American Pride Homecoming

Every day aboard the Children's Maritime Institute's (CMI) majestic three-masted schooner American Pride, young people make discoveries about themselves and the world around them. The American Pride is the official tall ship of the City of Long beach. CMI's programs expose young people of Long Beach to a unique, inspiring, and challenging exploration in active learning, designed to foster STEM comprehension, self-empowerment, curiosity, environmental awareness, and teamwork. CMI provides a diversity of programs to Long Beach area 4th through 12th-grade students, each designed specifically to age group and educational priorities.

Programs are offered at no cost to Title 1 schools and youth groups serving young people from underserved communities or facing challenging circumstances. Programs can vary from 3-hour discovery sails, multi-day/night immersive voyages, or a combination of both aboard the 130-ft. tall ship, departing from her Long Beach home port of Rainbow Harbor. Through hands-on activities such as steering and navigation, securing lines, sharing maritime history and stories, viewing and dissecting sea creatures, and testing water quality, students are awakened to their potential and their intrinsic connection with others and nature. 

Numerous studies have shown how outdoor experiential education deepens academic and emotional understanding, an opportunity not afforded to many students. Through adventure, CMI's Programs provide students a chance to more deeply understand and believe in themselves and to care for the world around them.

130' Tall Ship American Pride