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Mistral Dodson, Program Director New England Science & Sailing (NESS)

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#WeAreRHODY spotted #NESS, New England Science & Sailing, on #NBC10 News. NESS has been making waves in #STEM education since 2002. Can you describe the impact sailing and ocean sports has had on experiential learning?

This method of outdoor advzenture education really gets kids “in the water”, with a notion of “feet wet, hands dirty”. Students who come to NESS, either as a summer student, homeschool student, school field trip or an afterschool program are actively engaged through doing, seeing, feeling and inquiring. It allows them to connect with nature by being IN nature.

In addition to the experiential learning, students who come to NESS once off or over a period of time show personal growth. We take them out of their comfort zone and into an unfamiliar – yet safe – environment that allows them to experience transformational personal discovery and empowerment. They get this because they are “doing it” not just observing or hearing about it. They get the chance to try it with their own hands and learn the mechanics of what make this “machine”, be it a sail boat or a kayak, work.

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#NESS offers #learning and #marine #adventure programs to stimulate imagination and strengthen core fundamentals of #math and #science. How important is it for the next generation to be #active in their #education and #community?

It is very important for young people to actively engage in their education and their communities. We believe that by bringing to life subjects like math and science students will make connections with the world around them and see the relevance of their schoolwork. By implementing a combination of NESS Curriculum and the US Sailing REACH curriculum, we have been able to inspire youth with hands-on integrated learning opportunities such as sailing, surfing, kayaking, snorkeling and field experiences in Marine Sciences. This really helps foster students’ connections with their local environment, which in turn encourages stewardship and personal growth.


#NESS #Creature #Creation class allows students to investigate the ecosystems and explore their imagination by creating their very own organism! What new species have evolved from the course?

Students have created wind turbines modelled after whale fins, jar openers modelled after octopus tentacles and buildings designed after clam shells that do not require air conditioning. What always amazes me is how creative students are – when given the opportunity to explore within their imagination, while having some basic parameters. Students are given the opportunity to investigate nature and use their imagination to create and design an organism or product based off nature. This concept is known as Biomimicry, where “bios” means life and “mimesis” means to imitate, which is a new discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. A good way to think about it is innovation inspired by nature!

My personal favorite was when two 9 years old came up with a dirt bike wheel called the “Snake Wheel”. Now bear in mind this is in poster form and has not been tested – but the idea, concept and thought put into the project blew me away! This wheel was modelled after the Emerald Tree Boa that has smooth skin that can grip really well. They figured if they copied the smooth scaly pattern of the Boa’s skin they could create a premium dirt bike wheel that had maximum grip and minimal friction, allowing it to “grip it and rip it” (their own words!).


suddenly a little bit of the terror comes back until they realize how controlled and safe the environment is. I personally love seeing the “deer in headlights” look turn into a smile, a laugh and then a huge acknowledgement of success as they climb into the boat and learn they can achieve this on their own! It’s a pretty magical experience! For some of these students in might be a one off experience that they will never have again – but it instills a sense of confidence, self-reliance and empowerment that some of the students may have never experienced before.

Wuskenau Ocean Adventures was in its first summer as a pilot program, modeling NESS’s mission statement and branding. We have not yet had the opportunity to serve inner city students at this location.

NESS does open doors to on-the-water education and personal growth for all, regardless of financial means or intellectual or development abilities. We currently run year round facilities in Stonington and New London, CT. At our Stonington location we have partnerships with middle schools in Providence where we have provided field experiences on the water. These inner city middle school students arrive at NESS with little to no experience on the water. They are slightly terrified – but once we set the scene of fun and safety and they have met their instructors, the terror quickly turns into curiosity. Then we load them into lifejackets and walk them down to the docks where we start to demo a kayak or a small Opti trainer. Then

How does NESS's Ocean Adventures programs help students from inner city areas have the opportunity to learn from our #NewEngland coastline?


What is #NatureDeficitDisorder, and how do NESS activities and hands on learning help the #Millennial generation appreciate and value the power of mother nature?

To me, Nature Deficit Disorder is not getting out into nature enough. NESS is the perfect remedy for this disorder. NESS programs are built around the outdoors and specifically our connection with the oceans. Every program from marine science classes, to sailing, to adventure sport programs like surfing, kayaking, fishing, and stand up paddle boarding gets students to appreciate the natural environment surrounding us. Students are empowered with equipment and adventure that allows them to be completely engulfed in the environment. Students who partake in our programs are in a sail boat, in the ocean, or exploring ecosystems for a huge portion of their time at NESS. Activities are built to spark the curiosity of students and to engage them in the marine environment. NESS stresses stewardship, education, teamwork, and leadership in hopes of cultivating a love for the outdoors and the environment in all of our students.


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#wearerhody #bigpicture #interview with mistral dodson of #newengland #science & #sailing #ness...

Education

science students

students connections

creative students

combination of ness

experiential learning

impact sailing

personal growth

stem education