Aquagrom
The Aquagrom is a fundraiser done by kids who are super passionate about protecting our oceans. Every summer in Laguna Beach, we swim, climb, and walk from Crescent Bay to Victoria Beach. But the most important part is that each year we do this, we raise money for ocean conservation! All of us kids have grown up by the ocean, and it has brought us all so much happiness. So, we want to pay the ocean back, and do all we can to protect it!
Our Cause - Stop Offshore Oil Drilling
This year, we are raising money for the Surfrider Foundation. The Surfrider Foundation does many things to protect our environment, but their main focus right now is fighting the oil drilling plans along the entire California coast, the Alaskan coast, the Gulf coast, and the Arctic Ocean.
The federal government has proposed new leases for offshore oil drilling across 1.27 billion acres of US oceans. These leases will be set for 30-50 years, which is most of our lifetimes. Drilling and processing of offshore oil pollutes the ocean and the air, and harms marine mammals such as whales and dolphins. And that is when nothing goes wrong!There have been 2 major oil spills in California over the last decade, resulting in over 1 billion dollars of damages. The BP Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010 damaged over 1,000 miles of coastline in the Gulf, and the area has still not recovered. The damages cost over $17 billion, wiped out 25,000 jobs, and killed over 100,000 marine animals.Clean, beautiful beaches are essential to our local economy. This will affect thousands of business owners, hotels, restaurants, fisheries, and beachgoers. This will not lower gas prices at the pump. The US already exports more oil than any other country in the world. This offshore drilling plan will also speed up climate change by putting billions of metric tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. When sea levels rise we lose our beaches.The oil companies can drill recklessly with very little risk to themselves. The cost gets passed to the public when they mess up. But the marine life pays the ultimate price, and they can’t vote.
Sources: The Surfrider Foundation, Earth Justice Initiative
About Us-
What is a grom?
Surfers use the word "grom" to describe a kid who is always in the water, and that is US! We love to surf, skim, snorkel, boogie board, swim, SUP, or just chill on the sand with our friends. The beach simply makes everything better. But it has become clear that we need to work harder to protect this amazing resource. The Aquagrom was started in 2023 by local kids in Laguna Beach. The idea was to explore our unique coastline, share the joy with others, and raise money for our beaches. The first year was such a hit, we decided to make it an annual event. So far, we have raised over $40,000 for ocean conservation! We have raised money for Get Inspired, The Surfrider Foundation, and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.
Donate
Want to contribute? Each kid works so hard to raise as much money as possible by reaching out to family members, doing lemonade stands, going door to door, and more. Tap the button below to go to our GoFundMe page. All of the money we raise this year will go directly to The Surfrider Foundation. We really appreciate your support!
Get Inspired, 2023
In 2023, we raised $16,000 for Get Inspired. This was started by Nancy Caruso, who is also known as the kelp lady. This is because she and her volunteers restored all of the kelp in Laguna Beach! Now Laguna is a thriving Marine Protected Area (MPA), which keeps our waters cleaner, and provides habitat for countless species of marine life.
The Surfrider Foundation, 2024
In 2024, we raised $12,000 for The Surfrider Foundation. The Surfrider Foundation is a nationwide organization that undertakes large-scale projects to protect our oceans- from trash cleanups to protests to lawsuits.
Pacific Marine Mammal Center, 2025
In 2025, we raised $10,000 for the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. Mainly during the spring and summer of 2025, there was a toxic algae bloom in California. Algae Blooms occur naturally, but that year was a toxic one due to factors such as climate change, pollution, and runoff. This toxic algae sickened hundreds of sea lions, dolphins, whales, and more. During the first half of 2025 alone, the PMMC rescued more than 337 animals, compared to an average of 150-200 rescues in an entire year.
Media
News Articles:
Documentaries:
Our Sponsors
Thank you Gina's Pizza, Thalia Surf Shop, Laguna Surf and Sport, Catch Surf, and Hobie Surf Shop for donating amazing prizes for our groms!
Contact Us
My name is Alia Marriner, and I founded the Aquagrom in 2023. I am 14 years old, and I have lived in Laguna Beach my whole life. The ocean is such a big part of my life, and brings me so much joy, which is why I feel it is my duty to help protect it.
Email: [email protected]
