The Spirit of America Youth Education Program was developed by the Foundation of the same name, in 1995, and opened with a pilot program with 58 children, in Lake County Ohio. In the past 13 years the program has grown to include over five counties throughout the state and in Iowa and Mississippi. Since its inception the Foundation has educated over 5500 students (and their families) in the importance of boating and water safety. Initiated in the spring of 1995, under the direction of Harry L. Allen Jr., owner and president of Great Lakes Power Products, the program is promoted through public schools and parks systems as an educational tool and NOT as an extracurricular activity.

Spirit a direct extension of the educational programs provided in the traditional middle school classroom setting. The students of Spirit of America are participating in “field experience” through their schools, which affords them the opportunity to have their goals and desires directly affected by the choices that are presented to them. The children qualify for the program in the spring of their middle school years through a question and essay application process. There is a Foundation requirement that at least 30% of the students participating, due to their personal circumstances, might not have had this unique educational opportunity otherwise.

The program introduces young persons to several different types and sizes of watercraft and recreational water activities, all of which nurture responsible behavior. Spirit of America provides an ideal environment for the students to learn, react, and develop lifelong learning skills and ambitions. Based around a hands-on program, the Spirit of America empowers our youth, in a non-traditional classroom setting, to dare to dream, while meeting the underlying goals of the foundation for developing self esteem, teamwork, safe seamanship, and boating and water safety practices, and responsible behavior in our young adults.

In the Spring of 2004, the Spirit of America took a giant step forward in reaching their goal of becoming the youth education program of choice for the United States. Signing a Memorandum of Agreement, making the National Water Safety Congress the “parent organization” for Spirit, the Foundation can now apply for, and be granted, federal funding to promote and present the Youth Education Programs across the Country. Spirit of America will continue to present the Youth Education program at no cost to students in Ohio, Iowa, and Mississippi; however, making the equipment available in so many new areas will allow those facilitators of Spirit programs to offer many, additional water and boating safety programs in their communities. Spirit of America is easily adapted in any area in the country.

Safety is priority ONE for the Foundation and National Water Safety Congress. We are dedicated to the promotion of SAFE participation in all water and boating related recreational activities. As we adjusted to seatbelts and bike helmets from the time we were young, we believe that the use of life jackets also starts with our young persons. In mandating that all participants of the Spirit programs, students AND volunteers, wear life jackets, we are seeing a new trend in family wear of life jackets. We are proud that our over 5500 graduates have made this issue top priority in their families and their communities.

The programs are all staffed with outstanding volunteer educators from organizations dedicated to boating and water safety. They include but are not limited to: United States Coast Guard and Auxiliary, state watercraft and law enforcement agencies, local police, fire, dive, rescue teams, United States Navy, America Red Cross, US Sailing, America Canoe Association, local and state parks, and many from the education community who share a passion not only for educating young persons but also for water and boating activities.

We are proud to introduce you to our award winning and nationally recognized (winner of the National Boating Education Advancement Award and many other local and national awards) boating and water safety youth education program and hope that you will contact us for opportunities in your communities, establishing a new generation of SAFE recreational boating and water activity enthusiasts.

Our goal, as it always has been, is to make Spirit of America available in all 50 states and our Territories, to all families, at no cost, and hopefully tying the curriculum not only to credit courses in traditional schools but also to create vocational schools programs offering career opportunities to our young people. Spirit provides a very comprehensive safety program for youth and their families. The program is built to be very easily adaptable for all environments and all types of students. Spirit was created, and is challenged each year, to provide the most up to date and diverse education possible.

Our children and their families learn by doing, learn through hands on training, and by taking responsibility for themselves and their ship mates. Our young people take part in a curriculum which is directly tied to local, state, and national education standards, in a nontraditional classroom setting. We are reversing the decline on outdoor recreation, which we believe significant, and our communities are just beginning to recognize, not only in young peoples’ worlds but in their families as well. In every evaluation written, we see parents and students recognizing the recreational opportunities available for all family members.

Spirit of America Foundation and the National Water Safety Congress are both not for profit organizations with a 501c3 designation, and operate with the support of local, state, and federal, private and public organizations, foundations, and corporations. www.spiritofamerica95.org