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This year, our team thoughtfully constructed a program that would recreate in the virtual world the community that makes being on the pier so special. Our top priority was to support our kids emotionally and help them address the feelings of isolation, anxiety, and stress that many were experiencing.

Our strategy:

• Daily check-ins with staff
• 2 social workers on staff and running programs
• Social-Emotional Learning lessons, or what students lovingly called “Feelings Classes,” for Swim Sail Science
• Community-building lessons for all students
• Lots of downtime for games, icebreakers, chatting, and general silliness

“I think every year with kids at Courageous you see relationships form. I think whether online or in person, I still had those relationships form with students and coworkers… One thing Courageous does well is unity. I have always found myself making new friends, connecting with old ones, and becoming friends with my instructor. Courageous to me is one big family and I think everyone is always there to support you.”
—Jean, Swim Sail Science instructor and former Courageous kid

After our kids’ tough spring of remote learning in school, we knew that it would be critical to make the online Courageous Sailing experience hands-on and interesting, especially because many of our students—especially those already disproportionately affected by the upheaval of the pandemic—had lost so much ground academically. We needed to make learning fun! 

Our strategy:

• Virtual sailboat races on Virtual Regatta, where students could practice their sailing skills on a surprisingly realistic simulator
• Weekly guest speakers including a member of the US Coast Guard, a Paralympic Sailing silver medalist, a marine biologist, the Commander of the USS Constitution, and a round-the-world racer
• Engineering challenges and science experiments—attempts to create lava lamps were especially memorable!
• Explorations of marine biology, including a vicarious scuba dive under the Charlestown docks
• Student-led lessons on topics ranging from buoyancy to knot-tying
• Swim Sail Science Academics:
• • • • Teachers created opportunities for kids to build reading and math skills and engage thoughtfully with the environmental science theme. For example, in math, students practiced fractions while learning about the types of trash that end up in landfills unless we make more sustainable choices.
      • Science classes included testing water quality, building wind turbines, and designing ways to reduce plastic waste.
      • As part of our sustainability focus, ten families adopted worm composting bins.

“I was SO impressed at the job your team did. On the first day I walked by my Step 5 (somewhat sullen, quarantined) teenager hearing him laughing and happily engaging with his group. Then hearing what they were doing everyday was so amazing. Highlights I heard about (or watched): the sailing regatta app (so cool!); The underwater view of the sea under the dock; the interview with the Commander of the Constitution (that was really amazing)! I commented to my husband that the Courageous Team should be coaching the schools on how to run Zoom meetings.”
—Kristin, Courageous parent

Youth are living in a world that can feel frightening, hostile, and unjust—a place where it’s difficult to feel safe, set worry aside, and just be a kid. Whether on Zoom or on the water, Courageous made sure that our students had plenty of opportunities for fun.

Our strategy:

• Lots of free time to relax and hang out with peers and instructors
• Loads of game-based learning—including those virtual sailing races that spurred lots of good-natured competitiveness
• Swim Sail Science Olympics, including knot tying and a trivia quiz about instructors and team leaders
• Debates about the merits of different video games and movies
• Virtual dance parties
• Instructors vying to give the most professional weather report—and being comically unsuccessful
• Worm races (10 Swim Sail Science families adopted worm compost bins, and clearly a race was inevitable!)
• GOING SAILING! Our older students and Instructors-In-Training had a blast out on the water!

“I could have fun at home as much as outside.”—Ryhan, Courageous student
“My favorite memory from Courageous is hanging out with instructors and friends and having fun with them!”—Zhencong, Courageous student