CHICAGO YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION

CHICAGO YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION: EDUCATION PROGRAMS

BY ANN L RUNDLE, DIRECTOR CYC FOUNDATION

One of the Core programs of the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation is our education program. Over the years the Education Program has evolved and grown to include summertime Education/Careers sessions expanding on our existing after-school curriculum. Our education sessions take place at CYC’s Belmont facility. It’s the perfect setting along the lakefront, and the kids get a kick out of the fact that our clubhouse sits on a barge. I remind them that technically speaking, when they step on the barge, they are on a boat (of sorts). Something that we club members take for granted, just walking onto the barge; for the kids we host it’s an adventure just to come visit our club.

The core after-school education session includes classroom teaching, followed by a hands-on portion, and concluded with a pizza buffet. (One young boy this past fall declared chef Michael’s pizza “the best pizza ever!”) The Foundation has been partnering with the Union League Boys & Girls “Club One” group from Pilsen for over the past five years, hosting a group of 15-20 kids in each monthly session during the school year calendar. Our typical sessions start out with some classroom training; a module that teaches them a little bit about the Great Lakes and its influence on Chicago’s economy and growth to become an important global city. Did you know there is a mnemonic to help remember the names of the five Great Lakes? H-O-ME-S: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior! It’s fun to see how the kids are amazed at what’s happening in the water around them and how important it is to commerce, recreation, and just plain old drinking water! Many of the kids that we host in our education program have never been to the lakefront, and very few have been on a boat. The second part of each session is a hands-on experience; in good weather we take the kids out sailing on the yacht club’s Sonars. During the winter months and when there is inclement weather, we have a module that teaches the kids how a boat floats and have the kids build their own “cargo ship” out of Legos. So far, the record for the most cargo was set during the December 2021 session with an impressive cargo carrying capacity of 67 machine nuts for the team from Pickard elementary school with their cargo ship named “Big Blue”. (Hint, I had told them I was a Naval Architect from University of Michigan, so I think they were trying to influence the teacher!) The kids get into creating their ships, and really understand the importance of maximizing the displacement of their designs. It’s always a moment of wonder when they realize that indeed (with some help from aluminum foil for watertightness) their boat can actually float! And then the suspense begins as we load up the ship with machine nuts for cargo. Each session I can recognize some potential future engineers!

When we are fortunate to have good weather, instead of building cargo ships, we take the kids out sailing on the club Sonars. Kudos to the CYC On-The-Water team for their support in getting the boats rigged and staffed. The instructors take the time to teach the kids a little bit about sailing, how a boat moves through the water, and give each kid a chance to steer the boat and trim the sails. It’s something most of us take for granted, but for these kids, once they get over the newness of being on a small boat, it’s something unbelievable! The smiles and looks of pure joy are really incredible. Just this past fall, one of the young ladies who went out on the Sonar was thrilled, she was so impressed that they could actually see the skyline and Navy Pier from a boat that they were sailing themselves! WOW!!!

The foundation began partnering with the Explorers group of My Block My Hood My City in the Fall of 2020, and they have become a regular part of our afterschool education sessions during the school year. The Explorer participants come from the Noble Network of CPS charter high schools, covering the south, west, and north sides, the program is focused on helping these high school kids “explore” the possibilities in their city. Each month we host a group of 15-18 kids. Most of these kids have seldom had the opportunity to visit Chicago’s lakefront, and rarely have they had a chance to go out on the water sailing. It’s really rewarding to see them cautiously get on the Sonars at the start of the sail, and by the time they get back they are like old hands and can’t wait for the next opportunity to go sailing. The focus of the classroom training for the high school kids is similar to the middle school program, with more of a focus on career opportunities in maritime.

This summer, based on an introduction from the CYC flag, the foundation expanded our education program and developed an Education/Careers curriculum,

hosting the West Garfield Park Fathers Who Care organization headed by Reverend Jones. This program consisted of four separate Tuesdays in June and July with the first half of each session featuring guest speakers with careers in the marine industry. Personally, I have always wanted to tie in career opportunities for the kids we host, so this was a great opportunity to test it out. We were fortunate to line up a great group of volunteer speakers to tell the kids a bit about how they got into maritime careers and give them some insight on potential careers, as well as near-term job opportunities. Special shout-out to Ray Groble who was my sounding board for creating the curriculum, and to Sonny Liskowski for helping me line up some of the guest speakers.

Joey Harris and Michael Anderson spoke to the kids about careers as sailing school instructors (we even helped one young man get into the After-School Matters sailing instructor summer program), followed by pizza and sailing on the club Sonars. Mila Marshall spoke about career opportunities as a marine environmentalist, followed by another session of pizza and Sonar sailing. Congressman Danny Davis came and spoke to the kids about all of the resources and opportunities in Chicago. Captain Tiffany Taylor spoke about growing up on the west side, working hard, and earning her US Coast Guard license and owning her own power boat. Plus, she brought her boat up to Belmont and took all the kids out for a fun cruise along the lakefront! Our last session was on “Chicago Harbors and Captains” and we had a great assembly of guest speakers: Scott Stevenson (Executive VicePresident Westrec), Joe Williams (Harbor manager Jackson Park Harbor), and Capt Stafford Crossland & Gerry Miarecki (Chicago Maritime School). Scott and Joe spoke about career opportunities in the Chicago Harbor system, and Stafford and Gerry spoke about opportunities as a commercial boat captain. I think the highlight for that session was being taken out for a lakeside cruise in Scott’s 42’ Tiara. Scott was the perfect host and made sure that every kid got a chance to steer the boat; they all just loved having the chance to be driving such a beautiful boat, and enjoying the late summer afternoon cruise.

I realize that not everyone at the yacht club understands or realizes what the CYC Foundation does, I hope this article gives you a glimpse into one of our Core programs. I know for myself, after I walk away from an education session with these kids, I smile and think “this is what the Foundation does”.

We will be starting up 2022 with more after-school programs with Club One and My Block My Hood My City as well as expanding the Education/Careers curriculum we launched this summer. The dates for our sessions will be posted on the yacht club’s calendar, I welcome you to stop by if you get the chance to learn more about what your yacht club foundation does for Chicago’s youth. ✶