| The Spirit of America Youth Education
Program Student Performance Objectives:
- Participants are typically students who are graduating from
the seventh grade (ages 12-14) and include boys and girls expressing
a sincere commitment to attend ALL classes. The program is designed
to allow for other activities that the student may be involved
with during their summer break.
- The program is designed to encourage the student to learn by
doing. It takes a combination of teaching in the classroom and
on the water, to provide a positive environment for the students,
teachers, and volunteers.
- Combine this age groups attention capability with interesting,
new, and fun activities and you achieve a life-long memorable
experience and a motivational force.
- The entire program provides hands on experiences in which proper
choices must be made:
A. Do not jeopardize your own or your passengers safety
B. Everyone learns through a sequence of thought processes that
must be completed before proceeding with an activity, whether
for fun or for work.
C. Come to understand that the consequences of negligence or failure
to make the right choice.
D. Learning life's major lessons - you are not invincible and
you must respect the power of nature and react in a positive manner
to each and every situation of your environment.
- The student learns the importance of exhibiting proper behavior
in, on, and around the water, first in the classroom and immediately
following in/on the water. Students come to understand the negative
consequences of inappropriate behavior or lack of respect of an
environment with inherent dangers.
- The group exercises (pool classes, jon boats, sail boats, canoes,
kayaks, rowing shells, personal watercraft, large vessel) introduce
a sense of teamwork in a new environment, which may have felt
threatening before this educational experience. With knowledge,
training, and individual jon boat, canoe/kayak and sailboat operation
in a forgiving environment (e.g. it is OK to make mistakes while
"docking", but no mistakes are allowed when it comes to personal
safety), all of the activities on the water become an enjoyable
experience.
- To continue in the program the student must satisfactorily
complete a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
(NASBLA) course of study which meets their state requirements
for education. This first level of achievement serves as an example
of the students' commitment of their individual effort in the
program and comes in order to experience the next level of adventure
and challenge.
- The instructors and volunteers, who come from all walks of
life, are excellent examples of how people benefit from listening,
learning, and commitment. The instructor's individual approach
to solving the same problems in different ways, their ability
to communicate, their sense of values, and finally their ever-present
concern for orderly and appropriate behavior serves invaluably
for the students. It is mandatory that ALL volunteers participate
in a background check, attend orientation and review all curriculums.
- The program is designed to give all students a better understanding
of their local environment on the rivers and lakes in their communities
including their delicate balance, and the importance of insuring
that they are not abused.
- Weather and weather forecasting becomes vital example of the
importance of planning your water based activity in your community
and having better control over the outcome of the experience.
Examples of weather extremes, storms, and their importance to
everyone on or around the shoreline, serves to develop a new lifelong
interest in the weather and environment.
- The jon boats, sailboats, canoes, and kayaks, in which every
student will spend a minimum of six hours, has curriculum associated
with each of those particular vessels and provides situations
where students may make mistakes. For the most part these mistakes
are made without fear of reprisal but, with anticipation of doing
it better the next time. It also establishes a level of concern
for the passengers' safety when you are controlling the vessels
direction and speed with an outboard motor, or simply relying
on human power.
- The students become "Captain's of their own vessels." This
sparks a feeling of independence and self esteem which emphasizes
the importance of behavior which befits the position. It is important
to develop these patterns well in advance of the student's 16th
birthday when they receive their own set of car keys.
- The program includes activities that are primarily fun and
exhilarating. Personal watercraft have been provided for the program.
Valuable safety lessons are repeated for proficiency while an
adult accompanies them through each activity. The student can
choose the level of performance and handling skill or the personal
watercraft, where they feel comfortable, during the three-hour
curriculum. Some students will also go beyond the level of control
and have to react in the water to varying conditions. All students
will learn how to react to capsizing, man over board, or engine
failure.
- The United States Coast Guard, or other like agency, large
vessel experience provides a group experience in a strong, stable,
safe environment which is very conducive to learning. The machinery
and electronics may seem overwhelming at first, but, after the
first session there is a sense of comfort that comes from new
found knowledge, as well as a newly developed sense of interest
in the United States Coast Guard / Homeland Security, or State
and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, and dedication to education
and career. Students will spend a minimum three hours in a large
vessel experience.
- The startup procedure for operating the large vessel serves
as a strong statement regarding the parallel requirement for orderly
care of the students mind and body. Cleanliness, proper care,
and maintenance of operating equipment and systems are implicit
with all activities.
- The 14' sailboats introduce the student to the equipment that
allows them to test their skill without any form of auxiliary
power. The student must become one with Mother Nature and learn
to pay close attention to what nature is allowing them to do in
a vessel. There is a great deal to learn about the science of
aerodynamics and physics that a student may not even be aware
that he/she is learning until these thought processes are used
in their future life. The sailboat experience, which may appear
a little overwhelming at first, is provided through the volunteer
instructors in a positive and non-threatening manner. Man overboard
and capsizing drills are taught as well as the points of sail
and how to successfully achieve them (ie: tacking, jibing, reaching…)
- The student achieves proficiency in orderly care of the mind
and body, through exercises on the large vessel. The same is true
in the sailing, canoeing, kayaking, jon boat and personal watercraft
exercises. There are certain steps that must be followed in order
to have a pleasant and safe experience. There is knowledge gained
from the organizational skills in the start up of these programs.
Taking care of the equipment so that it will last is just one
step in responsible behavior for equipment that they will own
in the future, and for respect of equipment that is owned by others.
- The diesel / gasoline engines, the outboard engines, transmissions,
controls, radio and GPS equipment, fuel tanks, fuel shutoffs,
bilge pumps, filter systems, and life saving equipment are all
introduced in most cases as new "gadgets' and they stimulate a
student's curiosity. The program introduces such a large variety
of new items and activities that there is little opportunity for
boredom. It makes learning a truly positive experience.
- The state of the art electronics are fascinating to middle
school aged children. Reading bottom charts, radar, global positioning
systems, chart plotters, or conventional navigation by compass,
and learning to "read the wind", gives the student experiences
which become central themes for discussion with parent's siblings,
and friends.
- Graduation provides a platform for the student to gain recognition
in front of their families, friends, teachers, volunteers, and
fellow classmates. Graduations will also honor coordinators, volunteers,
educators, and program benefactors.
- As a MOST significant note---students of the Spirit of America
Programs are changing the way that we feel about safety equipment,
namely life jackets. In the United States it may soon be required
that boaters, using a particular size vessel, will be required
to wear a life jacket. As we adjusted to bike helmets and seat
belts, our young people have a new mindset and are wearing life
jackets, naturally, when involved with water related recreational
activities and the inherent dangers that go along with that recreational
activity.
|
|
