Saving sea turtles: Flagler’s Sustainability Learning Project

By Maria Montero

Flagler College student Ashley Kurtz leads an environmental initiative project that encourages students to take meaningful action for ocean conservation and sea turtle protection.

The project, part of Flagler’s Service-Learning Program, allows students to apply their studies to real-world environmental issues. Participants design and implement initiatives that combine sustainability, conservation and social awareness.

Recently, students from campus organizations including the American Marketing Association, Love Blue and the Student Leadership Academy joined Kurtz at Vilano Beach to collect plastic and debris. The cleanup focused on removing small litter items that threaten marine wildlife, including nesting sea turtles.

Other campus groups, such as the Green Beans Environmental Club, the Sailing Club and members of Phi Alpha Omega, also participate in the project, contributing to challenges, tracking progress and raising awareness across campus.

“The earth is our home, everything around us is living, breathing and affected,” Kurtz said. “I wanted to use my voice to create social and environmental change.”

The Service-Learning Project functions like an internship, giving students independence to tackle social or environmental challenges. Kurtz’s initiative emphasizes practical action and awareness, showing peers that even small steps can create meaningful environmental impact.

“I wanted to hold ourselves accountable and take small but mighty steps to make a difference,” she said. “Sustainability isn’t just a topic- it’s a way of living that can ripple out to create change.”

To keep students accountable, Kurtz uses digital tools such as GroupMe, allowing participants to track progress, share photos and check in on challenges. She also encourages students to post their work on TikTok and Instagram to inspire others and amplify the project’s impact.

Professor Paula Seymour, who oversees the service-learning project, emphasized the program’s purpose in giving students real-world sustainability experience.

“Sustainability isn’t just about protecting the environment- it’s about creating systems that allow both people and the planet to thrive,” Seymour said. “Students don’t just learn about sustainability; they experience it firsthand.”

Through the project, students engage directly with local nonprofits, social enterprises and community organizations. They employ tools like systems mapping, theory of change and digital platforms such as SoPact.

These methods help participants organize and visualize their impact while connecting their work to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The program emphasizes the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. It teaches students how to apply entrepreneurial thinking for social good while strengthening empathy, problem-solving skills and systems thinking.

Morgan Foster, a Flagler College student participating in the project, said it changed how she views daily habits.

“In the last challenge, we were asked to cut down on plastic, and I didn’t realize how much plastic I was actually using,” Foster said. “It made me realize I really do have an impact on the environment.”

She also tracks her progress with photos and notes, sharing her journey online.

“I use my notes app and take pictures to track my efforts. When I look back, I feel proud that I accomplished the challenge,” Foster said.

Ashley Kurtz said the most rewarding part of the project is watching students slow down and engage with their surroundings.

“I’m trying to get people to stop thinking so linearly and really take in every aspect of life,” Kurtz said. “We have an effect on everyone and everything around us, and I want students to feel connected enough to care and take action.”

The initiative shows that small actions, like picking up plastic or reducing waste, can create meaningful change. Kurtz said her goal is to make sustainability accessible and actionable for everyone.

“Even the smallest steps picking up a piece of plastic, reducing waste, or educating a friend can lead to mighty change,” she said.

As the sun sets over Vilano Beach, the project’s participants reflect a growing movement of environmentally conscious students. Through collaboration, awareness and consistent action, the initiative fosters a new generation of community-minded individuals.