Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems face increasing threats, yet public engagement in their conservation remains limited by barriers to access, including geographic constraints, cost, and required experience in traditional, in water programs. To address this gap, the Rescue a Reef Ambassador Program was developed as a scalable, accessible outreach initiative designed to expand coral reef education beyond direct field participation. Guided by evidence-based practices in environmental science communication, the program implemented a four-month structure centered on three core webinars covering coral reef ecology, citizen science, and advocacy, supported by optional activities, educational resources, and a digital platform to foster community engagement. Program evaluation included participation metrics and post-program surveys to assess changes in knowledge and engagement. A total of 98 participants attended at least one session, with 60 completing the full program (61% completion rate), representing diverse ages and backgrounds across national and international audiences. Statistical analysis revealed significant increases in self perceived knowledge across coral ecology, conservation tools, and citizen science, while qualitative responses indicated enhanced confidence in science communication and increased interest in conservation-related actions. These findings demonstrate that structured, accessible outreach programs can effectively increase ocean literacy and foster community engagement, though future iterations should focus on improving long-term engagement and evaluating sustained behavior change.