Designing, constructing and displaying our Rethink mural out of over 40,000 bottle caps at the Santa Monica Pier, 3rd Street Promenade, and the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Holding several marches and testifying at city hall to ban plastic bags in Santa Monica.

Partnering with The Surfrider Foundation and beginning the Teach and Test Program.

Building, designing and racing our first solar powered boat in Solar Cup 2009.

Winning 2nd place in the Edison Challenge.

Teaching the youth about going green at Franklin Middle School, Lincoln Middle School and several conferences such as the Sally Ride Festival and the Generation Earth Water Pollution Workshop.

Working with and promoting the movie “Fuel”

Appearing on several television networks such as Kcal9, CNN, CBS and the Asahi network in Japan.

Advocating for the preservation of the Ballona Wetlands.

SELECTED MEDIA APPEARANCES

http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArchiveArticle.asp?eid=10439
Santa Monica Mirror article, “Samohi Helps Save Lives in Cambodia and Africa,” featuring Samohi students collecting recyclables to raise money to buy life-saving water-filtering Life-Straws. Jun 25-Jul 1, 2009.

http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2009-06-22-60196.113116_One_mans_trash_is_another_mans_treasure_and_anothers_life.html
Santa Monica Daily Press article, “One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure and Another’s Life,” featuring Samohi students’ collection of over 12,000 recyclables to raise money for Life-Straws, life-saving, water-filtering devices being sent to Africa and Cambodia. Jun 23, 2009.

http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=18493&page=1
Santa Monica Observer article, “Recycling Saves Lives at Samohi,” featuring Samohi students’ collection of over 10,000 recyclables to raise money for Life-Straws, life-saving, water-filtering devices being sent to Africa and Cambodia. Jun 15-20, 2009.

http://www.usc.edu/org/edisonchallenge/2009/santamonica2009.html
USC Edison Challenge website featuring Team Marine’s blog about their 4-day award trip to Big Creek Lodge in the High Sierras for placing 2nd Place in the Edison Challenge, an environmental science eco-competition sponsored by USC and Southern California Edison. May 29, 2009.

http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArchiveArticle.asp?eid=10161
Santa Monica Mirror front page article, “Samohi’s Solar Skiff,” featuring Samohi students in Metropolitan Water District’s 2009 Solar Cup, an inter-high school competition wherein students build and race solar powered boats to promote water conservation and renewable energies. May 14-20, 2009.

http://cbs2.com/video/?id=102688@kcbs.dayport.com (type “solar boat” in search bar to bring up video)
CBS Channel 2 news featuring Samohi students testing their solar boat “Rethink” in Marina del Rey in preparation for the Metropolitan Water District’s 2009 Solar Cup, a competition among 33 high schools. May 13, 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8s3ULwK4W8&feature=related
Youtube video of KCAL Channel 9 news clip posted by and featuring Samohi students testing their solar boat “Rethink” in Marina del Rey in preparation for the Metropolitan Water District’s 2009 Solar Cup. 133 views Jul 14, 2009. Posted May 13, 2009.

http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2009-05-11-59080.113116_Going_for_the_suns_cup.html
Santa Monica Daily Press article, “Going for the Sun’s Cup,” featuring Samohi students getting ready for Metropolitan Water District’s 2009 Solar Cup, an inter-high school competition wherein students build and race solar powered boats to promote water conservation and renewable energies. May 12, 2009.

http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=16822&p=1&search_str=benjamin%20kay&search_str=benjamin%20kay
Santa Monica Observer front-page article, “Santa Monica High School Students Build a Solar Powered Boat,” featuring Samohi students getting ready for the Metropolitan Water District’s 2009 Solar Cup, a Southern California inter-high school solar boat race competition. May 11-17, 2009.

http://bluewatertaskforce.blogspot.com/2009/05/surfrider-santa-monica-high-school.html
The Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force website featuring Samohi students testing ocean water quality for harmful bacteria, part of the Teach & Test Program. May 4, 2009.

http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2009-05-01-53425.113116_Samohi_students_become_young_marine_biologists.html
Santa Monica Daily Press front-page article, “Samohi Students Become Young Marine Biologists,” featuring Marine Bio, Team Marine, and Heal the Bay Surfrider Club students conducting ocean water quality research through the Surfrider Foundation Teach & Test Program. May 2-3, 2009.

http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=16232&p=3&search_str=benjamin%20kay&search_str=benjamin%20kay
Santa Monica Observer article, “Student Concern about Urban Runoff,” featuring Samohi students’ participation in Surfrider Foundation’s ocean water quality monitoring program, Teach and Test. Apr 27-May 3, 2009.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/healthebay/page5/
Heal the Bay’s photo website featuring Team Marine and Marine Biology students’ REthink plastic bottle cap art display with over 20,000 bottle caps at Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Apr 22, 2009.

http://www.smdp.com/pdf/042109.pdf
Santa Monica Daily Press photo featuring Team Marine student wearing Bottle Cap Woman suit and teaching community members about the dangers of plastic bottle caps while showing “REthink” plastic bottle cap art display at Santa Monica Pier Aquarium Earthday Weekend. Apr 21, 2009.

http://santamonicacloseup.com/photo-du-jour/2009/4/20/team-marine.html?lastPage=true#comment3777246
Santa Monica Close-Up online newspaper featuring Team Marine and Bottle Cap Woman showing their “REthink” plastic bottle cap art display at Santa Monica Pier Aquarium Earthday Weekend. Apr 20, 2009.

http://www.santamonicapier.org/newsletter/nl040809.htm
Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation’s April newsletter featuring Team Marine’s REthink bottle cap art display at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium on Earth Weekend. Apr 9, 2009.

http://www.greenrightnow.com/kabc/2009/04/08/2009-edison-challenge-winners-announced/
KABC news website acknowledging Team Marine’s 2nd place finish in the 2008-2009 Edison Challenge. Apr 8, 2009.

http://www.edison.com/pressroom/pr.asp?id=7202
Edison International website acknowledging Team Marine’s 2nd place finish in the 2008-2009 Edison Challenge. Apr 7, 2009.

http://wamu.org/audio/mc/09/04/m1090403-25831.asx
Lynne Cherry, film maker and book author, on WAMU Radio (American University Radio in partnership with NPR) acknowledging environmental activities of Team Marine students. Apr 7, 2009.

http://www.rootsandshoots.org/resource/California%20Regional%20Website/News/Newsletters/Spring_2009.pdf
Jane Goodall Institute Roots and Shoots Program Newsletter featuring Team Marine students marching against single-use plastic products and the “REthink” plastic bottle cap art display encouraging companies to leash bottle caps to their bottles. Spring 2009.

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/capitolweekly/3404830615/
Capitol.Weekly’s Photostream featuring Team Marine student dressed in bottle cap suit lobbying in Sacramento to support Assembly Bill 925, which mandates companies leash plastic bottle caps to their bottles. Mar 25, 2009.

http://cleanseascoalition.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=60
Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi’s Clean Seas Coalition website featuring Team Marine’s Bottle Cap Woman lobbying in Sacramento to support AB 925, requiring bottle caps be leashed to bottles. Mar 25, 2009.

http://cleanseascoalition.org/images/stories/fact_sheets/BottleCaps_FactSheet.pdf
Assembly Member Lori Saldana’s Assembly Bill 925 fact sheet featuring pictures of Team Marine’s REthink plastic bottle cap display and Capwoman outfit (arranged by Leslie Tamminen). Mar 25, 2009.

http://www.smdp.com/pdf/031409.pdf
Santa Monica Daily Press article, “Bill Would Charge Shoppers to Use Plastic Shopping Bags,” highlighting Samohi students’ support of Congresswoman Julia Brownley’s Assembly Bill 68. Mar 14-15, 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihuxd6n2y9k
Youtube video, “Team Marine Rethinks Sustainability,” created by, posted by, and featuring Team Marine students performing various eco-projects in Santa Monica. 283 views Jul 14, 2009. Posted Mar 10, 2009.

http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArticleDetails.asp?eid=9603
Santa Monica Mirror article, “Samohi REthink Shows Off Artwork at the Promenade,” featuring Team Marine students’ bottle cap eco-art made from 34,727 bottle caps displayed on 3rd St. Promenade. Feb 19-25, 2009.

http://spoutingoff.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/rethinking-our-future/
Heal the Bay President Dr. Mark Gold’s Spouting Off blog entry, “Rethinking Our Future,” featuring Team Marine students’ “REthink” bottle cap art demonstration on 3rd St Promenade and other eco-projects in Santa Monica. Feb 18, 2009.

http://www.kehillatisrael.org/calendar.php?year=2009&month=02&day=06
Kehillat Israel website featuring Team Marine students’ environmental presentation to the congregation. Feb 6, 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJuDVN0XvPU
Youtube video, “Samohi Teens March Against Plastic,” created and posted by Samohi student, Sam Speiser, featuring Marine Bio, Heal the Bay Surfrider Club, and Team Marine students marching against single-use plastic bags in Santa Monica. 431 views Jul 14, 2009. Posted Feb 4, 2009.

http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2009/01/29/news_-_features/top_stories/1sm.txt
Santa Monica’s Argonaut newspaper article, “City Council Delays Ban on Single-use Plastic Bags,” quoting Team Marine student’s City Hall testimony against plastic bags. Jan 29, 2009.

http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2009-01-16-46172.113116_Proposed_plastic_bag_ban_challenged.html
Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper article, “Proposed Plastic Bag Ban Challenged,” quoting Marine Bio, Heal the Bay Surfrider Club, and Team Marine students’ testimonies against plastic bags at City Hall council meeting. Jan 16, 2009.

http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArchiveArticle.asp?eid=9378
Santa Monica Mirror newspaper article, “Special Education and Plastic Bag Ban Stretches City Council Meeting Beyond Midnight,” featuring students’
bottle cap woman costume and their impactful presence at City Hall council meeting. Jan 15 - 21, 2009.

http://spoutingoff.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/the-definition-of-insanity/#comments
Heal the Bay President Dr. Mark Gold’s Spouting Off blog entry, “Definition of Insanity,” featuring Samohi student testimonies at City Hall to ban plastic bags in Santa Monica. Jan 14, 2009.

http://www.rootsandshoots.org/regional_offices/california/news?newstype=36B58CDB-E544-E882-3960-388BF6981000&nwsid=1FB73325-62E7-1A49-AA90-86DEB7441000
Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots California regional website featuring Team Marine’s student-led community marches against single-use plastic products. Jan 13, 2009.

http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=11701&p=11&search_str=benjamin%20kay&search_str=benjamin%20kay
Santa Monica Observer article (with photos), “Samohi’s Team Marine,” featuring Team Marine students speaking at City Hall to ban single-use plastic bags. Jan 12-18, 2009.

http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArchiveArticle.asp?eid=9227
Santa Monica Mirror article, “A Day Without A Bag a Big Success,” featuring Marine Bio, Heal the Bay Surfrider Club, and Team Marine students marching through Santa Monica to promote ban on plastic bags. Dec 25-31, 2008.

http://www.milliontreesla.org/mtyouth.htm
2008-09 Environmental Youth Conference website featuring two Team Marine students selected to speak in front of 5000 youth at the LA Convention Center. Dec 13, 2008.

http://www.quiksilverfoundation.org/quiksilverfoundation/annualreports/2008_annualreport.pdf
Quiksilver Foundation annual report featuring Team Marine’s 1st place award for winning the 2007-08 QuikSCience Challenge, a science and ocean stewardship competition sponsored by USC and the Quiksilver Foundation. Dec 2008.