American Pride on the dock in Rainbow HarborThe Children’s Maritime Institute (CMI) is the Long Beach division of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI), established in 2018 when we acquired American Pride, a three-masted schooner that is now the Official Tall Ship of the City of Long Beach.
CMI serves to empower youth to discover their greater potential through extraordinary at-sea experiences aboard educational sailing vessels built to train and equip young people with 21st-century leadership skills, inspire maritime and STEAM career paths.
Our CMI program fosters awareness and appreciation for the ocean through education and provides hands-on at-sea experiences for youth.
Your support will help us continue to grow our impact in Long Beach!
When you donate to the Children’s Maritime Institute through Long Beach Gives or any other time, you are helping more local youth make discoveries about themselves, their abilities and the world around them in our unique, safe and exciting environment with the support of our dedicated crew. This includes opportunities for character and skill-building, as well as seeing real-life examples of the STEAM concepts they study in school - something we've been doing for more than 30 years, serving over 140,000 students!
Every day, young people make discoveries about themselves, their abilities and the world around them through our TopSail Youth Program, whether it’s dockside in Long Beach or San Pedro, or aboard one of our tall ships sailing around the harbor. Our crew guides upper elementary, middle and high school students through the various activities required to operate a complex sailing vessel, as well as specific STEAM lessons tailored to the group’s grade levels and educational priorities.
Hands-on activities such as working together to set sails, examining marine life, testing water quality and various challenge-by-choice activities around the ship bring STEAM subjects to life, create excitement around learning, strengthen their connection to others and to nature, and helps them develop valuable skills such as critical thinking and teamwork. Since only a small portion of the youth we serve have been on a boat prior to participating in our program, it also levels the playing field as they face their fears and try new things together.
With unparalleled access to the coastal ecosystems in and around the Port of Long Beach, students are exposed to marine wildlife from an offshore perspective, as well as numerous careers/vocations available in such a unique setting. That's one reason why our program has a rich history of fostering environmental awareness, as well as inspiring young people to pursue maritime and STEM-related fields.
We see positive results on every sail - every time a participant decides to bravely climb aloft, gives a sail-handling command louder than they’ve ever yelled, steps in to show a friend how to properly belay a line, shows emotions over the plastic in a bird’s gut, or squeals excitedly at the sight of a sea lion or dolphin. More often than not, the positive impact is longitudinal - many students decide to pursue careers or vocations in maritime or STEM-related fields after sailing with us. You can learn about one example when you read Ella’s story here!
"On behalf of our entire sixth-grade class, I wanted to express our sincerest gratitude for the incredible sailing trip you provided last year. Your staff was exceptionally knowledgeable and kind, creating a fantastic experience for all of our students. We were so impressed with how attentive everyone was, especially in ensuring every child had the chance to participate and learn about the ship's history and operation. My son, like many of his classmates, was absolutely delighted and has already asked to sail with you again. The stories from the captain and the authentic sailor garb worn by the crew made the lessons on history come alive in a way no classroom can. Thank you for an unforgettable and educational day on the water."
- Oscar Gutierrez, chaperone
"Thank you for taking our school, Maple Village ( 6th grade Sequoias, 7th grade Laurels) on an extraordinary sail around the harbor. It was so fun to see the sea lions, seagulls, a dolphin and possibly a large fish (I'm not sure about the fish, my eyesight isn't the best, even with glasses). It was also cool to learn more about the life of fishes from history. And seeing knot tying was cool, although I couldn't tie a knot to save my life."
- Sophia, 7th Grader
"Thank you so so much for the amazing trip on the American Pride! I used to be so scared of boats and ships, but that sail was so much fun. I had the best time ever! I really loved seeing the dolphins and sea lions because before that I had never seen one before. Thank you for helping me face my fear!"
- Ariadne, 8th G
The Children's Maritime Institute (CMI) empowers youth to discover their highest potential and fosters awareness and appreciation for the ocean through hands-on and at-sea experiences and education.
CMI is the Long Beach division of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI). LAMI serves to empower youth to discover their greater potential through extraordinary at-sea experiences aboard educational sailing vessels built to train and equip young people with 21st century leadership skills, and inspire maritime and STEM career paths.
Organization name
Children's Maritime Institute
other names
CMI, Los Angeles Maritime Institute, LAMI
Operating Budget
Large ($1,000,000+)
Mission Category
Education, Environment, Children, Youth, & Family, Mental Health, Physical Health & Wellness
City Council District
District 1
Address
Pine Ave Pier - Rainbow HarborLong Beach, CA, US
Los Angeles County, CA, US
Orange County, CA, US