News & Blog Posts

Members Make It Happen On Saturday, October 17, members of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation gathered at the Discovery Campus for our Annual Members Meeting and the official ribbon cutting of Discovery Island. Thirty two voting memberships were represented as we ratified, re-elected and elected our Board of Directors, celebrated a year of impact, and looked ahead to what comes next for the lagoon and the people who love it. Thank you to Señor Grubby’s for providing the breakfast bar and to Peak Dentistry, our Campus Coffee Sponsor. Our 2026 Board of Directors Members voted on the following board members: Ratified: Laurie Gonzalez, Anne Master, Christina Nichols, Ray Pearson and Mike Stoliker Re-elected: Frank Ortega and Taylor Sais Newly elected: Jenna Dotson and Michael Metts We extended a heartfelt thank you to Julie Gibbs for her two years of leadership as Chairwoman. Julie continues on the board as our Immediate Past Chairwoman. We also welcomed our new executive slate: Chair: Frank Ortega (previously Vice Chair) Vice Chair: Michael Metts Treasurer: Steve Baker (returning) Secretary: Vinit Ahooja (returning) A Year of Impact and a Look Ahead Members reviewed our Annual Impact 2026 report , then turned to the future of our educational programs and our niche: exceptional environmental education. A few highlights: Accreditation: Our certification with the American Camp Association is in process. Little Agua Learners: We are assembling our licensing documents for the Little Agua Learners Licensed Preschool. City designation: We received a designation letter from the City of Carlsbad expanding our business classification from travel serving visitor commercial and gift shop to include education. Fire safety: We completed the fire inspection updates required for licensing. The David C. Copley Foundation: We were invited to apply for the foundation’s invitation only grant in January. Nordson: Big cheers to Nordson for supporting our Academy for Environmental Stewardship with $25,000, and for their partnership with us throughout the year. Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians: The Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians has made a three year commitment at the $5,000 Community Partnership level. California Climate Action Corps: AHLF is proud to be a host site for the California Climate Action Corps, a State of California program. We welcomed a new fellow for the year and look forward to welcoming a winter fellow in January. Thank you to the many community partners who make our work possible. Celebrating Our Board Rookie of the Year: Anne Master. Anne jumped in from day one. She has shown up to every event and took on the review and editing of our bylaws. The updated bylaws are now available on our website . Board Member of the Year: Frank Ortega. Frank volunteers twice a week on campus and on the trails, and no job is too dirty for him. One moment stands out: on one of the hottest days of the year, Frank helped carry a refrigerator up 17 flights of stairs. All in the name of service. Thank you, Frank! Discovery Island Is Officially Open The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce joined us to cut the ribbon on Discovery Island, our newest exhibit space at the Discovery Campus. We were honored to receive a proclamation from Senator Catherine Blakespear’s office marking the occasion. Kent Zapata shared remarks as we officially announced the opening. Kent is supporting one of Discovery Island’s featured exhibits, Jennifer Muller’s Water Lab, with a pledge of $5,000 a year for two years. The Water Lab honors the memory of Jennifer Muller, whose passion for clean water and STEM education continues to inspire young engineers, scientists and environmental warriors. The Water Lab will be an interactive water station where visitors and students watch water move through different substrates. It will also host Watershed Wednesday talks as part of our Discover and Learn series. 

200 guests. One beautiful setting. An incredible community. 

Bright and early on Sunday morning, more than 90 people gathered with binoculars and coffee in hand for a morning of birding, learning, and adventure. Participants of all ages kicked off the day with local birding experts Bobby Brett and Rick Grove, who introduced the basics of birdwatching before leading groups along the Discovery Trail and throughout the Discovery Campus. Along the way, guests spotted native birds, learned fascinating bird facts, and took turns viewing wildlife through high-powered spotting scopes. After a quick coffee refill, attendees gathered on beautiful Newell's Terrace for an unforgettable presentation by Hillary Hankey, founder of Avian Behavior Conservancy. Hillary and her team introduced four incredible avian ambassadors—the Swainson's Hawk, White-faced Owl, King Vulture, and White-necked Raven—giving guests the rare opportunity to see these remarkable birds up close while learning about their behaviors, adaptations, and conservation. The undeniable star of the show was the mischievous White-necked Raven, whose playful antics and impressive tricks had the audience laughing throughout the presentation. Following the program, guests met the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation's Raptor Specialists and interns while getting an up-close look at the birds of prey that call the Discovery Campus home. With a hands-on craft station for children, beautiful weather, and a meaningful way to celebrate Father's Day surrounded by nature, Avian Adventure Day was the perfect blend of education, exploration, and family fun.

Lagoona Kahuna Clean Up Challenge Recap, brought to you by Capture The Impact Sponsor:

Lagoona Kahuna Clean Up Challenge Recap, brought to you by Capture The Impact Sponsor:

There is no better way to celebrate all the spooky goodness fall brings than by kicking off the annual Haunted Corn Maze in partnership with the Carlsbad Strawberry Company . Thousands of people braved the maze each night—and most made it out alive. Thank you to everyone who stepped foot in the maze. Not only did you lead with bravery, but your admission directly supported environmental education in our community for the upcoming year. A loud, bloody, screaming thank you to every volunteer who made the maze the place to be this season. Your dedication to your roles, your top-tier jump-scare methods, and the miles you ran with a chainsaw were inspiring and unforgettable. Thank you as well to those who braved the maze in another way as volunteer security guards, assisting maze-goers and volunteer scarers whenever needed. Keeping everyone safe is our top priority, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to the Carlsbad Strawberry Company for hosting us again this year. Each season grows bigger, and each season we grow more grateful for the opportunity to work together. Lastly, thank you to everyone who donated towards supporting our volunteers for this event! In-Kind Donors: Albertson’s Black Rock Coffee Bar Chespiroz Food Truck Grand Pacific Resorts Green Cheek Beer Co Little Fox Open Water Padres Vons

On September 23rd, we gathered at the Discovery Campus to celebrate the people who make everything we do possible — our incredible volunteers! The Taco ’bout Great Volunteers appreciation event was our way of saying a heartfelt thank you to the long-term, dedicated individuals who have poured their time, passion, and care into the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation (AHLF).

We are thrilled to announce a new sustainable edition to the Discovery Campus. In partnership with Plastic Beach , AHLF is determined to make an impact on the billions of single use soft plastics that end up in landfill each year. Since these types of plastics cannot be recycled in typical Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) or Recycling Centers, Plastic Beach has worked to collect and properly dispose of over 50,000 pounds of plastic since its founding. 

Discovery Gala 2025 ~ Barbie’s Dream Lagoon truly felt like stepping into a pink-and-blue glitter world—overflowing with magic, cocktails, dancing, and dazzling games. The evening began with an intimate VIP Patron Party at the Water Tower, honoring our 2025 Hero on a Quest awardee: Carlsbad Educational Foundation . With live music by violinists Amanda Wirtz and Claire Braby and breathtaking ocean views, it was a sparkling kickoff to the night. Thank you to VIP Sponsor, Grand Pacific Resorts , for making this celebration possible! As cocktail hour began, the excitement grew. Guests—dressed in their best pinks and blues—were welcomed with live music from Whit Aadland at check-in and Gin N’ Tonix on the terrace. Along the way, they walked through a hallway tribute to our very own AHLF Barbies and Kens—the incredible individuals who bring the Dream Lagoon to life. Drinks flowed, “shell-fies” were snapped with Mermaid Barbie (Lavender Moon Goddess) and the sparkling Barbie & Ken backdrop… and then came the first surprise of the night: a flashmob performance by the AHLF team! A playful nod to the disco dance in the 2023 Barbie movie, it set the stage for an unforgettable four-course dinner. The Live Auction brought paddle battles for trips to Hawaii, Palm Springs, and more. Tears followed during the Impact Video , sharing our vision for Discovery Island —a classroom and exhibit space ensuring environmental education can thrive rain or shine. Watch the video » New this year, donors who gave $100 during Raise the Paddle were entered into a secret prize drawing featuring a stay at Omni La Costa, local dining gift cards, and diamond stud earrings. Congratulations to Tim Stripe , our lucky winner! We also honored our very own “Barbie and Ken”—Heather and Jimmy Ukegawa . Joined on stage by their son Jade, with daughter Mia delivering heartfelt remarks, the Ukegawa family was celebrated with proclamations from Mayor Keith Blackburn and county, state, and federal representatives—recognizing their unwavering dedication to community and environmental education. And of course… the catwalk! Our Barbies and Kens lit up the runway, showcasing opportunity drawing items with fabulous style. To close out the night, guests returned to the terrace where the Mojo Dojo Casa House (casino + horse race game) and Barbie’s Disco (DJ Barbie + glitter tattoos) kept the energy alive until the very end. A night of sparkle, joy, and purpose—thank you to everyone who made Discovery Gala 2025 ~ Barbie’s Dream Lagoon a dream come true! Photo Gallery Here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ic1xcFYDvOMPNFSC6tt0tgaSeMVAAFtN?usp=sharing Thank You Gala Sponsors Presenting Sponsor: NRG Energy VIP Patron Party Sponsor: Grand Pacific Resorts Program Sponsor: The Henry Valet Sponsor: BMW of Carlsbad Invite Sponsor: Vigilucci’s Restaurant Group Specialty Cocktail Sponsor: DUAL North America VIP Cocktail Sponsor: Hale & Associates Paddle Sponsor: The Silva Group (Lynnell Talone Honda) VIP Patron Party Invite Sponsor: RDQ Inc. Bar Sponsor: Pangea Biological and Withum Entertainment Table Sponsor: California Watersports, Cbar, Dudek, Inspectors of the Election

65 Participants Soar Through a Day of Feathered Fun and Learning

THE MINI KAHUNA