November 2010 - A Memorable 2010 Season for the Schooner

As the 2010 sailing season draws to a close, more than 150 student groups have boarded the Science on the Sound floating classroom on our three-masted Schooner SoundWaters. The numbers are impressive: More than 5,000 students from 60 schools and 15 organizations, of which 52 were fully or partially funded by grants and scholarships, experienced Long Island Sound in ways they never dreamed possible.

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They deepened their scientific understanding of the Sound while raising sails, hauling in the trawl net, examining microscopic organisms and holding marine animals.

From April through early November, the captain and education crew criss-cross the Sound, docking the Schooner at 10 different ports to teach students from Greenwich to Old Saybrook; the Bronx to Brooklyn; Mamaroneck to Cold Spring Harbor; and Port Washington to Port Jefferson.

Numbers only tell part of the story. Individuals tell the rest. Inquisitive and engaged young students from Stamford's Waterside School demonstrated incredible resilience during an early May sail, which was fully funded by our generous donors. One 4th grader was so excited, she ignored the blustery weather as she peered into the touch tank to see and hold the animals that came up in the trawl net.

Expanding on this experience, the same students had the opportunity to board the Schooner again in September to participate in a Teambuilding program, where they were rewarded with drier air, warmer temperatures, and a good sailing breeze. Now on to five more days of education sails, then winter maintenance to prepare for 2011.

Regards,

Leigh Shemitz, Ph.D.
Executive Director
SoundWaters