Educating the public about whales and their ocean environment is part of the core mission of the Ocean Alliance. We believe that the first step towards conservation is the education of people both young and old, about whales and the environment they live in and about the problems they face because us - humans. It is only through education that we can gain support for conservation initiatives. It is solid research that education evolves and therefore allows us to work behind the scenes to see to it that better legislation is brought to the frontlines and passed, not only to protect the whales but one of our most important resources - our oceans!

The need for not only students and teachers, but all of us, to understand and, more importantly, to want to understand science and mathematics is critical to the growth of technological resources already commonly used. Surveys show that the majority of students leave our schools without a basic knowledge of these major educational components. "Neither the demand for scientists or engineers is being met, nor are schools preparing future citizens with an adequate background of knowledge necessary to make decisions affecting their lives." (Journal of Science Education and Technology, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1992). Equipping future adults with the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in tomorrow's complex marketplace is not only teachers' responsibility, but the responsibility of everyone. At Ocean Alliance we know that whales and dolphins spark people's interest. We know, from our thirty years of research and education programs, that these mysterious mammals of the sea ignite fires in children. The result of our long-term efforts is apparent in the thousands of questions and requests for literature we receive from children across the nation each year.

The WHALE Education kit is available for sale for teachers who wish to incorporate these materials and lessons into their classroom. Email: question@oceanalliance.org for more information.

Over the years, the Ocean Alliance has created several diverse education initiatives to help us accomplish this goal. Our education programs are designed to reach people of all ages and backgrounds through a variety of different mediums. These programs are:

• The Pacific Life WHALE Education Kit
• Voyage of the Odyssey website hosted by PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)
• Class from the Sea
• Voyage of the Odyssey Ocean Encounters
• The CETA Program (Cetacean Education Through Awareness) on Cape Ann Whale Watch
• Young Scientist Program - Where are the Whales?
• Lectures
• Documentaries
• Questions and Resources
• Volunteer/Internships

The Ocean Alliance is grateful to the Pacific Life Foundation for funding the development of the WHALE Education Program for levels 5-7.

Ocean Alliance also offers free information packets that include information on six whale species, adopt-a-whale information, and general whale information on whaling, migration patterns, and population statistics.
To contact us about these programs or to inquire about our education materials and programs please call us or email question@oceanalliance.org.