Aloha!
This is now my 3rd child who is a student of Reef Guardians Kauai. And we are VERY HAPPY students! My oldest son, now 18, attended this camp when he was 10 and still remembers the valuable lessons, memories, and information provided by the program. Same for my second son and now my 13 year old daughter who is attending the Teen Reef program. And shes thriving!!!
All my children have become very mindful of the ocean environment and how powerful their part can be. Their moral compass when exploring the ocean is set not only as a “self” serving experience but exploring at a nurturing level.
We homeschooled all our children and are very grateful for the ocean knowledge and teaching lessons being given in each day- it’s very educational and in my option better than most ocean science classes my children have attended. These lessons are built to last in the students memory because all aspects of their senses are applied.
I really appreciate the amount of staff, safety, and rules that are applied- I can see the students are being taught respect, confidence, and other core principles while growing in their ocean knowledge.
In one day my daughter had seen 27 turtles, could name 10x more ocean fish, had a deeper understanding of corals and just overall ecosystem of the ocean.
Our family is moving- and this was a huge part of something I wanted to check off our list of things we do before we leave Kauai. And we are so so grateful we were able to get in!!! Mahalo Reef Guardians and Mrs.Mermaid for your heart for the ocean and the community! We cherish the wisdom and joy you’ve packed into such a small amount of time!!
Mahalo mahalo mahalo!!
Our son and his friends thoroughly enjoyed their experience! They had a ton of fun, learned a lot, and came home with a lot more knowledge about ocean life. It's much more than a basic ocean intro class. It engages the kids where their interests are and gets them involved and passionate about learning more and taking care of the ocean and the land. Thank you to Ms Mermaid and her crew for all their hard work and investment into this generation!!- it is definitely making a difference!!
I participate in the Anini water testing program for Reef Guardians, whose goal is to determine the amounts of various pollutants entering the ocean from streams and other sources of runoff. The ultimate goals is to protect the reefs! It is a wonderful program and a very rewarding experience. I encourage anyone who loves Anini beach and its beautiful waters to get involved.
Reef Guardians are my Valentine for the last eight years. I just volunteered in the winter program located at Poipu Beach for three days. It was so refreshing to see 16 or more children absorbing the multifaceted presentation from Ms. Mermaid Mazor, several trained staff, and real scientists to add an extra wow to my experience.
I was amazed at the levels of engagement as the kids were different ages. In and Out of the water all day gave me smiles, I couldn't stop marveling at the happiness!
Kauai's reefs need monitoring and care to ensure that our generations to come will enjoy a clean, healthy and thriving ecosystem abundant with marine life. Reef Guardians on Kauai does an excellent job of educating our Kiki, their teachers and parents, as well as visitors.
Mahalo for donating,
Elizabeth Scamahorn M. ED.
Seasoned Kauai Teacher
I was a first-time volunteer at the ‘24/‘25 winter reef camp at Poipu Beach park. The experience was amazing on many fronts. Robin and her crew have put together an educational and entertaining experience for the campers. Serious learning and fun happens! And the kids in my “pod” were just fantastic…energetic, lively, and very knowledgeable. I look forward to helping out next year!!!
Jacques Cousteau has called the sea the great unifier: life has evolved in and through the ocean. Yet we are now in danger of irreparably harming this precious resource. There is real hope, however, that we, as a species, will be able to repurpose our relationship with the sea to one of love and caring rather than greed and exploitation. The educational programs of Reef Guardians, particularly for children, brilliantly approach the challenges of transforming our relationship with the oceans through intelligently implemented guidelines for sustaining the wonder and majesty of the seas for future generations. I, for one, am grateful for the invaluable service provided by Reef Guardians.
My daughter loved this camp! She wanted to go every week! The instructors are great and I felt good knowing she was well looked after out in the water.
What a fantastic camp! Big mahalo to Aunty Robin and her hard working team. We were so happy with our daughter’s experience at Reef Guardians last week. She learned so much about the ecosystem and the reef at Anini. She snorkeled 2x a day and came home with all kinds of stories about her adventures. We couldn’t have asked for a better camp for our kiddo. Thank you!
We were thrilled with our children’s experience at Reef Guardians camp this summer! They learned so much about marine life and how to protect the reef. They got to snorkel everyday and came home with all kinds of stories about what they saw! They became fast friends with the other kids in camp and the staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and kind! We couldn’t have asked for a better camp for our kids! Thank you!
Reef Guardians Hawaii is a nonprofit treasure that exists purely to serve and protect — the oceans, the corals that grow in them, the myriad of creatures who live and glide through them, the children who learn through its endlessly creative programs and their families. It is offered as an act of love, and everyone who connects through it is happier and more engaged in living because of it.
Seren since I can remember has had an affinity with the ocean. Her snorkeling abilities were shy and her overall demeanor reserved, she stayed persistent to attend Reef Guardians. Day 1 I saw a light turn on in my daughter’s eyes. The homework activity was so much fun. Day 2 she woke up early packed her lunch and was ready to go sharing with me she would be looking at microscopes. She didn’t want to leave during that day. Day 3 she came home with loads of stories and drawings she created. — what’s most remarkable about her entire experience, Seren clearly wants to change the state of the ocean. She took me (a non- confident swimmer) snorkeling (she’s a pro now) and found tourists using unsafe sunscreen as well they were walking on the reef. Seren confidently approached the tourists and shared, she was a “Reef Guardian and it is her duty to take care of the reef, and help others learn how they can too!” She explained to the tourist how not to walk on the reef and why, the tourists were so impressed and sorry for being clueless about the dangers. Reef guardians is doing more than educating kids to make a difference and protect the reef. They are changing lives and as a result the ocean and earth will be better because of this powerful camp. Seren wishes this was a full time school. Imagine the impact if we actually taught the youth how to care for what’s most important! Thank you to all the donors that made Seren’s opportunity to attend reef camp possible. Forever grateful. Your future Marine Biologist Seren will pay it forward in many respects in the coming future. Thank you Reef Guardians auntie Mermaid and to all the volunteers for helping our daughter find her passion and purpose so so young.
We absolutely love Reef Guardians and my kids have attended their camp every year for the last 4 years. We are so thankful for all the wonderful knowledge that they pass on to the kids and for the amazing experiences they provide. My kids always say that this is one of their favorite summer camps out of several that they do. They have wonderful people working with the kids and we are so grateful for all that they do for the community.
Aloha Friends and families,
I experienced the Reef guardians program at Anini beach a few weeks ago with the students I work with at H.T.A. This is by far the greatest hands on opportunity for kids, students and adults to learn about our reefs, fish, ocean and affects on our sea life. It is so important to learn about this for the future health of our ocean and coral reefs and sea life. It was so impactful for the students and I believe there needs to be more awareness to keep and protect our oceans For the future of our Aina, our land and our Keiki. Highly recommend this program. The snorkeling is breathtaking to experience! Thank you Reef Guardians. Our students learned so much and had a great memorable time they won’t forget.
I spent 2 days assisting at Reef Guardian's Reef Camp during the past school break. Run by the amazing Robin Mazor & Tom Wood, with help from scientist outreach teachers and truly exceptional volunteers, I can say the kids seemed delighted by their experience in and out of the water. We had a blast! Everyone saw and learned so much about Anini lagoon, the watershed, ecology of the reef coral, algae and fish. The kids, aged 8-13, were so excited to show me what they knew about being good ocean stewards, naturalists, artists and budding scientists. The games were inventive, the teachable moments scattered amongst some really fun times with the students. I whole heartedly recommend this camp experience and this non-profit to anyone who loves the ocean and wants to help.
Reef Guardians is composed of a diverse group of biologists from different fields who welcomed us (a drama major and a sociology major) to work with them testing the turbidity, salinity, phosphates, and fresh-water nitrates in the streams and park improvements that abut Anini lagoon. We've worked with Reef Guardians twice, and both times we have gained knowledge, we've laughed, we've eaten great snacks, and we've gained a greater understanding of the lagoon, the reef, and the people who love it.
Reef Guardians has to be the best thing that has happened to me. When I was nine years old, I started attending Reef Guardians summer camp. From that year until I was thirteen, I attended summer camp. After I turned thirteen, I became a junior intern, and continued my Reef Guardians journey. Now, I am seventeen and volunteer as a Reef Camp guide and group leader. And I’m going to go to university for marine biology. Reef Guardians truly changed the way I see the world around me and taught me how to see the ocean through the eyes of a biologist. It has brought such a supportive community into my life and given me many life lessons, including underwater lessons. Through Reef Guardians, I have met so many awesome people in the marine biology community. These people definitely love the ocean and what they are doing. Reef Guardians is amazing and has so many opportunities to be a part of. Recently, I was able to learn about water testing and how water quality affects the reef. I’m participating with professional and citizen scientists to study and protect the beautiful lagoon near my home. I am so happy to be a part of a community like Reef Guardians, which is more like a family than anything. Reef Guardians Reef Camp is not just an education camp but leads to curiosity about the world around us and creates passion
Over recent years, I have seen REEF GUARDIANS doing essential work here in Kauai to support a healthy Anini Reef. I’ve been impressed by Reef Guardians’ work with concerned citizens, scientists and institutions, locally and nationally, to understand and protect the Anini watershed, which is distinctive among world reef ecosystems. Through their work, I have come to share the Reef Guardians’ vision that the creatures of this complex biosphere deserve our respect and active protection. I now understand how a thriving Anini ecosystem is essential to the health of our local biosphere, and beyond, and that work for this purpose must continue for generations to come. Reef Guardians is the rare organization which offers meaningful ways to truly “think globally, act locally" when I ask what I can do as one individual to make a positive difference in a world at the tipping point.
Reef Guardians is a very special non-profit. They are making strides to protect the coral reef and all the critters that call it home. This non-profit provides a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn all about Hawaiiʻs underwater ecosystem at their Reef Camps, where they are able to become Reef Guardians themselves. I canʻt wait to see all that Reef Guardians accomplishes and to continue to be involved with this magical organization.
I had the most amazing time helping in Reefcamp! The work, the staff, the kids and the whole project I just loved everything! I learned a lot about the reef and the ocean and got to snorkel with the kids. I would recommend this to everyone, believe me this is an experience you don’t want to miss! ♀️✨
This is an amazing program. Our daughter had a fantastic time and learned so much about ocean wildlife and taking care of the reef. Great instructors gave such an amazing, educational, fun filled experience. Highly recommend this to all families!
Aloha!
I am an active mentor with Reef Guardians, it is an honor and delight to be participating in such a well organized, professional and most importantly, fun program.
I have been witness to a plethora of keiki learning and growing through this offering. I also have learned a great deal as a mentor and am cultivating skills both as a mentor and reef guardian.
I love being both in the water and on the land during the days I participate. Swimming in pods with enthusiastic young marine biologists, witnessing creatures great and small, and being inspired by the experience. I am growing with each breath.
Reef Guardian's new app, Hawaii Sea Life, is an outstanding resource for ecology enthusiasts of all ages!! The animations, descriptions, imagery, and interface are accessible and informative. It is so important to have this type of product available for use: this app increases the user's knowledge regarding marine life and encourages conservation and symbiotic interactions between beachgoers and the marine life.
I have always found snorkeling, diving, and swimming more enjoyable when I know what species I am looking at, as well as their behavior patterns and ecological niches. Hawaii Sea Life provides a holistic yet straightforward education regarding coral, fish, invertebrates, birds, and marine mammals, and makes me even more excited to jump in and start exploring the underwater world!! Thank you Reef Guardians!
Thank you to the professionals at Reef Guardians! My kids loved Coral Reef Camp so much more than I or they expected. They have an amazing program and really help the kids rekindle their love and respect for the ocean. They haven’t been excited to go to the beach for a long time. We live in hawaii so they’ve been going since babies and plenty of kids surprisingly get burnt out of the beach but thankfully mine aren't any more. We were puzzled on what to do or how to inspire them again and this did it! They were so happy each day and made great friend bonds here. We went snorkeling a couple days after camp , (because the kids wanted to) and had such a great time with them. They showed us where to find fish/animals, special spots and displayed protective gestures as we explored the reef with them. It was the best snorkel experience we’ve ever had with them. We are so thankful and realize this was the best camp we could have sent them to this summer and are excited about our many future adventures together in the ocean. Thank you so much!!!! Highly recommended :))
This is the second year my children (age 10 and 9 years old) attended Reef Guardians and they absolutely loved it. Each day they came home excited to tell us about everything they saw and learned, not like a school day where youʻre prying for information they freely and excitingly shared everything about camp each day. The instructors were just as excited and were so fun for the kids. Not only did my kids get to see and learn about the oceans that surround them, they learned how to take care of them and why we need to be mindful of our presence around them. The kids are looking forward to each break with Reef Guardians. I can't say how happy we are to have found them!
We signed up Our Daughter for Reef Camp. I expected her to have fun and learn more about the Ocean. I was impressed on the Level of Education given at the Camp. How Safe the kids are out in the Ocean during the Dives. Our Daughter Learned so Much in the 3 Day Camp. Even though I had to drive 110 miles a day to get her there for 3 days it was so worth it. The Activities were Non-Stop and so Educational. We Both Loved this Camp and Plan to go back Multiple Times. Mahalo Reef Guardians for a Wonderful Camp.
Wow! Our daughter had the best experience with reef guardians & has already asked to be signed up for next year. She learned so much about the ocean, marine life and reef safe sunscreens. She came home each day excited to tell us about what she learned & has been telling anyone that will listen (including strangers in the grocery store) about which sunscreens are reef safe. I was particularly impressed with how much her snorkeling skills improved over a 3 day period. In her words “The better you can snorkel the more fun it is.”. The staff was encouraging, enthusiastic & incredibly knowledgeable. Thank you so much reef guardians for an unforgettable experience!
Reef Guardians Hawaii is the most AWESOME course !!!!
Having the opportunity to learn about the ocean, the reef and its creatures in a hands on setting is a priceless experience for our children. They get to study with super fun well educated instructors and professors in and out of the water. They also get to meet new people and make a few new friends.
When studying they learn so much !!!!! How to care for the reef, what is toxic and non-toxic for the reef and ocean. What some of its habitants are and how to search for them. What is poisonous and what is not. What the living coral and dead coral look like, how fragile and important it is for our planet. About all the different parts to the oceans organisms and fish. How to identify fish and soooooo much more.!!!!
It warms my heart and excites my soul to see the sparkles in all the kids eyes at the end of each day that camp happens.
My daughter cant wait to attend camp again and again !!!! She LOVES it and all of YOU!!!
Thank you to all of the awesome scientists, organizers, volunteers, mermaids, merman, and of course the sponsors who make this all happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This experience for our daughter was amazing! The camp was recommended by a friend when they learned we were visiting Kauai and I’m so glad we did it. She had such a good time and the staff was fantastic. They were so kind and patient with the kids (biologist there too!!), anticipated everything (they’ve done this before haha) and she came away from the experience with more knowledge, more comfort snorkeling, a greater respect for the oceans, and some fantastic memories we couldn’t have given her otherwise. Highly recommend if you get a chance!
reef guardians is a fun and active program.you get to see amazing animals and get to learn about the reef and how to help it. every day for four days you get to go in the water twice a day.you also get to learn about different types of fish and coral. they also teach you a couple ways to help the reef one of the ways is to not step on the reef another way is to wear reef safe sun screen. i love reef guardians and cant wait to do it again this summer.
thank you ,
soraya
Urijah attends Kapaa Elementary and is in 5th grade. He has grown up around the ocean and has always been fascinated with sea life. Our family has been fortunate enough to have been granted multiple scholarships for the Reef Guardians program over the past few years. He has attended many reef Guardian camps here on Kauai and enjoys exploring the ocean. Urijah has been so inspired by this program that he knows he wants become a marine biologist. We are forever grateful for this program as it teaches our keiki the importance of protecting and respecting our environment but to also enjoy the ocean that surrounds our island.
Thank you Reef Guardians for putting on this amazing program for our community!
Mahalo,
Liana Nakazawa Tupou
My name is SeaBri and I am so proud to be a Reef Guardian and educator for this life changing non profit!
As a scuba instructor I got to share my knowledge with the youth about ocean safety and marine life. I actually learned a thing or two about local Hawaiian marine life while at reef camp through the marine biologists and marine science seminars hosted at camp.
I not only got to share my passion for the ocean with Reef Guardians but also my love for art and conservation. As an eco artist using marine debris cleaned up from beaches on Kauai I shared my art form with the kids and helped facilitate a marine debris art program that can be found on the Sea School that launches this December. Hearing the kids say they can’t wait to pick up trash and make art to help save the ocean is something I will
cherish for ever.
Reef Guardians has created and sustained an exceptional educational and fun filled program for the youth here. I have been interviewing the executive director and her staff on my community radio program for years. I finally had the opportunity to volunteer for a day at their Reef Camp last week at Anini Beach. I went snorkeling with a "pod" of the students and they were all thrilled to see the wonders of the ocean world. There were also interactive learning experiences, fun games and time for artistic creativity throughout the day. The staff are all dedicated to providing a safe and fun environment for the students to learn about the ocean and the variety of sea life that inhabits it, as well as sharing ways to protect and preserve it. The children ranged in ages 8-13 and they all got along well together and had fun.
There were tents set up so shaded areas were readily available. They had an "open mike" comedy session that day where everyone could share an ocean related joke. That was fun too. I highly recommend supporting this fantastic non-profit. Either through enrolling your children in a reef camp, volunteering or a financial contribution. Mahalo to all involved in the Reef Guardians. I look forward to spending time with you again.
With gratitude,
Tracey
Our experience has been nothing short of incredible with Reef Guardians!! My daughter has repeatedly attended their camps and has absolutely had the best time and gained wonderful knowledge and understanding about the ocean and how she can in turn help take care of it. As a bonus, she has also developed friendships at camp, since she sees the same kids returning. She comes home and shares all they have learned that day and shares her notes in her journal. They have personally helped me with providing her scholarships to be able to attend, which otherwise I would not be able to afford the cost on my own. Auntie Robin is a lovely lady and I know my Georgia is in wonderful hands. She is looking forward to possibly attending an advanced course. As always, she can’t wait to return!! Mahalo nut loa Auntie Robin and all the staff at Reed Guardians!!
It was truly inspiring to be a team leader volunteer with these "Reef Guardians" who are the future of ocean health! I am a Marine Biologist who has been involved in many programs and diving events. The organization of time and resources was outstanding and we all learned from the living ocean classroom at Anini Beach, Kaua'i.
Mahalo to Ms. Mermaid and the knowledgeable staff of Reef Guardians , Kaua'i. I admire the dedication and skill that it takes to manage and teach these kids! Thank you, especially to the parents of the youth of Kaua'i for your support!
Captain Tara Leota
Kauai Ocean Awareness.org
We live on Kauai and our children were born here. Getting into the water is fun and it is made even more fun knowing about the sea creatures and their life. Having a program like this highlights the importance of our caring for the sea and about the problems in the hopes that these future generations will learn and be part of the solution. Our son Dayo was so proud of his drawing of a crab Cleo loved being with friends seeing turtles together. They had a really great time and we are very grateful for Reef Guardians giving access to something that every child on this island would benefit from. Thank you for supporting this great program.
My grandson attended Reef Guardians’ Kula Kai Sea School after school program, and I was generously allowed ‘inside access’ to this wonderful experience, as a volunteer.
From the first greetings, I was impressed with program director, Robin Mazor’s, personal rapport-building and respect for the children. Her skillful guidance, and staff, produced an atmosphere of consistent fun, safety, creativity, and interactive learning, at a pace both relaxed and fast-moving.
I was amazed by the range of activities, from spectacular underwater films, and engaging Q&A discussions led by marine biologist(s), to daily art projects, group games, music, and even theatre, ending in a performance for the families!
All the children were supported to fully participate, to shine, and to grow their love of sea creatures and the treasure of our oceans. My grandson loved this program, and so did I!
Tūtū Dara
Darbi Shakira Freeman
Kilauea
I love how Reef Guardians is teaching so many kids about our beautiful ocean. There is So much to know and learn. It is a living being and keeps us alive! We are fortunate to have this program available here on Kauai so our keiki learn to respect and teach others about the beauty of it’s vastness! Thank you Robin Mazor for your passionate dedication and to all the volunteers!
I love what Reef Guardians is dong for our Keiki! Getting the kids comfortable getting 'out there', naming and observing species in their natural habitat is so important for inspiring stewardship. Offering kids the opportunity to have fun and engaging experiences in these special ecosystems is SO important to inspiring the next generation of stewardship. You protect what you love! These kids are learning skills to help them observe nature and apply patterns that they see to the broader perspective. This is such an important skill to have in finding solutions to the worlds complex problems. Delving in to the reef experience is a great way to realize the interrelatedness of everything, and also have a blast alongside great mentors and friends!
Reef camp is a wonderful experience for the children of Kauai. The volunteers and staff from reef guardian are passionate about saving the reef and learning about all of the creatures in the sea. My grandsons are always so excited to tell me everything they saw and learned at camp. I recommend it for every child on Kauai.
Both my children have greatly benefited from their experience in Reef Guardians . My daughter is completely passionate about Marine Biology and I credit her experiences in Reef Guardians camp for igniting that fire and fanning it into flame. Not only do the children get up close and personal with the marine ecology that surrounds them, they are provided with excellent education and instruction from Marine Biologists . Reef Guardians teaches the children so much more than marine biology, - they learn about ecology, conservation, leadership skills, public speaking, advocacy and being a responsible citizen. We are thoroughly pleased and grateful for this program.
Reef Guardians is an amazing organization that is backed by passionate individuals that truly love sharing their knowledge!
I have had the honor of volunteering with Reef Guardians for their summer Reef Camp program in which the kids not only had fun but also learned about ocean safety, ocean preservation efforts, inhabitants of the ocean and many more things. Instilling this knowledge into the youth of Hawaii will help to educate many others as they will share their knowledge with their peers, family, tourists and others.
Such a great group and such an important mission!
Reef Guardians is an amazing asset to our island community, and should be a widely available to all students on Kaua'i. As a middle school teacher, I was able to easily work with Reef Guardians to get my life science students out into the water to see our coral reef and learn about this critical ecosystem. Their program fit perfectly with my NGSS standards and was responsive and adapted to the unique needs and background knowledge of my students. My hope to repeat this experience with my middle school students for years to come.
As a teacher I'm impressed, but as a father of a 9 year old, I'm even more impressed. My son enjoyed this program so much that we now frequently visit Anini Reef to see the turtles and look for invertebrates (something he didn't even know existed prior to this program).
Thanks Reef Guardians! You are inspiring a new generation of ocean conservationists one keiki at a time.
I had a lot fun volunteering for Reef Guardians camp in June 2021. From everything what impressed me the most was to see the sparkle on the kids eyes after each snorkeling as they were getting tuned into the ocean wonders and realizing how important is to preserve the reefs and all the creatures. During the week the kids received exercises and home work to interact with their families , they were drawing, painting and writing about preservation and ocean pollution control. The world needs more organizations like the Reef Guardians. Teaching and getting the kids involved into preservation is our only chance for a better future. Gisele Tebaldi
Reef Guardians has done an incredible job promoting and supporting shark research.They provided funding and even their research boat for CSULB Shark Lab to jump start there research. Because of Reef Guardians help in getting the Shark Labs research some early funds they were able to go out and get some legislation passed which allowed them to be recipients of a California $3m fund for continued research.
Reef Guardians also partnered with Fish and Wildlife to make signs regarding Great White Sharks and embedded QR codes so people concerned about these sharks could be directed to web pages and be better informed of the rules and regs protecting these apex predators.
In addition Reef Guardians has provided resources, both people and equipment, in their work assisting In locating oil leaking legacy wells. Working closely with California State Lands Commission and several oil engineering consultants Reef Guardians played a vital and critical role in the capping of over 4 leaking wellheads over the last 4 years. They have been asked by State Lands to continue to monitor the situation in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Additionally we have started a task force with Coast Guard, Harbor Master and County Dept of Aquatics with to better address derelict boats breaking free of their mooring and breaking up along our shoreline spilling fuel, oil, toxins and debris for miles. Reef Guardians along with Heal the Ocean is leading the charge and we actually cleaned up 3 wrecks in the last 15 months.
We found out about Reef Guardian in the local paper. It was so exciting for my two girls to experience the ocean this way. They snorkeled and identified the wildlife and learned from the excellent Reef Guardian team how to protect there ocean! It is a full immersive experience that is so immensely rich. We feel so grateful to have this organization exist for our Keiki. Which is why we donate to help keep this good work going. We will be joining again in the summer!
My daughter was able to do Reef Camp this spring. We have lived here for 6 of her 9 years and they were able to enhance even her ocean/ reef awareness. The instructors encouraged her inquisitive nature, and maximize her snorkeling skills in just a few short days. The camp was well organized, safety oriented and incredibly fun as well as educational. My daughter has asked to return. I would be more inclined to let her return if I knew other island children will have a chance to join the Reef Guardian Ohana in the future; but for now I am reticent because I know another child may thrive as much as she did.
Reef Guardians is an engaging blend of fun and learning. The kids became super comfortable with snorkeling AND learned so much about aquatic life, ecosystems, and environmental stewardship, all whilst having a great time. I just wish it was longer and more often!
Aloha!
I was compelled to write a review of the Coral Reef keiki Camp offered by the Reef Guardians of Kauai’. My 10 year old daughter enjoyed every day of camp and even got up extra early for the drive from the south shore to the north shore just so she wouldn’t miss “one single second” of the fun!
Educating our children through hands on experiences and place based knowledge is extremely important so they can in turn become stewards of our planet. When I would pick up my daughter and her friend from camp, they were animated and full of information and experiences from their adventures each day. Reef Guardians is doing important and essential work that is vital to our planets future. Bravo and mahalo!
-Siobhan Thielen
Kōloa, HI
Reef Guardians Hawaii provides an authentic hands on experience exploring the reef life in Hawaii and getting to see and learn all about the animals and fish living under the water among the extensive coral life there! I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer for the Reef Camp snorkeling and learning with the young people all about the local reef and ocean life and how to protect and preserve it for future generations in and out of the ocean to thrive and enjoy! Check it out! Mahalo and Aloha, Jennifer♀️♥️
The community of Kauai is well aware of the fragile nature of our island home. We began as fearless navigators and voyagers and know we need to live in balance with the ocean that sustains us. We choose to stress the protection of our reefs, the doorway to our ocean. Reef Guardians educates our visitors and children how to do that.Their hands on programs let everyone experience the direct connection to our ocean by caring for our precious reefs. They are our source of food, protection from the open ocean, a beautiful playground and a direct indicator of the health of our world.
I’ve been volunteering as a marine biology teacher and “pod leader” with the Reef Guardians since 2019. I transitioned to a staff member during Covid-19.
This organization is amazing! I cannot imagine how excited I would have been to do this as a kid.
The things we get back from the kids in terms of conservation concepts and new ideas are mind blowing. They get it! We are truly making a difference in the next generation!
Thanks Reef Guardians for giving me a place to teach and allowing me to help to make a real difference!
Reef guardians is an amazing group helping our precious children and our precious ocean .I always volunteer when I can and it’s great to see young children learning to take care of our ocean. Thank you Reef Guardians for all that you do!!!!
Our son has greatly enjoyed Reef Guardian's Camp for years now.
It's a very enriching educational experience for all the keiki.
The staff is amazing ! Wonderful to teach about ocean and coral reef
care and have magical experiences in the sea !
Thank you !!!
I highly recommend Reef Guardians Hawaii. We have participated in Reef Guardians programs ourselves, recommended it even to friends on Kauai and even international travelers. We have all had an awesome experience. Reef Guardians runs reef camp located on Kauai and teaches children about ocean safety, our vulnerable reefs, marine life. The Children contribute with ocean research and beach clean up etc. The children recently found an unknown turtle of an endangered species! Reef Guardians Hawaii generates great ocean knowledge and friendships across culture and international borders. Reef Guardians is very high quality. Their teachers are from Universities and are international researchers. One of them is Terry Lilley, an elite diver who research and document marine life around the world and from time to time films for National Geographic. I am attaching a picture of my daughter Emilia, who once was very afraid of turtles. (Picture is taken by Terry Lilley). She is very fortunate to do an internship with Reef Guardians Hawaii. She herself has received a Golden Award from the White House for her community work on Kauai. It is a perfect match. Kindly Dan Knudsen.
Wow! What a beautiful experience for the children, their mentors, the ocean and future Generations. This Camp is well-organized, conscious, supervized and informative! The children were engaged and eager! I appreciate their leadership program for older children as well! The children learned about the ocean and how to be Guardians of the ocean through art, direct instructions, field experience, games, mentorship, reflection, and more. I feel blessed that Camp is available for our children and community. Thank you Robin!