REEF Reef Environmental Education Foundation

Welcome to the REEF community! Meet our Summer 2026 Marine Education & Conservation Interns: Will Cengic, Nevaeh Blair, Navya Mittal, and Jay Funaro.

From marine animal rescue and coral reef research to ocean storytelling and scientific diving, this crew brings serious passion and experience for protecting our oceans. We can't wait to see what they accomplish with REEF this summer.

Head to REEF.org/internship to learn more about each of them and our internship program.

It's almost race time! Which fish are you?

Calling all fish geeks (and fish geek wannabes)! Eric Riesch, underwater photographer and Managing Director of New World Publications (publisher of the Humann/DeLoach fish ID books), is on Bonaire and sharing his love of fish behavior on behalf of REEF. 🤿

Did you know a single parrotfish produces about 2,000 lbs of sand a year? Or that barracuda can hit 35 mph? Eric's mantra: dive slow, stay curious, seek small.

Catch him at Blennie's (Buddy Dive) at 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 7 & 14. Complete his fish-finding challenge and earn a mini fish ID book or a REEF sticker for your logbook!

Story by Mel McCombie, The Bonaire Reporter

Dive into the Florida Bay's Fishy world!

Join REEF's Field Survey Trips Program Manager Stacey Henderson for our next free Fishinar, "Florida Bay Fishes." He'll walk you through the fascinating species you can spot while diving or snorkeling these unique waters — seahorses included! 🌿🐴

📅 Thursday, June 11 · 8:00pm EDT
💻 Free & online

Register now 👉 https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8278666601423547743

Join us on Saturday mornings from 11am-12 noon for a free community science lesson and activity in our Science Discovery Classroom!

Bring a friend, bring your family, and come connect with fellow ocean lovers!

Learn more at on our Facebook event pages or www.REEF.org/events

Here’s what’s happening at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo this month!

Join us every Tuesday from 6-8pm for Ocean After Hours: an evening of ocean-inspired fun, learning, and community.

From hands-on activities, engaging guest speakers and friendly competition! Ocean After Hours is the perfect way to spend your Tuesday night in the Keys.

Or join us on Saturday mornings from 11am-12 noon for a free community science lesson and activity in our Science Discovery Classroom!

Bring a friend, bring your family, and come connect with fellow ocean lovers!

Learn more at on our Facebook event pages or www.REEF.org/events

Welcome to Coral Couture — our Pride Month celebration of the reef's most fabulous and unique fish. 🌈

Reefs have always been full of color, transformation, and lives that don't fit one mold, and we found five fish to prove it. The Emperor Angelfish is born in blue-and-white swirls and restyles into gold-and-blue stripes as it matures (science calls it ontogenetic color change). The Mandarinfish is one of the only animals on Earth with actual blue pigment in its skin, not the usual trick of light, and it's toxic to boot. The California Sheephead starts life as a female and transitions to male, keeping the colors of both. The Frogfish blends to it's surroundings, then strikes in about six milliseconds. And the Guineafowl Puffer ignored the "blend in" memo entirely and went full golden.

This Pride Month and every month, help us protect what makes reefs extraordinary: www.REEF.org

🐟 Ready, set, swim — er, run, walk, hike, bike, or paddle! The 7th Annual REEF Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K kicks off June 7 and runs through June 13, right alongside World Oceans Day. 🌊

Complete your 5K (3.1 miles) however you move best, anywhere in the world — all while supporting the REEF Oceans for All Fund.

⏰ Register ASAP at REEF.org/5K so your race pack arrives in time — limited-edition shirt, bib, and custom Fish Team stickers included!

📸 Don't forget: tag .org as you go for your chance to win a swag bag giveaway!

🔗 Sign up today: REEF.org/5K

Our Spring 2026 Marine Education & Conservation Interns just wrapped up an amazing semester with REEF. From running education programs for busloads of students and counting fish during this year's record-breaking Lionfish Derby, to welcoming visitors to our Ocean Exploration Center and helping us out with countless behind the scenes tasks at our Key Largo campus.

Now Stacie Strombom, Anna Hoover and Avery Kruger are on to new adventures in education, research and conservation management.

We're also sending off two Marine Education & Conservation Fellows. Anna Velardi and Sammy Brown, former REEF Interns themselves, have spent recent months gaining hands-on experience and professional development in marine conservation and the day-to-day operation of an environmental non-profit organization. Anna Velardi helped develop new grant, event and education programs at our Ocean Exploration Center. Sammy Brown supported program and communications work managing social media and outreach material development.

Thank you for everything you've poured into REEF's education and conservation work. We wish you all the best in what comes next.