Our History

Youth Making Ripples Film Competition is an opportunity for K-12 and College students to use their creative talents and serve as a voice for our oceans. We encourage students to create their own marine related film on a topic of their interest. All submission must be less than 5 minutes. The message of your film can focus on an interesting marine topic, a specific marine related problem or issue, or a call to action for conservation.

The Youth Making Ripples Competition student films debuted to the public in 2014. The competition was held at Florida Institute of Technology’s Gleason Performing arts center. Winners were selected by both 1) panel of scientific judges and 2) viewer’s choice award. We awarded many prizes to the winners!

Our Mission

Youth Making Ripples is a global platform for ocean conservation, education, and discovery. Our mission is to raise awareness of critical marine issues and promote the protection of our oceans. Our organization creates and hosts powerful and inspirational educational events around the world designed to engage the public in ocean conservation.

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  • Submission Deadlines
  • Winner Announcements
  • Quarterly Non-Profit Update
  • Upcoming Events
  • Fun Contests / Promotions

Our Team

Phil Gravinese

Co-Founder & President

Phil is an assistant professor of marine biology at Florida Southern College. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota, Florida. He earned his Ph.D. from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2016 with his primary research question focused on determining how anthropogenic changes like elevated seawater temperatures and ocean acidification impact crustacean’s larval development, survival, and behavior. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D. in 2011, Phil spent five years teaching in Florida’s public schools. He also served as an adjunct professor for Eastern Florida State College and St. Petersburg College. Phil has coupled his passion for science and outreach by creating films and publishing educational lessons. In 2012, he co-founded Youth Making Ripples to promote ocean conservation to the next generation of ocean enthusiasts using film and 21st century technology.

Lauren Toth

Co-Founder & Treasurer

Film and marine science have always been joint passions for Dr. Lauren Toth. She earned an undergraduate degree from University of Miami where she majored in marine biology and motion pictures production. She went on to pursue a Ph.D. at Florida Institute of Technology. She is currently a Research Oceanographer at the United States Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, FL. Lauren is a coral-reef ecologist who uses clues from the past to better understand and manage the modern decline of coral-reef ecosystems. Lauren studies the fossil record of coral reefs around the world, to determine how reefs change over time and what environmental conditions promote reef growth and lead to reef decline.

Veronica Frehm

Secretary

Veronica Frehm has worked in the environmental education and non-profit field for over a decade. She has educated tens of thousands of students in North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Palm Beach County. Veronica holds a Master of Environmental Education degree, and specializes in curriculum development and facilitation in the non-formal education setting. She currently works as the Executive Director of Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park.

Adriene Tynes

Board Member

Adriene Tynes is the Director of Accreditation at Nonprofits First, a capacity-building organization that supports and strengthens the nonprofit sector. In 2013, Adriene earned a Master of Public Affairs degree and a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies degree from Indiana University. Before pursuing her graduate degrees, Adriene worked for residential experiential environmental education programs and completed a year of national service in AmeriCorps, working in Florida State Parks. Adriene combines her nonprofit expertise and her passion for the environment with Board service at Youth Making Ripples and Community Greening.

Vince Gravinese

Digital & Marketing

Vince oversees all things digital and marketing for Youth Making Ripples. He is a self-taught developer, with a Music Business & Education degree from Berklee College of Music. Currently, he is the Director of Professional Services at Wyng, a digital marketing company delivering interactive marketing campaign experiences and promotions for the worlds biggest brands. As father of an ocean enthusiast, Vince is constantly learning about the ocean, and the threats it faces, from his 5 year old son. Vince lives in CT with his wife and 3 children.

Honey Whitney

Board Member

Raised in New England, Honey Whitney moved south in her quest to be a marine biologist. Since then, she spent part of her career traveling around the world as a marine scientist and educator (and sometimes photographer/film crew/first mate/snorkeling instructor/nurse). She also earned a B.S. in marine biology and an M.S. in ecology from Florida Institute of Technology in there somewhere. Once she decided to stay in one spot, she spent time working on oyster restoration in the Indian River Lagoon with Brevard Zoo while simultaneously teaching about microbes and the ocean as an adjunct instructor at Eastern Florida State College. Recently, Honey switched over to being an educator full-time as a Science Teacher and Research Education Specialist at Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach. She particularly loves cuttlefish, talking about climate change, and making short stop motion animation movies.

James Rees

Board Member

James is interested in film arts, biological sciences, and the fusion between them. He has a bachelors in Microbiology and Cell Science from the University of Florida, and has worked as a biologist in virus vector entomology and aquatic toxicology labs. James has an MFA from CalArts in Film and Video, has made several of his own films, and has worked with groups such as the Florida Experimental Film Festival as an event arranger and screener. James currently works as a stereoscopic supervisor for DNEG and has overseen the stereoscopic 3D in films such as Beauty and the Beast, Wonder Woman, and Being Dolphin 4D. He has taught film production techniques at CalArts and trained thousands of artists in compositing techniques across the globe. James currently resides in Vancouver, BC and volunteers at the Vancouver Aquarium on the weekends as a jellyfish husbandry assistant. “Love them jellies”!

Anik Jarvis

Board Member

Having grown up in Antigua & Barbuda, a twin-island nation in the Caribbean, Anik developed a love for the ocean and all of its splendor. This evolved into a desire to find ways to conserve and preserve the environment around her, wherever she may be. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Midwestern State University and a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Central Florida where she focused in Environmental Sustainability and Geographic Information Systems. She has since returned to Antigua where she works with the Antigua & Barbuda Department of Environment specializing in GIS. Along with her GIS and data management work, she has been fortunate to become a part of the local efforts being made toward positive climate actions and biodiversity conservation.

Abby Smith

Board Member

Abby is an Marine Science Education Specialist at Mote Marine Laboratory in Summerland Key, FL. She has a research background studying the impacts of environmental stressors on the Florida stone crab fishery and is currently educating students weekly about the importance of Florida’s coral reef tract and the coral research and restoration efforts at Mote. As a marine science educator with research experience, Abby is working in an effort to bridge the gap between marine biology topics and community understanding through science education and communication. Abby hopes to use her passion for marine biology to communicate the importance of ocean conservation and science to her community.

Natalie Bergeron

Board Member

Natalie is a recent graduate from Stetson University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. She currently works as the Assistant Regional Biologist for the South Region of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Natalie is passionate about photography, education, and the outdoors, and hopes to use these tools to teach those around her about environmental issues through art and hands-on learning.

Gretchen Faraci

Social Media Intern

My name is Gretchen Faraci and I am a rising sophomore at Florida Southern College with a double major in Environmental Studies and Marine Biology with a minor in Pre-Law. I’m am also a research intern in the Crustacean Ecology laboratory at Florida Southern College.  After my undergrad I plan to attend law school to pursue my aspirations of becoming a lawyer with specialization in environmental law and policy. I would love to be part of a group of individuals that writes regulations on how to best protect and represent our precious wildlife and environment. I am incredibly grateful and full of excitement to be a part of the Youth Making Ripples team