STUART, Fla. — After noticing worsening water quality while rowing, South Fork High School senior Bianca Bernhard founded the Martin Oyster Restoration Initiative (MORI) a student-led nonprofit that recycles oyster shells to support restoration projects in local waterways.
“The water quality got really bad,” Bernhard told WPTV’s T.A. Walker. “That’s due to discharges from Lake Okeechobee, so I decided to do something with the extra free time.”
The initiative, known as MORI, collects oyster shells from local restaurants. Volunteers at South Fork High School then help dry and cure the shells so they can be used in restoration projects.
WATCH: Stuart student leads oyster restoration mission
“I recycle a lot of shells from local restaurants,” Bernhard said. “These local shells will help create new reef structures like what I’m holding right here, and those reef structures will grow new oysters which will filter the water.”
South Fork students help prepare oyster shells
South Fork High School students and teachers have joined Bernhard’s conservation effort through the school’s marine science, construction and agriculture programs.
During the WPTV segment, Jennifer Inostroza, a teacher at South Fork High School, explained that the school helps cure and dry the oyster shells so they are ready for future projects.
Information provided by the Martin County School District says MORI has recruited more than 60 students and teachers and amassed approximately 1,600 pounds of oyster shell.
The district says participating students can earn honor credits through South Fork High School’s Marine Sciences program.
How oyster shells become restoration structures
The recycled shells do not immediately return to the water. They must first be transported, dried and cured before they can be incorporated into approved restoration structures.
According to Bernhard, those structures provide places where new oysters can grow. She said the oysters then help filter and clean the surrounding water.
MORI is also collaborating with Docks for a Clean Lagoon, a nonprofit that installs vertical oyster gardens. According to Bernhard’s Go Blue Awards narrative, shells cured by South Fork volunteers have been used in the creation of vertical oyster gardens intended for the Indian River Lagoon.
Go Blue Awards recognize Bianca Bernhard’s work
Bernhard is a finalist in the Blue Hatchling Youth category of Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s 2026 Go Blue Awards.
“Bianca is one of our finalists for the Go Blue Hatchling Awards,” said Audrey Padgett, VP of Marketing, at Loggerhead Marinelife Center, told WPTV. “We’ve had nominees from all over the world. So it’s really amazing to see someone selected by this independent panel of judges here in our backyard for the work that she’s doing to improve ocean conservation and ecosystems right here.”
The annual awards recognize young people, individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations making contributions to ocean conservation.
The 2026 Go Blue Awards ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.
MORI aims to grow beyond South Fork High School
Bernhard’s work comes as MORI prepares for its next phase. According to her Go Blue Awards narrative, she aims to expand the initiative to three additional local schools during the 2026-27 school year.
She also plans to pursue oyster restoration research with the Florida Oceanographic Society and work with students to develop additional structures for restoration projects.
For Bernhard, the project began with something she saw while rowing. It has since grown into a broader effort that gives students a hands-on role in responding to the environmental challenges facing their community.
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