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News

New Leadership Program at Sea
From August 22-24, 2008, in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the Henry David Thoreau Foundation launched an outstanding new Leadership Training and Orientation Program. The Foundation contracted with the Sea Education Association (SEA), noted provider of accredited shore/sea educational experiences, to offer this special opportunity to 20 Henry David Thoreau Scholars and Graduates.

Serving as a moving classroom was the Corwith Cramer, a 134-foot brigantine sailing ship owned and operated by SEA. Dr. David Bank of SEA was at the helm. Dr. Kara Lavender, SEA Chief Scientist, directed Thoreau Scholars in oceanographic equipment deployment and specimen analysis. Dr. Jennifer Galvin, Henry David Thoreau Foundation Trustee, scientist and educator, drew Scholars and Graduates together to link their Corwith Cramer activities to their environmental leadership and to begin networking with each other as well as their academic and career mentors.

All Henry David Thoreau participants, representing several colleges and universities, formed three crew watch groups. They shared in multiple tasks:  from working in the galley and pulling sail to assisting with navigation and swabbing the deck. On a personal level, they made new friendships, shared academic experiences, and resolved to continue their networking.

For many Thoreau Scholar sailors, it was their first time on the open ocean. Favored by breathtaking weather, they followed a cruise track from Dyers Dock into Vineyard Sound, past Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands, and into the major shipping lanes of Rhode Island Sound before returning to Woods Hole. All involved termed their experience a resounding success.




 

  

“This was my first time crewing on a major vessel, and I was really surprised at how much work it took to sail the ship. I knew that there would be some crewing involved, but I didn’t realize that it would comprise such a large portion of our time. But I definitely learned a lot about sailing, so that was a cool thing for me.”
– Kaitlyn Pritchard, Tufts University '12

“Our Henry David Thoreau explorers made up three around-the-clock watch groups. Each deployed specialized equipment to collect water samples and sediments from different locations and depths to analyze in the onboard laboratory. The Scholars impressed us very much: they jumped right in to experience marine science and gave presentations on their findings.”
– Dr. Kara Lavender, Chief Scientist, Corwith Cramer