of a special 51st Independence Day edition of The Tribune newspaper on July 10th, celebrating youth voices and their commitment to protecting our marine environment for future generations.

William Godet
Age 9
Vice President of Hillcrest Academy Eco-Club
Hillcrest Academy is the most recent Eco-School in The Bahamas to receive a Green Flag Award

“The one thing I would change for the future Bahamas is having an Eco-club for each school. Imagine The Bahamas with these three things: gardens, greenhouses, and litter-free school grounds. This would be a major upgrade for The Bahamas, leading to food security and cleaner air. This would also help the number one industry, tourism by reducing pollution. This new mindset will hopefully keep our future students interested in environmental protection for planet Earth.” – William Godet

Eliana Bowe
Age 13
Treasurer of St. John’s College Eco-Club
BREEF Young Reporters for the Environment Competition Winner (2022)

“When I think about what I would change for the future of The Bahamas one thing stands out to me – the prevalence of plastic use in The Bahamas. This harms our marine animals through ingestion and entanglement. We need more aggression from the government to put policies in place for the eradication of plastics. We can start by using alternatives to plastics like glass, wood, and paper to help this ongoing issue.” – Eliana Bowe

Lauren Scriven
Age 16
Member of Lyford Cay International School Eco-Club
BREEF Young Reporters for the Environment Competition 2nd Place Winner (2024)

“Implementing comprehensive environmental education in schools is key. Educating young people about climate change and sustainability will inspire a generation committed to preserving our natural heritage.” – Lauren Scriven

Farah Flowers
Age 18
BREEF/Island School Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholar (BESS) (2024/2025)

“As a young Bahamian woman, I have lived through countless days, watching the care we have put into our Bahama land decline; from environmental neglect to the overdevelopment of commercial areas. This leads to water pollution, habitat loss, coastal erosion, and many other unfortunate and damaging effects. I envision a future for The Bahamas where we embrace sustainable practices to preserve and protect our unique marine environment. Fostering a culture of care and responsibility, especially among younger generations, would be a highly impactful first step.” – Farah Flowers

Jervon Sands
Age 22
Bahamas Climate Change Youth Ambassador

MSc. Environmental Change Management, Oxford University

“To safeguard the future of the Bahamas, I would encourage a significant shift in the way
we educate. One of the main barriers to climate resilience and adaptation on a national level is
limited human capacity – which is essential for addressing the climate crisis. The number of
young Bahamians currently engaged in climate-focused careers is insufficient to secure our
country’s future. This is a direct result of an education system that is no longer building capacity
that supports the current needs of our people. We need to redefine why we teach so that we
can determine what to teach and how to teach it.” – Jervon Sands

Heather Brockbank
Age 20
Outreach Officer, Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation
BREEF Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholar (BESS) (2024/2025)

“I envision a future where The Bahamas leads the way in marine conservation, with all Bahamian students educated on the critical importance of climate action and coral reef conservation. By fostering a deep understanding and appreciation for our marine ecosystems, we can empower the next generation to protect and sustain our Bahamian marine Ecosystems that sustain our way of life.” – Heather Brockbank

Samantha Ramirez-Ruvalcaba
Age 20
Bahamas Sustainable Development Goals Youth Ambassador (2024)
Bachelors in Engineering in Environmental Technology, Universidad Anáhuac, Mexico City

“The future of The Bahamas heavily depends on the achievement of the SDGs. One significant change we need to advocate for and implement is the development of resilient infrastructure. Whether it’s through terrestrial or marine technologies, investing in these initiatives will help protect our people, our land, and our oceans from detrimental damage as climate change and its adverse effects present themselves now and in the upcoming years.” – Samantha Ramirez

Jayden Pratt
Age 16
Lyford Cay Foundation FOCUS Student
BREEF Young Reporter for the Environment

“One thing I would change for the future of the Bahamas is to motivate more Bahamians to care for our environment. I would like to see an end to people carelessly tossing non-degradable items out of their vehicles and mass littering after events. We sometimes underestimate the impact of pollution. However, it damages our natural flora and fauna. By raising local awareness of the major effects these actions have on the environment we can reduce environmental damage for the future of the Bahamas.” – Jayden Pratt

Shania Higgs
Age 16
Lyford Cay Foundation FOCUS Student
BREEF Young Reporters for the Environment Competition 3rd Place Winner (2024)

“As we look toward the future of The Bahamas, we should carefully and collectively evaluate our culture and seek what’s best for us despite outside influences. Our natural environment is so important to Bahamian culture and identity. We can be inspired by others as long as we don’t forget where we’ve come from as a people. I adore my generation and how we’ve rocked the world with our kooky ideas, but we need to be sure that the lyrics we proclaim so proudly on the global stage are our own, and not merely a cover of another’s song.” – Shania Higgs

Jonathan Pierre
Age 12
Nassau Christian Academy Student
BREEF Sea Camper (2024)

“One thing I would change for the future of The Bahamas is the amount of pollution there is in
the water. That is so the fish, corals, and mangroves will not die out. I would like for the
Bahamians, youth, and future generations, to not pollute the land, air, and water, so that
animals, plants, and us humans won’t also die out.” – Johnathan Pierre

Journey Higgs
Age 18
Cape Eleuthera Island School
BREEF/Island School Bahamas Environmental Steward Scholar (2024/2025)

“As a young Bahamian, I want education centred on sustainability. We must implement sustainable practices in our personal and professional lives. This, with enforced laws and regulations, will ensure that we conserve and protect the natural resources that we depend on now and for our future.” – Journey Higgs

Taryn McKinney-Lambert
Age 13
BREEF Young Reporter for the Environment & My Island, My Future Conservation Film Award Winner

“I would like to see more efforts to protect our reefs and mangroves that protect our low-lying islands and our way of life. Coral reefs are especially important during Hurricane Season. I also believe that the switch to more sustainable and clean energy sources is essential for our future.” – Taryn McKinney-Lambert

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