At The Explorers Club, the Kids Took Over

Written by:

Palmer Staff

06/19/2026

On June 2, during World Ocean Week, some of the biggest names in ocean conservation gathered at The Explorers Club in New York. Legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle spoke about the future of the world’s oceans. Philippe Jr. and Fabien Cousteau, both activists and the grandsons of Jacques Cousteau, were also in attendance. But the focus of the evening was not on experts, it was on children.

The event was organized by Future Waves, a Palm Beach County-based nonprofit founded by Gabrielle Raymond McGee and led alongside Chief Operating Officer Kira Kerkorian, with the goal of helping children become the next generation of environmental stewards. The organization is actively supported by many Palm Beachers, including John Sculley, Bobbie Lindsay, Katie Carpenter, Chip DiPaula, Eric Eikenberg, Wendy Cox, and Julie Fisher Cummings.

For Raymond McGee, the inspiration began after moving to Florida. “I was in awe of the nature that exists here,” she says. “I kept asking people, who is working with our kids to inspire them to take care of it? Who is investing in the future?”

The question has become increasingly urgent. According to recent research, the average child in the United States today spends nearly nine hours a day on screens and less than seven minutes outside engaging with nature.

However, Raymond McGee believes the solution is not fear or guilt, but engagement. “We want to give kids the microphone,” she says. “We want to help them come up with solutions to protect nature.”

That philosophy runs through all of Future Waves’ programs. Through its Future Wavemakers STEM Challenge, students submit videos explaining how they are making a positive impact on the environment. Participants present their ideas to judges ranging from scientists and conservationists to artists and business leaders, in what Raymond McGee calls a “friendly shark tank” competition. Rather than focusing solely on problems, the program encourages children to identify solutions.

“To change the world, we need to make it fun,” Raymond McGee says.

The organization also works with schools, helping provide experiences many public school students would not otherwise have access to, from field trips to hands-on conservation projects. Later this year, Future Waves also plans to launch a free children’s club open to any family, as well as a podcast featuring kids interviewing scientists, explorers, and environmental leaders. The goal is to create what Raymond McGee calls “core memories” that inspire lifelong connections to nature.

That mission was on full display at The Explorers Club. Raymond McGee’s admiration for Dr. Sylvia Earle dates back to childhood. “She’s been my hero since I was six years old,” she says. Having Earle speak at The Explorer’s Club event felt like a full-circle moment.

As the evening came to a close, children lined up to ask questions to Earle and members of the Cousteau family. For Future Waves, that is the point. Give children a chance to connect with nature early enough, and they won’t just inherit its future. They’ll help shape it.