Our children are the future stewards of nature. To engage and empower them to become fearless champions of marine wildlife we created the Children of the Sea program. We introduce local children to sharks and rays through classroom and field experiences to help them to understand the animal’s importance for the ecosystem while dispelling fears they might have of sharks. Sharks and rays are a terrific lens through which to teach students about marine science, become familiar with the principles of species and habitat conservation including marine protected area creation and sustainable fishing and smart seafood consumption. We are increasingly building in swimming skills as many of the children participating in Children of the Sea do not know how to swim.