A look at some of the organizations represented on the SEP indicates the depth of knowledge and range of interests of this group. Members come from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Marine Mammal Center, California State Parks, CMC, Save Our Shores and many area schools. "The SEP provides a venue for all of these people to come together and network &emdash; that has a value in and of itself," says Welch. "But also, the Sanctuary is more effective with that input. It is intriguing to see the exchange of information that comes out of that mix; you get a lot of perspectives, and I think it provides fairly well-rounded advice for the Sanctuary."

Sanctuary Manager Terry Jackson is grateful for the SEP's work. "All the working groups &emdash; and the SAC &emdash;really give us good, broad public input on what we do. We realize that we're a group of individuals with limited connection to the community unless people come in to talk to us, or through these [working] groups. This connection is extremely valuable to the Sanctuary." Liz Love, Education Coordinator for the Sanctuary, also understands the importance of the group. "The value of the SEP is that it brings together individuals and organizations &emdash; experts in the field of marine education &emdash; dedicated to teaching about the Sanctuary," says Love. "We share ideas, form partnerships and identify the best ways to promote understanding and stewardship of the Sanctuary."

Members, and the organizations they represent, benefit from participation in SEP, also. Lorraine Riversong, Education Coordinator for Save Our Shores, appreciates the opportunity for peer review, brainstorming and sharing resources. "We have the option of bringing in ideas and projects to get input from others," she points out. "Also, it is a great way to find out what other groups are doing, and keep up on what is happening around the community."

Through the hard work of its members, the SEP is continually disseminating educational information about the Sanctuary throughout the community. Dorris Welch sums up their dedication this way: "The SEP is a group of professionals who have a common goal of heightening awareness, appreciation and stewardship of the Sanctuary through education. All share a belief that by working together they can be more effective. That's why they drive long distances and sit through hours of meetings each month, to be part of that bigger process."