‘A guiding light for our keiki:’ Youth development program Kaua‘i Sea Scouts celebrates 15 years

The Kaua‘i Sea Scouts commemorated its 15th anniversary this past Friday at Nāwiliwili Boat Harbor.

Families and community members gathered on Aug. 30 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Kaua‘i Sea Scouts. The ceremony featured a formation muster by the scouts, a speech from the scout leader and a special proclamation read by Assistant Chief Mark Ozaki of the Kaua‘i Police Department on behalf of Mayor Derek Kawakami.

The Kaua‘i Sea Scouts is a youth development program founded in 2009 by father-and-son team Larry and Max Richardson. Initially sponsored by the Kaua‘i Police Activities League, the program has garnered the support of the community and local leaders, including Mayor Kawakami, who was on K-PAL’s board of directors at the time of its inception.

“This program has been a guiding light for our keiki, forming many into leaders while being a safe place to build comradery and lifelong friendships,” said Mayor Kawakami.

Over the past 15 years, the Kaua‘i Sea Scouts have provided hundreds of local youths with experiences aboard the Sea Scout vessel Decisive. The program has earned national recognition, being named to the National Flagship Fleet three times and ranking among the top 10 Sea Scout programs in the nation. It currently has 20 members and is the only Sea Scouts program in the State of Hawai‘i.

At Friday’s event, Assistant Chief Ozaki reflected on the program’s impact.

“It is a true honor to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Kaua‘i Sea Scouts. I have known Coach Larry from his days coaching wrestling for K-PAL, and I’ve seen firsthand the incredible dedication he and his son Max have poured into this program,” he said. “Their vision has transformed the lives of many young people here on Kaua‘i.”

The anniversary celebration also marked the start of the Sea Scouts’ Labor Day Weekend cruise, adding to the excitement of the anniversary’s festivities.