Like blooming flowers, senior proms, and Mother’s Day, Project U.S.E.’s Boat Launches have become a spring tradition. This year our Boatbuilding Program launched two fleets – four boats in Newark and two in Jersey City.

On Saturday, May 14 students, teachers, administrators and supporters convened in Newark’s Branch Brook Park for the 5th Annual Launching of the Newark Fleet. We celebrated the hard work of the shipwrights from University Heights Charter School, Big Picture Ironbound Academy, Science Park Middle School, and Discovery Charter School. As expected, all four vessels performed admirably, and the students were justifiably proud of their accomplishments.

The following Saturday we gathered in Liberty State Park to celebrate our first-ever launch in Jersey City.  The communities of Resurrection School and Our Lady of Czestochowa School came together to float the OLSeahawk and the RPSS Holy Mischief.  Students from each school shared with the audience what their experience was like, and then showed off their work as they paddled the boats through the harbor.

We congratulate all of the students and their teachers, administrators, parents and supporters for a job well done!

Like all Project U.S.E. Programs there is more to the experience than what appears on the surface.  Listen to Christina, one of the shipwrights from the OLC School, as she shares some of her observations about the Boatbuilding Program.