LEESBURG, FL (April 20, 2025) – Students from Leesburg High school in central Florida are speaking out against the captive marine mammal industry with a powerful rap message. With support from WDCS, students are promoting their rap message with a video showcasing magnificent orca whales in their natural environment. The video can be viewed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/PIER2pierUS .
“My classmates and I feel the best way to share our message against captivity is through rap music,” said sophomore D’Mauri Jones, also a member of the Leesburg High varsity basketball team. “Growing up in Florida, school field trips to marine parks such as SeaWorld and the Miami Seaquarium are routine. Many young people think it’s okay for orca whales and other dolphin species to live in captive facilities. We feel differently and we want the world to know why!”
Jones is one of many students at Leesburg High involved in Pier2Pier, an environmental awareness project initiated by journalism teacher Jamie Aquino. The project, which began five years ago, addresses the issues and threats facing wild dolphins and manatees. In addition to raising awareness about marine mammals, the Pier2Pier students are working with WDCS on the development of a marine conservation and education center in Haiti. They maintain an award winning website (www.pier2pier.net) and in 2009 were named one of the top 10 youth environmental projects by Volvo and the United Nations Environment Programme.
“I have always been a firm believer that all marine mammals should be living in their natural habitat, not in an enclosed facility or marine park,” Aquino said. “There is no captive facility in the world that can compare to a whale’s or a dolphin’s natural environment.”
“What is crystal clear to these students, that whales and dolphins do not belong in captivity, is becoming more evident to the general public with the unfortunate and recent events at Sea World, as well as the Academy Award recognition for The Cove which profiles issues associated with captivity,” said Courtney Vail, campaigns officer for WDCS. “I am heartened by the awareness and conviction of these students.”
In recognition of the students’ commitment and enthusiasm, WDCS is arranging with OrcaLab, a research station based on Hanson Island in British Columbia, Canada (www.orcalab.org) to host a Pier2Pier visit that will introduce the students to orcas in the wild. The students are organizing fundraisers to raise monies to support their travel to Orcalab in the fall.
WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, is the global voice for the protection of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and their environment. Established in 1987, WDCS has offices in the US, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Germany, and the UK and maintains a worldwide network of consultants, researchers and supporters. WDCS funds conservation and research projects in countries all around the world. Visit www.wdcs-na.org for more information.
Click on play below to hear the song.
The lyrics to the song can be found here.