Nearly 4,500 Kids “Making Waves" at 25th Annual Kids Ocean Day

On May 24, nearly 4,500 students in Los Angeles united to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Kids Ocean Day at Dockweiler State Beach with this year’s theme, “Kids Making Waves for a Plastic-Free Ocean.”

The day’s activities began with a program to commemorate the impact children have had over the past 25 years in keeping our oceans clean through Kids Ocean Day. The learning then shifted to L.A.’s beaches, where the kids gathered with teachers and community volunteers for a massive beach clean-up, thereby reducing the amount of trash and non-biodegradable materials entering the ocean. To illustrate the importance of healthy oceans and watersheds, the event concluded with a student-led aerial art formation in the shape of a giant WAVE.

“Children have shown us grown-ups that the simple act of picking up trash that is not yours can have a profound impact on our environment,” said Aura Garcia, Los Angeles Board of Public Works Commissioner. “These kids are getting empowered at such a young age to become environmental champions for the rest of their lives.”