Martha’s Vineyard youth will inherit an ocean environment at-risk. A large portion of the Vineyard’s economic strength relies on the unique marine life that surrounds us, yet Island fisheries and coastal habitats are deteriorating at a greater rate every year. If we want to protect our oceans for future generations, then we must educate and engage youth in the process. This year the Martha’s Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative (MVYLI) continues to focus its educational and outreach goals on ocean sustainability.

MVYLI Youth Leader Wins 2nd Prize at Blue Accelerator
At Cape Event, Winner Tests the Waters, Cape Cod Times, April 5, 2016

2020 Sustainable Vision Reports:
Challenging Our Leaders to Create Sustainable Policies

The Institute is working with youth leaders to envision a sustainable future for their communities. Through an intensive four-year visioning and community engagement process, participating youth prepared well-researched, well- documented presentations that challenged their leaders to develop policies that balance protecting their communities’ fragile ecosystems, providing for their families, creating opportunities for their children, and building a prosperous future. They also attracted like-minded people to join them in preserving their communities by attracting philanthropists, socially responsible investors, and venture capitalists to help them develop green projects.

Martha’s Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative 

In partnership with the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.  Youth Leaders presented at the Walter Cronkite Awards: 2014. This Island Plan was developed over 5 year community process – without youth involvement. MVYLI youth leaders worked for one year to research, understand this plan and then worked with the MV Commission’s top cartographer to create a Sustainable Vineyard Map as a visible way to share their vision for how to create a sustainable Martha’s Vineyard for future generations.