Chicago kids take part in STEM & Leadership Programs aboard Tall Ship

Chicago kids take part in STEM & Leadership Programs aboard Tall Ship © Chicago Yacht Club

Nearly 300 young people from across the Chicago area who have not had access to the lakefront and all it has to offer are taking part in a series of programs aboard the tall ship Inland Seas, hosted by the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation in partnership with the Inland Seas Education Association.

The Foundation is collaborating with the Chicago Yacht Club's signature sail race, the annual Race to Mackinac, to raise funds to support these programs. The two programs are set around the sailing of the Race.

They include:

• A series of nine Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-themed cruises for 30 young people each wrapping up July 18
• The Lead HER Ship program, a set of two five-day cruises for nine young women finishing July 18th to teach seamanship, Great Lakes ecology, leadership, and teamwork.
• First session: July 8-12
• Second session: July 19-23

Today, the series of STEM cruises concludes; the second group of young women will set off on their Lead HER Ship adventure from Chicago to Suttons Bay, Michigan, tomorrow.

Young people from the following local organizations are participating:

• The Union League Boys and Girls Clubs
• Fathers Who Care
• Adults Active in Youth Development
• The University of Chicago Charter School--Woodlawn
• UCAN Chicago
• My Block My Hood My City

The Race to Mackinac community is invited to help support these initiatives via "The Mac Gives Back." It's campaign seeking to raise awareness of the Foundation's programs as well as financial support to enable more young people to get out on the water for the first time and support their continued maritime development.

In Chicago, many young people don't have regular access to the lake, says Hector Perez, senior vice president at Union League Boys and Girls Clubs. "Many of these kids have never done this before," he said. "This is just a great opportunity for them." Program Director Anabel Hernandez echoes, "For them to be on a sailboat and really see what it takes to man the sails--and really understand the STEM behind it--that's something we wouldn't be able to provide outside of this partnership." The young participants agreed. "They showed us a bunch of things I never learned before; things I never thought I would learn," said Kaylin Perez, 14. "I learned how to set a sail, how to coil a rope, how to steer, how to navigate." Ava Voeun, 15, who had participated in the Lead HER Ship cruise previously, said of the STEM cruise, "When Rebecca let me steer the boat, it just really brought back memories. At first, I was unsure, but now I know what to do. You have to be open to new things!" Aiden McKinney, 15, concurs. "It was fun to be with everyone. It is cool to learn new things."

Nats Pkg:

Anabel Hernandez, Program Director, Union League Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago:

Hector Perez, Senior Director, Union League Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago:

Program participants Aiden McKinney, Ava Voeun and Kaylin Perez:

B-roll:

www.chicagoyachtclub.org