Aviation museum, airline partner on tours for Hawaii students

A partnership between Southwest Airlines and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is making it possible for up to 900 neighbor island students to travel to visit the Oahu museum with most major expenses covered, and schools are invited to apply.

Southwest has donated 500 complimentary travel vouchers and 400 reduced-­fare vouchers to fly elementary through high school students to and from Oahu for a full-day excursion.

Ground transportation to and from the Honolulu airport will be provided by the Freeman Foundation, and additional scholarship opportunities are available through the museum to cover the costs of admission and meals.

Dubbed the Winter Fest Education Travel Program, the partnership’s combined resources provide “essentially a free field trip,” said Shayreen Peltier, director of sales and marketing at the nonprofit Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

“The program is very new. So far, less than a hundred (Neighbor Island) students have booked with us,” Pel­tier added. “So I think the message is for teachers and administrators is to go ahead and apply. Now’s the time, because we do have ample openings available.”

The program runs through February. Applications will be accepted as long as voucher supplies last, Peltier said. They can be used for students, school personnel and required chaperones. Last week a group of 17 students from Kihei Elementary School on Maui became the first group to visit the museum through the Winter Fest program.

Students get to tour the museum and learn the history of its displayed aircraft, and of Pearl Harbor as a World War II aviation battlefield. Students also take in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programming offered by the museum’s Aviation Learning Center, including flight simulators and other activities that give students an appreciation for flight.

Elissa Lines, executive director of the nonprofit museum, said in a statement that thanks to the partnership with Southwest, “we are able to expand our reach and provide quality educational programming to keiki across the entire state.”

Kelly Knox, Southwest’s leader of community outreach across Hawaii, said the airline is “honored to play a role in making it attainable for keiki across the neighbor islands to see firsthand the work to honor this moment in the history of Hawaii.”

To apply for the Winter Fest Education Travel Program, teachers and school administrators should contact the museum’s Education Department at Education@PearlHarbor AviationMuseum.org or 808-441-1001.

Oahu schools also may apply to receive support for museum admission, bus transportation and meals, Peltier said. More information can be found at pearlharboraviationmuseum.org/education/field-trips.