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The Cabrillo High School Aquarium has been awarded the Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Museum Education for its innovative, student-designed lab activities that engage local elementary students.
The competition, jointly sponsored by the California Association of Museums (CAM) and the California Department of Education (CDE), recognizes outstanding achievements in California museum programs that serve K–12 students and educators. Past recipients of this prestigious award include the Exploratorium, LACMA, San Diego Zoo, and Monterey Bay Aquarium.
“This recognition is a huge credit to the incredible work our CTE Aquarium Science staff and students dedicate year-round, along with the faithful support we receive from the Lompoc Unified School District,” said CHS Aquarium Director Greg Eisen. “We sincerely appreciate being recognized by such significant statewide organizations as CAM and CDE.”
The award will be formally presented at the California Association of Museums annual conference, March 10–13, 2026, in Los Angeles, where all three CHS Aquarium advisors; Greg Eisen, Chris Ladwig, and Michelle Poquette will be in attendance.
Founded in 1986, the Cabrillo High School Aquarium is a student-run, cross-curricular program that promotes stewardship of the ocean through project-based learning. In the 2024–25 school year, the Aquarium welcomed more than 10,000 elementary students and visitors—a record number. Its newly expanded facility features over 20 live and static displays, all maintained and hosted by Cabrillo High School students.
This year’s Head Curators are:
● Ayri Dodd-Brown – 12th grade
● Olivia Lossing – 12th grade
● Autumn Miller – 12th grade
● Dilraj Nagra – 12th grade
● Donavon Schwenk – 12th grade
● Alyna Torres – 12th grade
● Kyrsten Byork – 11th grade
The public is invited to visit the Aquarium during its 2025–26 Open House Series, each featuring special themes and student-led presentations:
● Sept. 24 – Starting with a Splash
● Oct. 22 – Gallery Debut
● Dec. 10 – SEAson’ s Greetings
● Feb. 11 – Deep in Love
● Mar. 18 – Communities in Peril
● Apr. 22 – Earth Day
● May 20 – Student Projects
For more information, contact:
Greg Eisen, Aquarium Director
cabrillo.aquarium@lusd.org | (805) 742-2888
Follow the Aquarium for updates:
Facebook, Instagram & TikTok: @chsaquarium
http://www.cabrilloaquarium.org
Lompoc Unified School District offers an outstanding educational experience for its more than 9,000 students. Its award-winning schools and programs, strong leaders, teachers, and staff serve Pre-Kindergarten through high school students living in the City of Lompoc, Vandenberg Village, Mesa Oaks, Mission Hills, Vandenberg Space Force Base, and rural areas adjacent to these. The District offers a wide range of programs, including Career Technical Education, Advanced Placement, Dual Language Immersion, and support for multilingual students and students with special needs, as well as exceptional extracurricular opportunities, such as athletics and clubs.
