Our Promise for the Future
The Gulf of Catalina Gray Whale Preservation and Education Foundation’s ultimate goal is to create a student education program that is funded solely by the private sector. Our mission is to create a first-hand one-on-one experience for students and their environment. We want to ensure children in our schools have the opportunity to go out on our whale watching vessels and have a hands-on experience with the ocean and the marine life that inhabits it.
With so much of public school funding being cut back year after year, we feel it is critical that we offer students an opportunity to get out of the classroom and experience life beyond their typical learning environment. Looking at a picture in a textbook is nothing compared to a breeching whale a couple yards away, where the spray of the ocean can be felt on your face, the wind through your hair.
A real live moment with nature establishes a connection that many never have the chance to establish. There are to many children that have never had the chance to even see the ocean. Our intent is to provide as many children as possible with the opportunity to see this wildlife in real life situations and overcome what many refer to these days as nature deficit disorder.
Our foundation’s goal is to work with individual schools, teachers and entire districts to come up with a universal curriculum so the teachers are able teach in classroom prior to coming out on the whale watching boats via downloadable web content. We will secure transportation through the school districts or with a private charter company.
Furthermore, while the students are aboard the vessel for their whale watching experience, we would have a naturalist on board to help the students better understand what they are viewing and offer an in-depth education of the local marine life along with the migrating whales. Heart healthy snacks are provided on all of our outings and all hand held devices are turned "off" during this special study session.
