WHALES ON WHEELS (WOW™)

Maris Sidenstecker shows students a sperm whale jaw bone

Saving whales: the next generation

Save The Whales was founded by Maris Sidenstecker when she was 14 years old, and focuses on educating the public, especially children, about marine mammals and the fragile ocean environment.

No one action will ensure the safety of whales for all time. This is why Save The Whales devotes so much energy to reaching children about whales. So far, over 250,000 school children have learned about whales, and how they can help save sea life through Whales On Wheels (WOW™) , an innovative hands-on educational program offered in English and Spanish. The WOW™ experience provides a stimulating learning encounter.

WOW™ brings you :

Bones of baleen whales,
Clicks of cetaceans,
Pelts of pinnipeds,
Skulls of sea mammals, and
Tales of toothed whales.

WOW™ has travelled across the nation visiting school children in Alaska, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia and California. WOW™ is now based in Monterey, California.

Our instructional staff is made up of degreed marine biologists, environmental educators, and researchers. The background experience of the staff includes: Catalina Island Marine Institute instructors and assistant program directors, Los Angeles Unified School District teachers, oceanography research and sampling, published killer whale research, and international environmental studies.

Whether your group is at a school, a museum, or local library, WOW™ will visit you. Knowledgeable instructors emphasize marine conservation and make learning about whales and their relatives easy and fun.

Bilingual instructor Mauricio Quiroga shows students a whale rib

In 1994, we began presenting WOW™ with bilingual educator, Mauricio Quiroga, a native of Latin America, in order to reach the large number of Hispanic school children in Los Angeles schools who speak English as a second language. WOW™ has reached over 50,000 bilingual elementary school students, ages 6-12 (1-6th grade), with a geographic range covering the greater Los Angeles area and surrounding counties.

WOW™ is one of the only hands-on programs presenting marine environmental science programs to bilingual students. WOW™ programs emphasize why humans, as land mammals, should help mammals that live in the sea and learn how their individual actions can make a difference in protecting marine life.

This exceptional educational program is funded by grants, memberships, proceeds from Adopt A Whale kits, and memorials. WOW™ currently serves the Monterey, California area. Call to book a lecture (831) 899-9957.