Outdoor ocean academy opens at Honokahua Bay with focus on youth mental health and environmental education

Kahākūkahi Ocean Academy at the Parley AIR Station opened its new headquarters at Honokahua Bay, D.T. Fleming Beach Park in West Maui, on Feb. 8. The outdoor community classroom is now open seven days a week, offering free youth programs focused on ocean safety, environmental stewardship and cultural literacy.

The station serves as a hub for ocean immersion and mentorship in a setting powered entirely by solar energy. It features modular classrooms built from shipping containers and facilities including a stage and a water system to be used for a community garden and restrooms.

“At Kahākūkahi Ocean Academy, we inspire our keiki to experience the ocean and feel the connection between our islands, friends, and ‘ohana across the world,” said Executive Director and founder Zane Kekoa Schweitzer, a multi-time world champion waterman and published author from Lahaina.

The academy was created in response to the mental health needs of Maui youth following the 2023 wildfires. Through partnerships and donor support, it aims to help young people heal through ocean-based learning and connection to nature. Funders and supporters include the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, NVIDIA, Ama OluKai Foundation, Nā Kama Kai, Mana Mentors and others. Shipping container classrooms and an ocean literacy curriculum were donated by Parley Hawai‘i.

The curriculum is rooted in Parley’s AIR Strategy—Avoid, Intercept, Redesign—which tackles marine plastic pollution through education and action.

The academy’s mission is to strengthen Maui County’s youth by connecting them to ancestral knowledge and the natural environment. The name “Kahākūkahi” means “first rising breath,” inspired by the moment a humpback whale mother lifts her calf to the surface. The acronym “KOA” also honors multiple meanings: “koa,” symbolizing courage and leadership, and “ko‘a,” meaning coral—the ocean’s foundation and a symbol of resilience.

The launch event included a Hawaiian blessing by Uncle Wilmont Kamaunu Kahaiali‘i, speeches from community leaders, live music and family-friendly activities. The Maui Music Mission and Lahaina Style Band performed while attendees enjoyed marine science demonstrations, shaved ice and vegan food.

More information, including how to sign up for youth programs or donate, is available at kahakukahifoundation.com. The academy can be followed on Instagram (@Kahakukahi) and Facebook (Kahākūkahi Ocean Academy).