The ‘KSK Mengajar’ Program is a community service activity carried out by members of the Marine Study Group (KSK) at the Faculty of Biology, UGM. This program is organized under the operational division of KSK in collaboration with a village in Gunungkidul. The event took place on October 22, 2023, at the Pengkol Village Hall, Nglipar, Gunungkidul. The purpose of this activity was to provide education and information to the community, especially children, about marine life, including marine organisms, efforts to preserve and keep the oceans clean, as well as safety guidelines while at the beach. Moreover, this activity served as a platform to introduce the Marine Study Group to the community.
The event, attended by 19 KSK members and 40 children from Pengkol Village, commenced with an opening speech by the Head of Pengkol Village, Mr. Agus Sunarjo. He expressed that as residents of Gunungkidul living near the coast, they haven’t received much information about marine life, especially for children. Thus, as KSK members, we hope that through this activity, we can enhance children’s understanding and awareness of the importance of preserving and maintaining sea cleanliness, encouraging them to actively engage in sustainable practices continuously.
The activity proceeded with the delivery of educational materials and a guessing game session to assess the children’s understanding of the presented content. Children who correctly answered questions were rewarded as a form of appreciation. Following this, the activities continued with a fun game session, crafting bracelets from beads, aimed at fostering creativity and interactive learning. The crafted items, as successful handiwork, were taken home by the children as keepsakes. The event concluded with presenting a plaque of appreciation to Mrs. Dewi, representing the village officials, and a group documentation session with all participants.
