Letters to Privateer Lynx

Submitted from:
Kevin McGroary, Rosedell Elementary School
National Board Certified Teacher
Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year
Saugus Union School District Teacher of the Year

Dear Privateer LYNX Crew,

Thank you for sharing your vessel and time with us last week during our field trip to visit you at Oxnard Harbor. In the words of my students, "This was the best field trip...Ever!!!"

We couldn't have asked for better weather and teachers. Your kindness and understanding made the experience a positive one for many of the students who had never been near the ocean or on ship before. They left feeling very safe and hoping to have this kind of experience again. I appreciated the patience demonstrated by the ship's mates/instructors. The students certainly learned a lot by having such an exciting, hands-on learning field trip in your classroom.

I appreciated something the captain told me during the trip that I passed on to many colleagues and parents. While talking to students who were at the ship's wheel, he kindly asked me to refrain from talking to them. He explained to me that it was important for the students to have time to reflect and think about the day and all the experiences they were having. I agree. It is rare that students have time to quietly think and reflect about life experiences and lessons learned from others. I now plan on doing this with my students in class on a regular basis as we work together.

Again, thank you for sharing your beautiful ship and experiences with us.

Sincerely,

Kevin J. McGroary
Rosedell Elementary School
Saugus, California

Submitted from:
Kirk Felmar, Normont Elementary School
Harbor City, CA

Lynx Educational Foundation,

I wanted to take a moment to thank you and your crew for the opportunity to take our students out on the Privateer Lynx on January 9, 2007. The children were all thrilled when they found out they were going and enjoyed the experience tremendously. It was a lesson in history and seamanship they'll never forget.

As a teacher and sailor I was very impressed by the professionalism of your crew, not only in their seamanship but in their ability to interact and relate to children. Furthermore, the children were able to see how your crew interacted with each other to make the ship go! Jimmy, Ryan, Katie, Chris are a tremendously talented lot and will serve you well! I only hope that our other fifth grade classes can enjoy the same opportunity in the future.

Trips like this although costly are extremely important for our students for several reasons. Our students live very sheltered lives within their community and have limited opportunities for experiences that enrich and complement their education outside of the school environment. Sail traiing provides them an opportunity to experience something totally foreign in our high tech world and teaches many important social skills in team work, problem solving, and leadership. It promotes positive healthy values and helps them learn to set goals for themselves. To look beyond the horizon and see what is possible for them when they try new things. They learn to think outside of their own comfort zone and realize anything is possible if they put their minds to it and chart a course to achieve their goals.

It's not just a day sail on a tall ship to these kids. It's helping them realize their own worth and sense of accomplishment. Your crew took a group of students out on a ship for a few hours and began to turn them into sailors! They got to follow directions of the crew and learned to work together as a team. They also learned about the War of 1812 and what it must have been like to be a sailor on a warship.

Once again, thank you for the opportunity you provided for our students. I hope that the Privateer Lynx can continue to take students like ours to sea so that all children can benefit from sail training.