Children's Maritime Institute

Help More Youth Sail Full STEAM Ahead in Long Beach

The Children’s Maritime Institute (CMI) - the Long Beach division of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI) - was established in 2019 when we acquired American Pride, a three-masted schooner that was previously named the official tall ship of the City of Long Beach. Following CMI's untimely official launch on March 13, 2020, we were forced to halt in-person programming, but we are proud of our agile efforts to provide virtual education, a portion of which was conducted from American Pride in Rainbow Harbor. Since returning to in-person programming, our team has been reconnecting with schools we’ve served in the area, while creating relationships with new schools and other potential partners. Your support will help us grow our impact in Long Beach.

When you donate to the Children’s Maritime Institute through Long Beach Gives or any other time (learn more here), you are helping more local youth make discoveries about themselves, their abilities and the world around them in our unique, safe and exciting environment aboard American Pride in Long Beach with the support of our dedicated crew. This includes opportunities for character and skill-building, as well as being exposed to the STEAM concepts they study in school in a real-world environment - something we've been doing for more than 30 years!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

OUR PROGRAM

Every day, young people make discoveries about themselves, their abilities and the world around them through our TopSail Youth Program, whether it’s dockside - in San Pedro or Long Beach - or aboard one of our tall ships. Our crew guides upper elementary, middle and high school students through the various activities required to operate a complex sailing vessel, which includes STEAM lessons tailored to the group’s priorities.

Hands-on activities such as navigation, securing lines, dissecting sea creatures, and testing water quality bring STEAM subjects to life, create excitement around learning, strengthen their connection to others and nature, and help them develop valuable skills such as critical thinking and teamwork. Since only 5-10% of the youth we serve have been on a boat prior to participating in our program, it also levels the playing field as they face their fears and try new things together.

OUR SUCCESSES

We see positive results on every sail - every time a participant decides to bravely climb aloft, gives a sail-handling command louder than they’ve ever yelled, steps in to show a friend how to properly belay a line, or shows emotions over the plastic in a bird’s gut. More often than not, the positive impact is longitudinal when students decide to pursue careers/vocations in maritime or STEM-related fields after sailing with us. You can learn about one example when you read Ella’s story here.

Follow us for the latest updates!

Facebook  Instagram   YouTube