Kīhei 2nd graders visit Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum thanks to travel by Southwest Airlines

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum welcomed its first class of Neighbor Island students participating in the Winter Fest Education Travel Program made possible by Southwest Airlines. In a partnership with the Museum, Southwest® donated 500 complimentary travel vouchers and 400 reduced fare vouches to fly elementary through high school students to Oʻahu for a full-day excursion.

Second grade students from Maui’s Kīhei Elementary School were the first to participate in the Winter Fest Education Travel Program on Nov. 14.

“Southwest continues to show appreciation for Island communities and our youth,” said Elissa Lines, Executive Director, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. “Because of this partnership, we are able to expand our reach and provide quality educational programming to keiki across the entire state.”

The Winter Fest Education Travel Program will run through February 2023 and will allow neighbor island students to experience both the impact of this historical site and the STEM programming offered within the Museum’s Aviation Learning Center – a center designed for interactive learning experiences and activities that give students a hands-on appreciation for flight. As conceived, the program offers students, school personnel and required chaperones with a one-day learning experience, which includes roundtrip travel.

“Every seat on each of the more than 60 daily interisland flights Southwest operates is a place for keeping Island communities connected through our low-fares, unmatched flexibility, value, and Hospitality,” said Kelly Knox, Southwest Airlines’ Leader of Community Outreach across Hawaii. “At the Heart of what we do is helping make important moments, and create new memories with people and places that matter most to those journeying with us. Pearl Harbor and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum draw thousands of visitors each month and we’re honored to play a role in making it attainable for keiki across the neighbor islands to see first-hand the work to honor this moment in the history of Hawaiʻi.”

During this one-day field trip, students will partake in programming that combines history and aviation science, introducing them to ground school and the fundamentals of flight including the opportunity to bring the power of flight to life with a test flight in the state of the art flight simulators inside the Museum’s ALC. Other programming will identify the history of this American WWII aviation battlefield and the Museum’s aircraft.

To apply for the Winter Fest Education Travel Program, educators are asked to submit a completed application that shares their interest in the learning program, what the anticipated student impact will be, and their commitment to manage their travel manifest and support the logistics to ensure a safe experience. Transportation to and from the Honolulu International Airport will be provided by the Freeman Foundation and additional scholarship opportunities are available through the Museum to cover the cost of admission and meals.

Teachers and other school administrators are encouraged to apply or inquire about scholarship opportunities by contacting Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum’s Education Department at [email protected] or call 808-441-1001.