First Keiki Whalewatch from Molokai
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Pacific Whale Foundation’s Ocean Discovery departed Ma’alaea Harbor early this morning, arriving at Kaunakakai Harbor to run a full day of Keiki Whalewatch ecotours for students and teachers on Molokai.
Keiki Whalewatch has been providing science enrichment to schools and classrooms on Maui for over 10 years. Now the reach of this innovative educational program includes the neighbor islands of Molokai and Lanai, thanks in part to a generous donation from the Servco Foundation, as well as contributions from Pacific Whale Foundation and its members and donors.
“For many keiki, this is their first exposure to something that’s right in their own backyard,” said Youth Education Specialist, Robyn Ehrlich. “We hope this immersive experience at sea will encourage them to appreciate the environment more and want to protect it. Our ultimate goal is to inspire them to be stewards of the ocean.”
All grade levels at Kilohana School (k to 6), Maunaloa School (k to 6), and Kualapu’u School (pre-k to 6) participated in today’s Keiki Whalewatch, totaling an approximate enrollment of over 500 students. There were five ecotours scheduled between 8:30am and 3:45pm, each trip carrying a different group of students and led by Pacific Whale Foundation certified Marine Naturalists.
Kilohana Elementary students Tea, Kaiya and Xaria
Kaaia, Jayden, Kyson and Tyson from Kualapu’u School
Kilohana Elementart students Audrey and Zoey
Michaela from Kualapu’u School
Keiki Whalewatch is offered from January through April and provides standards-based and grade-level appropriate curriculum with hands-on activities. The program is open to all school types and includes an optional classroom session at Pacific Whale Foundation’s Discovery Center, in addition to a customized whalewatch. 
“Even though every Keiki Whalewatch requires a vessel and seats that otherwise would be available for commercial activity, we’re happy to do it,” said Operations Manager, Blake Moore. “We feel that supporting our local schools and teachers is an essential part of our mission.”
An estimated 10,000 students have gone through the program since its inception, and participation increases every year. There were 2,584 student participants in 2017 (up from 1,922 in 2016 and 1,348 in 2015). Last year, 32 different schools participated in a Keiki Whalewatch, including more than half of Maui County’s public schools (17 out of 33).
“Our hope is that by the time they graduate high school, every child in Maui County has come through the program,” said Ehrlich. “We’re very excited to bring Keiki Whalewatch to Molokai and Lanai this season. We’re also working to make the program more accessible to Hana schools and other communities in East Maui.”
Laie (pictured above), a 4th grader at Maunaloa Elementary, was on today’s Keiki Whalewatch and happily reported: “It was awesome! The waves were so big!” Ka’ala Fay Camara, a Hawaiian language immersion teacher at Kualapu’u School, was also excited about the whalewatch tours. “They’re great because they create a direct connection between nature and what we’re teaching in the classroom.”
Next week, Pacific Whale Foundation will run Keiki Whalewatches from Manele Harbor for students and teachers on the island of Lanai. For more information on Keiki Whalewatch and other marine education programs, please visit PacificWhale.org/education.
