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NYC students build and launch boats at Brooklyn Bridge Park
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — At Brooklyn Bridge Park, a new generation of young builders celebrated a major achievement Wednesday.
Hundreds of students launched handcrafted boats into the river, marking a special milestone for a local program dedicated to teamwork and real-world skills.
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On Wednesday afternoon, excitement filled the air as Jeremiah Harrison and his teammate Cach Grandison stood side by side, getting fitted for lifeguard jackets before setting sail on the East River.
'Well, today I'm just looking forward to going the boat sail,' said Harrison.
The 10- and 11-year-olds had worked together since September on a 7-foot wooden sailboat called 'Big Bertha,' one of many student-built boats launched at the event.
'It makes me very excited because all of the hard work that we've done is being showcased,' said Grandison.
Like Grandison and Harrison, over 200 other elementary-middle schoolers from 12 Brooklyn and Queens schools gathered to launch the boats they had constructed by hand throughout the school year. Cheering families, teachers, and friends lined the shore, celebrating the students' accomplishments and marking Brooklyn Boatworks' 20th anniversary and recent expansion. The program now includes a three-year apprenticeship for graduates to continue building trade and STEM skills.
Maggie McNicholas, Executive Director of Brooklyn Boatworks, emphasized the program's impact.
'Let's get them off the screens and get them out in the world using their hands and learn the skills that's gonna help them thrive as they become adults,' she said. McNicholas explained that students were given three sheets of plywood, instructions, and tools at the beginning of the school year, and highlighted the deeper value of the program: 'At Brooklyn Boatworks, 96% of our kids improve in their leadership skills, their problem-solving skills, their communication skills. And we believe that that's so important 'cause that's what's gonna make them successful in life.'
As the boats hit the water, students' teamwork and determination shone—another milestone for Brooklyn Boatworks—and Harrison, dreaming as big as the boat he helped build, shared his ambition: 'I wanna be an astrophysicist, working and researching space.'
For more information on Brooklyn Boatworks, click here.
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