FREE FIRST SAIL SATURDAY

Charlotte Harbor Youth Sailing offers FSWCHS students who register with Emma Stoltman (Sailing Club President) for membership in the Buccaneer Sailing Club (an extracurricular student activity - Mr. Michael Mitchell Advisor) a Saturday Free First Sail. Junior and High School students from any high school located in Charlotte County. Based on interest and number of registrations, the Free First Sail Saturday will be scheduled from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM with a Pizza Party to follow. A signed parental/guardian release form is required for participation in this event.

CHARLOTTE HARBOR YOUTH SAILING INC.

SCHOOL YEAR PILOT PROGRAM

(September 1, 2024 to May 24, 2025)

Charlotte Harbor Youth Sailing (CHYS) is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit sailing school/charitable organization that has been providing youth sailing instruction since 2010 during summer sailing camps. Several years ago, CHYS initiated a school year Saturday Advanced Sailing Program. This fall CHYS shall initiate a Sailing Club pilot program in partnership with Florida SouthWestern Collegiate High School. We hope the success of this pilot program will lead to the development of Sailing Clubs at the other Charlotte County high schools.

CHYS is fortunate to partner with Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club (CHYC), a 501 (c) (7) not-for-profit private club, where CHYS has been offered classroom and storage space, and where students launch the boats and sail to the harbor. The relationship between these separate organizations is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The CHYS Board and adult Advisors volunteer hundreds of hours for fund raising, administrative and oversight responsibilities to ensure the success of summer sailing camps and Saturday Advanced/Adventure Sailing programs. CHYS pays a Head Instructor and, when required, Assistant Instructors. This year our summer camps provide full-time employment for our sailing instructors. The Saturday School Year Program (SYP) provides part-time employment.

All instructors are young people who have come up through our sailing programs. CHYS underwrites their US Sailing Instructor Training and Certification. CHYS contracts with a staffing/payroll management company for fiscal management of the employee’s hourly wage and tax deductions.

The program will use eight CHYS “Club 420” dinghies (two youth sailors per boat) and three Laser Radials. Two CHYS Coach Boats (17’ Rigid Inflatable Boats “RIBs”) will also be used. The fleet is currently maintained off site at a facility that does not charge rental fees. Equipment repair and fiberglass repair hours are in-kind donations of volunteer hours and materials cost.

The School Year Program (SYP): This Activity/Club pilot program is intended for sixteen students who can swim 50 yards wearing sailing clothes and water shoes. Florida SouthWestern Collegiate High School (FSWCHS) is the target for the initial Pilot Program as they have no sanctioned athletic programs that could compete for after school student time. The FSWCHS student body is selected from applicants by lottery assuring a cross section of the socio-economic status of Charlotte County students.

If twelve students register for the program, CHYS shall offer four scholarships to bring the total Club membership to sixteen. Five local organizations are eligible to select students to participate in the CHYS Scholarship Program:

• Children’s Network of Southwest Florida (CNSWFL);
• The Guardian ad Litem (GAL) NGO that manages foster care and adoption placement for the Charlotte County Courts
• The Charlotte County School System counselors (students on lunch assistance / Medicaid programs)
• US Navy Sea Cadets - Gulf Eagle Division 
• Young Life Counselors/Missionaries 

The FSW Club Program is conducted once a week at FSWCHS and, weather permitting / excluding holidays and scheduling conflicts, every Saturday on the grounds of CHYC from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during the school year. The start date for this fall 2024 pilot program shall be determined based on interest and registrations. The schedule shall be flexible depending on the needs of the students involved. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to be involved by volunteering to crew on the coach boat, in fundraising and other activities as appropriate.

Because the Club 420 is a two-person boat, CHYS has been able to place beginners with little or no sailing experience in a boat with a more advanced sailor for mentoring, instruction, and training under the supervision of the paid Head Instructor, Assistant Instructor(s), and program advisor.

CHYS 18 Week School Year Program (SYP) Pilot Project Budget

 One Semester with One Classroom and One On-water Session Per Week

• Advisor ($22) and Assistant Sail Instructor ($15) (3hr @ $37/hr = $70 X 18 Fridays)  =               $2,000
• Head Instructor ($20) and Assistant Instructor ($15) (4hr @ $35/hr = $140 X 18 Saturdays)  =  $2,520
• Fixed and Variable Costs (curriculum expenses, boat repairs, equipment replacement)   =     $2,312
• Total SYP Fall 2020 Pilot Project Budget   =                                                                                     $6,832

16 Students / Program Cost $6,832 ÷ 16 = per student fee $425 

CHARLOTTE HARBOR YOUTH SAILING INC.

SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM

  August 3 - December 14 / January 11 - May 24

The Expanded School Year Program (SYP): This activity runs for a total of 18 weeks / 36 sessions. The Fall program starts September 1, 2024 and ends December 21, 2024. The Spring 2025 SYP runs for a total of 18 weeks / 36 sessions starting January 11, 2025 and ending May 24 2025. The entire school year program shall run for a total of 36 weeks / 72 sessions. This expanded SYP will be open to students from all Charlotte County middle and high school 8th to 12th grade students.

CHYS uses US Sailing developed and marketed Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), Sailing Organization Manuals, Student Training Manuals, STEM Manuals, the Skill Up App (on-water skills check list) and internally developed supplemental materials for the program curriculum and on the water training. These materials provide the program with standardized teaching materials and performance/skill assessment metrics. On the water sail and sail racing training will enable members of the Club to race competitively in Florida youth regattas governed by the US Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing following one semester of training.

Two paid adults (one Program Advisor/Coach and one Instructor) are required to manage the sixteen-student three-hour Friday and 4-hour Saturday activity. The Advisor duties include, but are not limited to, reviewing student scholarship recommendations, program curriculum organization, and activity/Club meeting management (at FSWCHS). Michael Mitchell shall be the Program Advisor for the pilot program. As additional Charlotte County Sailing Clubs are initiated during the next several years, the preferred Advisor candidate shall be a teacher or administrator with sailing knowledge and experience working at the Club’s home high school. The instructors shall conduct sailing instruction and daily launching/retrieving Coach Boats (lift operation). US Sailing or ASA Sailing Instructor certifications are required. For insurance purposes, the CHYS Board shall appoint the Program Advisor and Head Instructor “CHYS Special Board Advisors.”

If twelve students register for the program, CHYS shall offer four scholarships to bring the total Club membership to sixteen. Four local organizations will select students to participate in the CHYS Scholarship Program:

• Children’s Network of Southwest Florida (CNSWFL);
• The Guardian ad Litem (GAL) NGO that manages foster care and adoption placement for the Charlotte County Courts
• The Charlotte County School System counselors (students on lunch assistance / Medicaid programs)
• US Navy Sea Cadet Corps - Gulf Eagle Division
• Young Life Counselors/Missionaries 

The Club Program is conducted every Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the grounds of CHYC weather permitting / excluding holidays and scheduling conflicts. The start date for the 2024 SYP Sailing Club is September 1. The schedule shall be flexible depending on the needs of the students involved. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to be involved by volunteering to crew on the coach boat, in fundraising and other activities as appropriate.

CHYS 18 Week School Year Program (SYP) Project Budget PER SEMESTER

(Two on water session per week - 3 hr Friday, 4 hours Saturday)

• Advisor ($22) and Assistant Sail Instructor ($15) (3hr @ $35/hr = $105 X 18 Fridays)  =               $2,000
• Head Instructor ($20) and Assistant Instructor ($15) (4hr @ $35/hr = $140 X 18 Saturdays)  =    $2,520
• Fixed and Variable Costs (curriculum expenses, boat repairs, equipment replacement)   =       $2,312
• Total SYP Fall 2020 Pilot Project Budget   =                                                                                       $6,832

16 Students / Program Cost PER SEMESTER $6,832 ÷ 16 = per student fee $425