We need your help to make it even stronger!

Class is back in session this month as our award-winning “Exploring the Salish Sea” floating classroom program begins its 2024-25 season!

The popular community-based program is celebrating six successful years of connecting local grade school students with the wonders of the Salish Sea. Since 2017, about 9,000 students have been through the one-of-a-kind program. Another 2,500 are expected in the 2024-25 season.

Feedback from participating schools and teachers tells us that this program is having a huge positive impact on students. That’s why we want to do more! We want to make the program available and accessible to any student or school in Greater Victoria.

We need your help to do that. More on that below!

About the program

The focus of the program is on connecting students to their big blue back yard and fostering in them values of sustainability and environmental stewardship through hands-on learning

Students discover their place in the Salish Sea with a two-hour boat experience on the water, an exploration of natural areas in their communities, and critical thinking in the classroom.

The program is integrated into the BC school curriculum and is powered by Eagle Wing’s core belief that cultivating a sense of wonder and connection with the natural world is vital to a more sustainable society.

“Education on and off the water is essential to ocean conservation, which is at the heart of everything we do,” says Eagle Wing co-owner Brett Soberg. “This program is a great success thanks to visionary partners equally committed to a common end goal—to inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.”

Community partners

Eagle Wing is one of nine community partners in the program, providing seven full-time educators and use of the vessel, Wild 4 Whales, at a non-profit rate.

Other partners are the Victoria and Sooke School Districts (SD61, SD62), the Royal BC Museum (RBCM), Wilderness International, Pacific Northwest Transportation Services (PNWTS), Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), Pearson College UWC, and Seaquaria.

Throughout the four-part program, students learn about where they live and are encouraged to develop a deeper connection and understanding to the land they call home.

Session 1: Beginning the connection

In the classroom, students are introduced to the Salish Sea through scientific and cultural lenses. They discuss an Essential Question that will guide their learning during the sessions.

Examples of these questions include: What are Coast Salish concepts of interconnectedness in the Salish Sea? What are human impacts on the Salish Sea? How do plants and animals sense, respond and adapt to stimuli in the Salish Sea?

One of the highlights of the classroom session is seeing the students start to connect to their big blue back yard. 

“It’s great to see student reactions to guessing how many islands are in the Salish Sea, or how deep an elephant seal will dive to slurp up a hagfish,” says Izzy, an Eagle Wing educator. “I love going into classes and chatting with students, especially about the scientific topics we touch on in the program.”

Session 2: Experiencing the Salish Sea

The second session is a two-hour experience on the Salish Sea on board one of Eagle Wing’s semi-covered catamarans. 

Students see and learn about wildlife. But it’s not a typical guided tour. The class is asked critical-thinking questions relating to their program’s focus. They’re encouraged to tap into their senses. They may see an eagle’s nest, touch and taste bull kelp, and if there are sea lions, they will smell them!

“My favourite part of the program is seeing how excited the kids get when they spot any wildlife, no matter how big (whales) or how small (jellyfish) it is,” says Carol, an Eagle Wing educator. “Even when it’s raining, they’re all out on the bow looking for wildlife, laughing, singing and having a great time. It’s a good boost of positive energy!”

Session 3: Reflection

During the third session, students reflect on what they’ve learned so far through hands-on activities. 

From beach clean-ups to microscope activities, this session can be anything the teachers and students want to do. Partners such as Seaquaria and ONC help make these sessions as creative and fun as possible.

“This session is very valuable because it’s hands-on experience,” says Sierra, an Eagle Wing educator. “This program is not just about giving them information. It’s about helping them build a connection to the ocean through their Essential Question. It’s a great way to tie together all three learning sessions. It’s very rewarding to see them so enthusiastic and excited!”

Session 4 – Celebration of Learning

This session happens two or three times a year. Each group creates artifacts based on what they’ve learned throughout the program. These can be dioramas, quilts, carvings, immersive classroom experiences, songs, comics and much more! 

Students get to express their learning through the artifact, and are usually given the opportunity to share it with their peers as well.

“When you look at some of the artifacts these kids have created and how they’re beaming from ear to ear because they’re so proud of what they’ve accomplished, that’s pretty cool,” says Brett. “And they’re speaking intelligently about what they’ve learned. That brings a whole new level of ‘Wow’ to the program!”

Rave reviews

The program has won multiple awards, including the BC Principals’ & Vice-Principals’ Association Partnership Award, and the Outstanding Organization Award from the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA), honouring “outstanding work and leadership by an organization or business in any aspect of marine education at the local, regional or national level.”

Teachers are excited to participate year after year.

“To create stewards of the land, it starts with students getting to experience the beauty of the land and ocean,” says Dominique Rochefort, a teacher at George Jay Elementary. “When a student sees a whale for the first time or watches a seal slide off the rocks into the water, it creates an opportunity for a learning moment that can’t be matched in the classroom.”

Accessible for all!

“The goal isn’t just to get students through the program once,” says Lili, who co-leads the Eagle Wing education team. “This is a repeatable program with a different experience every time. The more experiences and connections the kids build, the more they’ll want to protect the land on which they live. We would love for every student in Greater Victoria to be able to do this program as many times as possible.”

However, cost is becoming a barrier.

Currently, each class subsidizes their participation. But some schools, even in higher income districts, are telling us that the cost is becoming prohibitive.

And while this will always be a non-profit program, it must be sustainable for Eagle Wing to run. Until now, Eagle Wing has absorbed a significant portion of the costs, including more than 1,000 hours per year of administrative support.

“This program is fundamental to our company values and to our commitment to socially responsible ecotourism,” says Brett. “We knew we were going to have losses for the first few years. But now we’d like to get it close to breaking even. With an injection of new funds, the program will be more sustainable for all and we can reach even more students!”

How can you help?

Your generous financial contribution will:

HELP us continue educating thousands of local schoolchildren about the Salish Sea and environmental stewardship

HELP us make the program accessible for all participating schools

HELP us expand the program to other schools and school districts

HELP us make the program more sustainable for Eagle Wing Tours to run

HELP us protect the future of the Salish Sea by investing in the the children who will be here to watch over it!

Visit here to learn more about the program and how you can help.

Blog written by Eagle Wing Tours educator and naturalist Lili Wilson.

Published October 2024