STEMsail.org
I hear and I forget • I see and I remember • I do and I understand
Site Title
Page Title
Large Heading
SUPPORT THE FUTURE - OUR CHILDREN
What is S.T.E.M.?
S.T.E.M. is a curriculum designed to educate students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. STEMsail seeks to reinforce these concepts utilizing sailing as a practical platform for learning with a special emphasis on sustainability and an awareness of our marine environment.
Why STEMsail?
We benefit our students by introducing them to the world of sailing – to get outside, to begin to understand and become curious about the world around them, to become self-reliant and at the same time to operate as a team – in essence, sailing develops character in so many ways. Learning is more effective when it’s fun.
How to help
100% of your tax deductible donation made out to the Richmond Yacht Club Foundation (a 501c3 organization) is used to pay for direct program costs (learning materials, transportation for students). We are an all-volunteer organization and wish to keep it that way!
STEMsail May 2022
Finally! It's been two-and-a-half years since we last conducted a STEMsail class, so we were very happy to open our doors again! Eleven middle school students from the Verde Elementary School in Richmond, CA learned about Wind, Buoyancy, Sail Area, Land and Sea Breezes, simple machines, sailing angles, performed a beach cleanup and visited Quantum Sails to learn about how sails are made and how they work. And yes, we sailed!
When was the last time that you stepped "outside of your comfort zone"? Did you learn something from that experience? Did you grow? Nearly all of our students had never been out on the water before, at least, on a boat.
Was it a strange, new experience for them? Absolutely! Being outside of our comfort zone challenges our idea of who we are and who we could be - it naturally causes us to be more engaged, our senses are heightened and we live more fully. This is what sailing does to us - being on the water on a sailboat is the best teacher anyone could have.
Special thanks goes to Merrill Pierce, Verde teacher and member of our STEMsail staff for bringing many of her former students to our program!
Richmond STEMsail students "cool off" after a session of science and sailing. The smile on their faces says it all!
