"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward

The skipper is the person in charge of the ship. They oversee the actions, plans, and work of the crew. They hold the responsibility if things go awry. A skipper needs a crew in order to sail. There are too many decisions and a variety of work to be done by the skipper alone. The crew helps the skipper as they make headway, and the more effective and efficient the crew becomes the more they are able to accomplish with the skipper.

Our students are the crew, and we the teachers are the skipper. We did not mention passengers, since they pay a fare and do little to nothing during the voyage. Our role as skipper is to inspire and facilitate our crew the students to be active members on our voyage!

Elena Bilodeau is a native Vermonter and a current master’s in education student in the curriculum program at Saint Michael's College. She is expected to complete her degree in the summer of 2019. Elena received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Michael’s in history and secondary education in 2014. Prior to enrolling as a graduate student, Elena spent three years living in Massachusetts. During that time, she served a year as an AmeriCorps*VISTA in the service learning department at Middlesex Community College in partnership with the Lowell Public School system. She also worked for the New England College of Optometry in Boston, providing instructional and technical support.

Elena moved back to the green mountain state after making the decision to return to the classroom. She believes that this experience will further develop her teaching practice and help her transition back into the teaching field. She hopes to one day share her curiosity in learning about the world and passion for social justice issues as a middle school social studies/language arts teacher in Vermont.

When not taking graduate classes, Elena can be found working in the education department at St. Mike’s as a graduate assistant, subbing at Crossett Brook Middle School, or providing administrative support for the Middle Grades Collaborative. Elena also makes time for her two largest passions in life: running and travel. Having conquered the 5k and half marathon distances, she completed her first full marathon last spring by running the 2018 Vermont City Marathon, and is planning to tackle the 26.2 distance for a second time sometime in 2020. On the travel front, last year Elena added Iceland, Germany, and Austria to her list of countries she has visited, and currently has a trip to Italy in the works.

Jake Taylor completed a BA in Geology and an Honors BA in History at Georgia Southern University while working as a Program Assistant at Southern Adventures, which is the outdoor recreation program at the university. He was able to complete a semester abroad in Finland studying Scandinavian culture and history and a semester in New Brunswick, Canada studying Canadian history and culture. Both of these trips were possible from grants received from the federal government and school.

Jake is a Lifeguard Instructor for the American Red Cross. This includes training others in First Aid and Wilderness First Aid as well as CPR for the Professional Rescuer. He has been an Instructor since 2008, and he has maintained certification as a practicing Lifeguard since 2003. Jake has worked with the outdoor education school, Outward Bound, from 2011 thru 2018. He was able to work with a variety of students from primary age to retired in a variety of outdoor venues and countries. Sailing in the South China Sea with an adult group, canoeing in the Florida Everglades with troubled teenage girls, to bush walking on the southwestern coast of Australia. He is an American Canoe Association (ACA) Coastal Kayak Instructor, and he is also a Kayak Touring Instructor Trainer. He is currently working on other awards and disciplines within the ACA. He is a Team Rider for Aztron Sports where he competes in Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP).

Jake is currently working as the Graduate Assistant at the Adventure Sports Center at Saint Michael's College while pursuing a Masters in Education and Teacher Licensure. He plans to pursue a lengthy teaching career before entering a doctoral program of education.