Get Into Your Sanctuary Virtually!
2025 Sea to Shining Sea Award
By Tracy Hajduk
April 2, 2026
Header Image: Rob Lee/BAUE
For 12 years, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has recognized outstanding achievement by presenting the Sea to Shining Sea Award for Excellence in Interpretation and Education. The award recognizes success in advancing ocean literacy and conservation through national marine sanctuaries. It also recognizes innovation and creative solutions to raising public awareness and appreciation of the National Marine Sanctuary System under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
This year, the award is presented to Jennifer Stock and Justin Holl for the “Get into your Sanctuary Virtually!” program.
Experiencing Cordell Bank Together
Scuba diving in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is a chance of a lifetime, but due to its offshore location and depth, it requires technical training and is something most people will not get a chance to do. The Cordell Bank Sanctuaries 360 experience was created to bring the awe of this amazing place to people of all ages, abilities, and locations.
Imagine the challenge faced by educators with a large group of students trying to give everyone a turn with a VR headset, rushing about to queue up each headset and help kids find the play button. With a bit of education, innovation, and persistence, Jennifer Stock and Justin Holl, the education specialists at Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, created a way for up to 25 people to automatically experience the VR video at the same time, each in their own headset. This shared experience allows viewers to witness the wonders of this 360 film together which can complement a public program or a classroom discussion. This solution allows educators to spend less time troubleshooting and more time focusing on teaching and engaging participants.
According to Stock, participants in Public Lands and Waters day experienced the Cordell Bank 360 in a synchronized format inside the ocean room at the Point Reyes National Seashore Historic Lighthouse.
“The joy on participants' faces as an ocean sunfish appears in the headset during a decompression stop is sometimes accompanied by family members reaching out to grab the arm of their loved ones in excitement, creating a shared experience and connection,” Stock said. She explained that afterwards, participants can talk together about the video, ask questions, and relive their favorite moments.
Reaching People Through Immersive Experiences
Since late 2024, over 3,000 people have experienced the shared virtual experience through this innovative approach, in addition to the more than 50,000 people who have viewed the 360 video online. Participants come away with a feeling of what it is like to dive on these amazing reefs while removing the physical, economic, and geographical barriers to this underwater treasure. People of all ages express wonder and curiosity about what they saw. Stock and Holl said the experiences even led to an increase in thoughtful, stewardship-minded questions. The program also allows partners to use the films, expanding the reach even more to their own audiences.
Visit a National Marine Sanctuary!
Cordell Bank—one of America’s 18 national marine sanctuaries— is an extremely productive marine area off the West Coast in Northern California, just north of the Greater Farallones. The heart of the sanctuary is Cordell Bank, an underwater rocky feature that sits on the edge of the continental shelf 115 feet below the surface. The combination of currents, upwelling, and the topography create a rich and diverse marine community that supports fishes, invertebrates, marine mammals, and seabirds found within the sanctuary.
You can learn more about Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and see a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge at the Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Visitor Center! Located at the historic Crissy Field Lifesaving Station (U.S. Coast Guard) near the entrance to San Francisco Bay, the center offers visitors a wealth of educational resources about wildlife and conservation, and provides access to a sandy beach and green space that's perfect for a sunny day trip. Visit this free center and see the 360 film for yourselves!
This project was supported in part by the Cordell Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
Tracy Hajduk is the national education coordinator at NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.