Lessons with Good Hope Country Day School

St. Croix, USVI

Ship’s Logs written by AmeriCorps Deckhand Educator Alex Berman

January 16, 2023

Our first week back in day programming was a whirlwind! With twenty five students and a jam-packed schedule, there was certainly never a dull moment with Good Hope Country Day.

Due to weather conditions in the harbor, we began our program with a dockside day, where students learned about simple machines, principles of buoyancy, and got the chance to climb aloft! It was a great way to introduce students to the various physical laws that allow Denny to sail before getting underway, and the students loved seeing a bird’s eye view of both the ship and their home.

Over the next few days, we taught lessons on points of sail, Dutchman’s logs, sailor tattoos, and more. It was really fun to share knowledge with new people, and more than this it was so gratifying to watch the students learn how to work with each other in a new, tough environment. Even in a period as short as four days, I saw so much change in how the kids interacted with each other and with the boat. I’m looking forward to more teaching and learning throughout the next several weeks of programming on St. Croix!

Bye for now,

Alex