Students To Launch Their Hand-crafted Sailboat On The Hudson

I DON'T NORMALLY DO THIS BUT IT'S FOR A GOOD CAUSE SO HERE IS A PRESS RELEASE I RECEIVED IN ITS ENTIRETY: ============================================================= Brooklyn, NY – June 14, 2010 – This Wednesday, June 16^th, a group of middle school students from the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies will be launching their Optimist pram, a 7’ 6” wooden sailboat, in the Hudson River. The students are part of the Brooklyn Boatworks educational program and the launch Founded in 2005, Brooklyn Boatworks uses traditional wooden boat building as a means to support positive youth development. This past year, BBW worked with twenty students from the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies to construct their own sailboat. With no prior woodworking experience, these students worked together every week to turn a pile of plywood into a beautiful craft. The students did everything from model building, learning basic tool safety, reading Computer Aided Design plans, sawing, drilling and gluing, and finally painting their finished boat that they named the “S.S. Lowrider”. About Brooklyn Boatworks Working inside NYC schools, Brooklyn Boatworks helps young people develop life skills through the building and use of small boats. Our programs teach communication, teamwork, perseverance and craftsmanship, and help young people create a strong connection to their urban environment. Students learn both hard skills (measuring, reading plans, construction, project management) and critical soft skills (communication, leadership, teamwork) that open new job and career possibilities for them. Students gain a deeper understanding of how boats work and how they can engage the waters of their home city. Additional information about Brooklyn Boatworks is available at www.brooklynboatworks.org. About Hudson River Community Sailing Hudson River Community Sailing is a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to developing leadership in New York City youth through sailing education and providing maritime recreation to the community at large. Hudson River Community Sailing is made up of a dedicated group of teachers, businessmen and mariners who share a passion for our waterways and a lifelong love of sailing and all the skills that come along with this dynamic sport. Hudson River Community Sailing is located on the shore of the Hudson River within Hudson River Park at 26th Street. Additional information about HRCS is available at www.hudsonsailing.org.