LAVA-Mar uses the principles of community science to engage the residents of San Cristóbal, Galápagos, in a research question of their choosing: how the human population is impacting the bay in front of the town. Despite growing up surrounded by an internationally renowned marine ecosystem, most residents of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno have never interacted with the underwater world. Using the tools of community science, LAVA-Mar projects both foster a greater connection to the marine world and answer pressing scientific questions regarding the health of the marine ecosystem. LAVA-Mar consists of three ongoing projects: training local middle schoolers to scuba dive and carry out scientific diving protocols, monitoring the intertidal zone, and using an underwater drone to showcase the marine world to residents who cannot swim.