Summer is here, and that means one more boat is setting sail down the Bronx River. It’s called Hope, built by teens as part of the afterschool program Rocking the Boat.
Since 1996, Rocking the Boat has been challenging teens to construct 15-foot wooden boats from scratch. Once they’re completed, they’re free for the community to sail during the summer.
“It’s really the only program of its kind in New York, and that’s rare to see a program like this anywhere,” said Leiland Gibson, Rocking the Boat’s programming director.
The city kids also learn how to sail, preserve their river and make the most of the opportunity.
“We have a lot of resources,” Gibson said. “We have a college and career counselor on staff who works with the juniors and seniors as they’re starting to graduate and helps them figure out paths.”
More than 90% of participants graduate from high school and enroll in college, according to the program. Alumna Taji Riley discovered her passion for carpentry during her boat-building experience in 2009.
“I would have never thought in my life, as a student at 14 years old, doing a boat-building program, that I’d be able to be a union carpenter,” said Riley. “So just being here has allowed me to see the world way beyond the Bronx.”
Watch the video above to see how these teens are setting sail on their dreams.
