The Emerald Bay Outdoor Academy is a youth science education program based on Catalina Island and operated by the Western Los Angeles County Council, Boy Scouts of America. Our mission is to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards through overnight science programs and Educational Outreach Partnerships.

Our dynamic and diverse community of educators seek to create unparalleled science-based adventures and high-impact learning opportunities with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the core competencies of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) woven into the fabric of our curriculum since inception in 2018. Our courses and lessons are designed with the 5-E Learning Cycle in mind: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.

On-site programs on Catalina Island offer hands-on experiential learning and take advantage of the unique location of Camp Emerald Bay. Youth learn by engaging with island phenomena: snorkeling through kelp forests, kayaking to pelican-covered cliffs, and observing marine organisms under microscopes and in touch tanks in the Pennington Marine Science Center.

The Emerald Bay Outdoor Academy builds upon the 100-year legacy of Scouting at Camp Emerald Bay and extends the invitation to experience this unparalleled location and scouting skills to school groups with special efforts in place to include and support those from communities that have been historically excluded from outdoor education program opportunities.