02/23/2026
Congratulations to our 2026 WDHOF scholarship and training grant awardees: Thank you to all those who support Ocean Wishes. We appreciate your donations that help us support so many young people who are changing the world and protecting our oceans. Your continued support and passion are greatly appreciated.
Basic Dive Training Grant $1,000, sponsored by Ocean Wishes/WDHOF Member Margo Peyton and WDHOF Isabella Pellegrino, Florida, U.S. Growing up in Miami, Isabella’s curiosity about the ocean evolved into a career focused on protecting coastal ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. She now works in fisheries monitoring and sea turtle conservation, contributing to field research, biological sampling, data analysis, and community outreach across South Florida. Isabella’s goal is to strengthen ecological datasets and support science-based resource management that will help sustain these environments for years to come. To her, diving is more than just a professional skill; it represents a meaningful connection to the marine environments and species she is committed to protecting. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, cooking, skateboarding, and film photography, all of which deepen her appreciation for the outdoors. As a WDHOF grant recipient, she is grateful to apply her new dive training to expand her impact beneath the surface and inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.
Basic Dive Training Grant $1,000, sponsored by Ocean Wishes/WDHOF Member Margo Peyton and WDHOF Julia Wambui Kariuki Kwale County, Kenya As a Kenyan woman in Marine Science, Wambui is committed to inspiring the next generation of marine stewards to take the plunge into conservation. She has three years of experience in marine research, sea turtle protection, and community outreach. Collaborating with Local Ocean Conservation (LOC) and the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), Wambui focuses on turtle rehabilitation and ocean literacy. She will use her WDHOF grant for Open Water dive certification and gear, transitioning from surface observations to underwater surveys of the health of coral reefs and seagrass beds, as well as the ecology of the sea turtles she has spent years protecting on land. For Wambui, the ocean is not just a laboratory, but a shared heritage that requires both science and community stewardship to thrive.
Basic Dive Training Grant $1,000, sponsored by Ocean Wishes/WDHOF Member Margo Peyton and WDHOF Caroline Njeri Wanjiku Mombasa, Kenya Njeri is a marine researcher at CORDIO East Africa working under the community-based conservation program and is a Master’s student in Environmental Studies (Community Development) at Pwani University. She focuses on translating research into practical conservation actions and empowering coastal communities to sustainably manage marine resources. Completing a diving course will enable her to support participatory coral reef monitoring and ecological assessments, strengthen community engagement, and encourage more women to pursue diving. The training will enhance both her professional capacity as a marine researcher and her effectiveness in coastal conservation work.
Basic Dive Training Grant $1,000, sponsored by Ocean Wishes/WDHOF Member Margo Peyton and WDHOF Smrutirekha Acharya, Odisha, India Smrutirekha is a lifelong learner with a deep passion for marine living organisms and their hidden diversity. She has completed her Ph.D. in Marine Sciences and has been recognized for her work on the systematics and ecology of marine and estuarine fishes. Her integrative research, combining classical taxonomy with DNA barcoding has resolved cryptic species complexes. Her research contributed nine new marine fish species to science, along with multiple regional records from Indian waters. Her research contributed over 200 species DNA barcodes to GenBank. Through this grant, she wishes to extend her research beneath the surface linking underwater observation with rigorous biodiversity science and conservation action.
Basic Dive Training Grant $1,000, sponsored by Ocean Wishes/WDHOF Member Margo Peyton and WDHOF Chamodya Weerakoon Western Province, Sri Lanka Chamodya is a marine biodiversity researcher, sustainability professional in the tourism sector and a biotechnology graduate passionate in protecting ocean ecosystems. Her research on coral reef ecosystems across Sri Lanka’s southern and eastern coasts strengthened her commitment to science-based conservation. Also, she volunteered to work to connect people with the ocean through awareness programs and citizen-science initiatives that promote the protection of coastal and marine biodiversity. Through the Basic Dive Training Grant, she seeks to develop diving as a scientific tool to support underwater monitoring, reef restoration, and public awareness. Chamodya aims to inspire communities and future ocean stewards by connecting people with the sea and promoting responsible interaction with marine life.
