More than 1,000 Orange County elementary school students transformed Huntington State Beach into a massive piece of living artwork Tuesday, forming the image of a wheelchair user enjoying the coast to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act and send a message that California’s beaches should be accessible to everyone.
The large-scale aerial art installation was created as part of Kids Ocean Day OC, an annual environmental education and stewardship event hosted by Orange County Coastkeeper. Inspired by this year’s statewide Kids Ocean Day theme, “Coast for All: Celebrating 50 Years of the California Coastal Act,” the artwork highlighted the importance of protecting equitable coastal access and ensuring all communities can experience and enjoy California’s shoreline.
“This year’s theme was about reminding the world that the coast belongs to everyone,” said Genesee Ouyang, education director at Orange County Coastkeeper. “The California Coastal Act helped protect public access to our beaches fifty years ago, but many communities still face barriers to accessing the coast today. We wanted students to see themselves reflected in this message and understand that they have a place in protecting and shaping the future of our environment.”
Earlier in the day, students participated in a beach cleanup along Huntington State Beach, removing 150 pounds of trash and debris from the coastline before joining together to create the aerial display in the sand.
For approximately 20% of participating students, the event marked their first-ever visit to the beach, despite living just miles from the shore. No-cost educational programming like Kids Ocean Day is pivotal to ensuring California’s youth connect with the state’s coastline at a young age.
“For many students, this day becomes a defining memory,” said Dyana Peña, associate director of programs at Orange County Coastkeeper. “Some are seeing the ocean for the first time, participating in their first cleanup, or realizing for the first time that they can play a role in protecting the environment. Those experiences can stay with young people for years and shape how they see both their community and themselves.”
Students in grades 3-6 traveled from Garden Grove, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Fullerton, Orange, Huntington Beach, and Westminster to participate in the event, which combines hands-on environmental action with outdoor education and coastal access opportunities for youth across Orange County.
In the weeks leading up to the event, Orange County Coastkeeper educators visited participating schools to lead interactive presentations on marine debris, ocean pollution, watersheds, and environmental stewardship. Students learned how trash and pollution from inland neighborhoods can eventually flow to the ocean through storm drains and waterways, as well as practical ways they can help protect local beaches and ecosystems in their daily lives.
Now in its 19th year in Orange County, Kids Ocean Day OC has introduced thousands of young people to environmental advocacy and stewardship. Some former participants have later returned through Coastkeeper’s youth leadership programs, internships, and volunteer opportunities.
Kids Ocean Day is part of a statewide initiative coordinated by the California Coastal Commission and supported through the Whale Tail® License Plate and the Protect Our Coast and Oceans Fund.
To learn more about Kids Ocean Day OC and Orange County Coastkeeper’s education programs, visit coastkeeper.org/education.
