“Most students
come from land-
locked states and
never get a chance
to visit the ocean.
The look of wonder,
joy, and curiosity
on their faces
makes it well worth
the trip!”
Harry Wood
Alabama Institute for
the Deaf & Blind
SARAH’S STORY
Sarah Whelan's visit to MarineLab in 1992 ignited
her life's passion. As a seventh-grade student
from Illinois, her education in Key Largo instilled a
profound appreciation for the ocean and its role in
our lives. Her school's visit ended unexpectedly in
evacuation on the eve of Hurricane Andrew's arrival.
She witnessed first-hand the ocean's impact on
coastal resiliency. Despite her upbringing in rural America, her commitment to
protecting our oceans emerged.
That same commitment paved the way for a career in environmental law. She
got her start safeguarding the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, working tirelessly on
policies supporting sustainable fishing and marine wildlife protection.
Today, as the Executive Director of The Healthy Ocean Coalition, Sarah leads
a movement of over 200 organizations, scientists, coastal inhabitants, and
advocates. The coalition aims to advance national policy that guides the
responsible stewardship of our nation's oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes,
ensuring a healthy ocean for current and future generations.
BuildingMarineLabsFuture.org
200K
Worldwide visitors
since 1985
MarineLab programs have an impressive multiplier
effect. Teachers share their knowledge with
hundreds of pupils annually, and students take their
experiences home, influencing lifestyle decisions.
Lasting Impressions
HEATHER’S STORY
Heather Kuhlken first
experienced MarineLab
as a high school student
in 1991. She had always
loved the ocean but had
never had the opportunity
to study it so closely.
Those five days in our
classrooms inspired her to pursue a biology and
ecology degree and instilled hope that she could
also teach in the field one day.
During college, she became one of our interns and
received mentorship from Art Mitchell, our former
Director of MarineLab. Art guided her into her
dream career of becoming a teacher. After a few
years in the classroom, she returned to teaching in
the field and back into what had inspired her many
years before.
In 2008, Heather founded Families in Nature, a
non-profit organization that offers environmentally
responsible, immersive, nature-rich travel and field
science experiences for children and families. Since
then, her organization has become an international
thought leader in the movement to connect people
to nature. Heather and her non-profit have traveled
from Texas every year to MarineLab Key Largo for
the last decade.
Learn more about Heather’s
organization here: