The Lighthouse – A Message From the E-Directorate
October 2025
Shipmates,
Welcome to the October 2025 edition of the Lighthouse Memo! Here’s the latest news and resources from the Public Education Directorate to support your efforts and strengthen our collective outreach. Please read on and share with your local PE teams.
📣 More New Marketing Materials Now Available
We’ve released two new customizable/fillable marketing pieces to help you promote your local public education classes:
- Tri-Fold Brochure – Highlights our most popular boating safety courses and includes a QR code linking to the Course Finder site. You can personalize it with your flotilla’s phone number and email address.
- Fillable Poster – A new poster with editable fields so you can easily tailor it for your unit’s classes and events. It’s great for posting on Facebook, distributing at Vessel Safety Checks, and handing out at community outreach activities.
Both materials are posted on the Public Education page under Marketing (login required). See Marketing.
⚠ Reminder: Make sure your upcoming courses are listed in the Course Finder. If you’re unsure how to do this, check the step-by-step instructions under PE Resources > Form 7023: Form 7023 Submission Guide
👉✅ Clarifying Instructor Certification Requirements
We’ve heard questions about how to become a certified instructor. To help, we’ve published a concise reference: “Ten Steps to Instructor Certification.” It’s available here:
👉 Ten Steps Guide
Please share this with prospective instructors and encourage members who may be interested in teaching to check it out.
🏆 2024 Maxim Award – Instructor of the Year
We’re proud to announce that the recipient of the 2024 Maxim Award for Instructor of the Year has been selected! The honoree was formally recognized at the National Training Summit (formerly NACON). Congratulations to Robert Sajnovsky, an outstanding educator, and the two runners-up, Dan McIntyre and Anthony Griffin!
📘 2025 Instructor Workshop – Continued Participation Encouraged
In June, we sent a reminder that the 2025 Annual Instructor Workshop is optional but highly recommended. We’re pleased to report that an additional 20% of certified instructors have since completed the workshop and submitted their self-attestation in AUXDATA II. If you haven’t yet taken advantage of this excellent resource, it’s not too late! You can still review the content and record your participation:
👉 Instructor Workshop Portal
📣 Call for those considering becoming instructors
Ready to Make a Real Impact? Become an Auxiliary Instructor!
One of the most rewarding and mission-critical roles in the Coast Guard Auxiliary is that of Instructor. Whether you’re teaching public boating safety or mentoring fellow members, instructors are the driving force behind our efforts to promote safety, knowledge, and readiness.
Check out the brand-new presentation: “How to Be an IDOL – Train and Certify as an Instructor.” It’s a fast, engaging overview that highlights the many ways instructors contribute and walks you through the certification process step by step. Perfect for flotilla meetings or training events, it’s available in both PowerPoint and PDF formats with speaker notes—ready to use and share.
This is your chance to serve in a powerful, inspiring way. Explore the materials now in the Marketing section of the Public Education Directorate site:
👉 How to Be an IDOL Presentation
Thank you for your continued dedication to boating safety and education. Whether you’re teaching classes, mentoring new instructors, or promoting our mission in the community, your work is making a difference.
Stay safe and stay in touch
