Free Sailing for High School Students

By Sophie Rotstein

Hudson River Community Sailing, or HRCS, is a fun, educational, free program for high school students in New York City. Located in Chelsea, on the Hudson River, students go sailing in the fall and spring, and participate in a variety of activities in the winter that vary depending on your year. Freshmen will work to build an Opti made of wood, while sophomores will learn about the Hudson River, the ecosystem's species, as well as pollution. Juniors and Seniors become first mates, and get to choose their track and focus.

Students in the program develop leadership skills, and participate in projects, presentations, and of course learn how to sail! The image below shows a group of sophomores learning about the sun’s setting patterns.

Students also participate in fun, educational trips, such as New York City Wetlab, and sailing trips to the Statue of liberty or Inwood.

Aside from sail academy, which is offered with certain public high schools (HSES is one of them!) The program offers many internships and opportunities for growth, as well as college and career planning.

Over the summer, I (Sophie Rotstein, an 11th grader at HSES) participated in one of these internships called the Junior Educator program. This program is an intensive leadership program offered to rising Juniors only. Over 4 weeks, you work as a junior sailing instructor, and teach, mentor, and play with kids from all around the city. It was one of the best experiences of my entire life, and not only did I learn so much, but I really discovered my passion for sailing and teaching, and I would not trade this experience for anything.

The community is so accepting, kind, and supportive, and it is a great place to step out of your comfort zone, try new things, and meet new people. To find more information about HRCS, visit https://hudsonsailing.org/youth-programs/sail-academy/