Our Friendship Matters teens had an outstanding day of new experiences and new friends yesterday with Sail Sand Point at Magnuson Park in Seattle.
"I had a blast!" declared youth participant, Gary, age 18. The majority of teens participating had never been sailing before, although a few discovered hidden nautical talents.
"Opportunities like this are so important for our teens," commented WAAA Parent Partner Korina Heard. "Every community outing provides special moments for interactions with new people and new experiences. These touchpoints allow both community members and our teens to learn more about one another and for our participants to gain essential skills for navigating the world around them."
"It was a pleasure to have the teens join us for the day," remarked Sail Sand Point staff member Ben Harter. "Their expressions of happiness and excitement were evident from the moment they got on the water. I especially loved the fact that many of the participants had never sailed before, yet by the end of the day, they were clearly gaining confidence and developing new and useful skills."
Participant Anthony, age 17, shared that his favorite part of the day was seeing the other boats scattered around the lake. "I was pushed out of my comfort zone," he commented, then quickly followed up that he's glad he stuck with it. "It's experiences like these that foster inclusion and allow our special needs youth to grow," notes WAAA Director of Family Services, Jen St. Cyr.
Sail Sand Point is a dedicated to youth and access for all. Via their Shipmates program, over a season they provide approximately 60 days of access to various groups in the community. Sail Sand Point has furthered their commitment to inclusion by providing a donation to the RBG Charity Golf Tournament benefitting WAAA on August 28th. The team at WAAA appreciates community partnerships such as these, creating a welcoming environment and opening new worlds to our youth.
"On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty." ~ Rumi