Opti Nationals Hosted by California Yacht Club to Run US Sailing Reach Event
MARINA DEL REY, Calif. (July 23, 2014) – US Sailing has partnered with the United Sates Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA) and the California Yacht Club (CYC) in Marina del Rey to create new pathways for our youth sailors in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education. The CYC is hosting the 2014 USODA National Championships for youth sailors aged 10 to 15 from all over the country on July 19-27. In conjunction with US Sailing Center Long Beach and Life Sail, US Sailing’s Reach program is hosting “Sailing through STEM Night” on Friday, July 25 from 4:00 to 7:30 pm PDT at CYC.
What is US Sailing’s Reach Program?
Funded by John B. and Nelly Llanos Kilroy Foundation, the Reach program utilizes sailing as an educational platform to establish a passion for learning and exploring productive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) based education and careers. US Sailing is committed to creating partnerships with middle schools, sailing centers, and local sailing centers around the country through Reach. This program also provides quality exposure and awareness of the wonders of sailing as a fun, rewarding activity for youth.
What is Sailing through STEM Night?
“Sailing through STEM Night” is a great opportunity to get kids who are likely to spend a lifetime involved in boat-related activities excited about marine science, conservation, engineering, and design. This special event consists of STEM-related stations with hands-on learning activities. The stations will feature local colleges, outreach organizations, sailing programs implementing STEM programing in the area, and marine research organizations. Some of the topics that will be investigated by students are ocean acidification, plastics in water column, weather data, and green energy. Learn more about Sailing with STEM Night.
The activities in “Sailing through STEM Night” and US Sailing’s Reach program have a direct correlation to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) now being implemented by the state of California. The NGSS identifies content for science and engineering practices that all students should learn from kindergarten to high school graduation.
Who is Implementing STEM and Reach in California?
Local sailing organizations including Life Sail has been implementing Reach since 2012 and US Sailing Center Long Beach (USSCLB) recently hosted a STEM Educator Course for educators representing local schools, sailing programs, and outreach organizations. US Sailing Center Long Beach is currently implementing Reach through El Viento Schools. USSCLB partners with several organizations to grant scholarships to at‐risk youth. These organizations include the Boys & Girls Clubs, NAACP, and the Long Beach Unified Schools for Special Needs. This year, in addition to the above‐mentioned groups, the USSCLB is partnering with the El Viento Foundation, which will include 100+ youth over the course of summer.
In addition, Westwind Sailing in Dana Point is also implementing the Reach program this summer. They have partnered with three local Boys and Girls Clubs: Laguna Beach, South Coast, and Capistrano Valley and with Great Opportunities in San Juan Capistrano.
Area yacht clubs including California Yacht Club, University of California, Irvine; Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club, and King Harbor Yacht Club are planning to implement Reach into their programming over the next year.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jake Fish, US Sailing Communications Manager, jakefish@ussailing.org
On-site Contact: Ira Teller, California Yacht Club, teller.ira@gmail.com
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.