The Next Wave: A Digital Platform for Coastal Engagement

Mia ainsworth

New Orleans’ youth are the next generation of coastal stewards, but existing educational resources often fail to reach or resonate with them. The Next Wave is a mobile-first, interactive website that empowers teens and young adults to understand coastal land loss and take action year-round. While the Pontchartrain Conservancy offers powerful programs, they’re often classroom-based or site-specific. This project meets teens where they are, translating complex environmental science into engaging, bite-sized content and offering accessible volunteer and at-home actions. Inspired by Louisiana’s natural textures and Gen Z visual culture, The Next Wave brings a tactile feel to digital education. It’s not just a website, it’s a tool for building lifelong environmental awareness and connection. By making restoration personal, mobile, and actionable, The Next Wave helps ensure the future of our coast is in capable, passionate hands.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

In professional practice, the students completed a series of projects, including “Why Design” posters, poetry book mockups, wine label mockups, and “Big Type Show” Advertising posters.