Anyone who was born and raised in Hawaii might find it hard to imagine that Dotty Kelly-Paddock didn’t see an ocean until she was 19 years old.

"I grew up in Indiana, where there was lots of corn but no ocean," said the longtime Hau­ula resident. "I saw the Atlantic Ocean when my parents took my two brothers and me on a vacation to Virginia Beach. I couldn’t believe how big the ocean was! Before that, the biggest body of water I’d ever seen was the Ohio River."

In 1984, 18 years later, Kelly-Paddock joined the faculty at San Francisco State University to write and manage education grants for Micronesian children with disabilities. Back then, what is now the independent Federated States of Micronesia (Yap, Chuuk, Pohn­pei and Kosrae) were part of the United States’ Trust Territories, which made them eligible for U.S. education funds.

"I spent a lot of time in Micronesia, and being involved with people whose lives revolved around the ocean was new and exciting to me," said Kelly-Paddock, who holds a master’s degree in education. "In 1986, at the age of 39, I decided to take diving lessons. Getting close-up views of the undersea world was amazing! Diving is still my favorite pastime."

Even though she retired in 2009 after a 40-year career, Kelly-Paddock remains committed to education. She was concerned when she found out that Hawaii’s keiki, particularly those from the North Shore, were scoring consistently low on national science tests, which included questions about geography.

"Kids who live in the middle of the ocean should know about the ocean," Kelly-Paddock said. "They also need to know that how you treat the land affects the health of the ocean and everything living in it."

As president of the Hau­ula Community Association, she began putting out feelers about starting year-round experiential science and ocean education programs for children living on the North Shore. The association established Hui o Hau­ula to acquire funding to help meet that and other goals that would strengthen the community’s cultural and historical ties and solidify it as a place where, according to its strategic plan, "people can be safe, healthy and well educated."

Kelly-Paddock took on the role of director of Hui o Hau­ula and reached out to the leaders of Turtle Bay Resort and various state and federal agencies. In 2011 they formed the North Shore Ocean Education Coalition and launched the North Shore Ocean Fest as a fundraiser for the coalition.

To her already full plate, Kelly-Paddock added the responsibilities of coordinator of both NSOEC and the festival. Themed "E Malama i ke Kai, Protect Our Reef," this year’s third annual event at Turtle Bay Resort will feature food, crafts, speakers, live entertainment, a silent auction and about 40 educational booths.

Attendees can view entries from children’s art and poetry contests and, using colored chalk, put their touches on life-size sketches of dolphins, turtles and a whale. Activities also include gyo­taku (Japa­nese fish printing); kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding lessons; and fishing, boat-making and dolphin rescue demonstrations.

In addition, four 30-minute episodes of "Voice of the Sea" (www.voice­of­the­sea.org), an online and Olelo (Channel 16) series, will be shown. The program pre­sents thought-provoking ideas and information from ocean experts about their work in the Pacific. Director Kanesa Duncan Sera­phin will introduce the films and lead discussions about them.

"Hawaiian values, practices and traditions remind us that we all have a kule­ana to care for the ocean," Kelly-Paddock said. "Increasing awareness and knowledge about the ocean’s valuable resources is the first step to protecting, restoring and managing them and inspiring conservation efforts."

Years ago, on a diving expedition in Little Cayman in the Caribbean, she saw fish gathering on a reef, seemingly as a close-knit community just like people.

"That lovely revelation has stuck with me," Kelly-Paddock said. "What would happen to the fish if their home was ruined by silt or pollution? What would happen if their food sources were replaced by alien seaweed? What would happen if all the big fish are caught and only the babies are left?"

Kelly-Paddock hopes the North Shore Ocean Fest will help people realize the importance of sustainability and the fragility of the marine ecosystem — that the health of fish depends on the health of reefs. "I know changes are not going to happen overnight," she said, "but when people understand the consequences of their actions, they might reconsider the choices they are making."

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.