WHALES
Watershed Heroes – Actions Linking Education to Stewardship.
Coastkeeper created WHALES to empower students across the county with the knowledge, skills, and resources to be heroes in their watershed!
This program introduces local students to watershed and ecological concepts through in-class exercises and field trips at no cost to schools. Since 2005, WHALES has reached thousands of junior high and high school students across Orange County.
Want to involve your school or class?
Coastkeeper offers free programs for science classes from Title I schools, and donation-based programs are available for non-Title I schools. Be advised that the WHALES program currently has a waitlist of teachers wanting to participate.
Coastkeeper now offers virtual in-class and field experiences for select field trip opportunities.
Contact Education Director Genesee Ouyang at 714-850-1965 ext. 1005 or genesee@coastkeeper.org to apply for a free or donation-based program.
Student Voices
Teacher Perspectives
Explore the field trip locations and activities offered by our WHALES program!
Experience a Marine Life Inventory field trip first-hand!
Our Sponsors
- United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Coastal Quest
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
- California Environmental Protection Agency
- California State Parks
- California Coastal Commission
- Moulton Niguel Water District
- Boeing
- Draper Family Foundation
- Swayne Family Foundation
- Rose Foundation
- Western Digital
- Beim Foundation
- Parks CA
This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.
Our Partners
- Back Bay Science Center – DFW
- Bolsa Chica Conservancy
- CA Coastal Commission – UNB
- California State Parks
- City of Aliso Viejo
- City of Costa Mesa
- City of Laguna Beach
- City of Newport Beach
- City of Orange
- Council for Watershed Health
- The Ecology Center
- Heritage Museum of OC
- Laguna Canyon Foundation
- Laguna Ocean Foundation