How Long is Long Enough?

On a recent airline flight I forgot my iPod.  This left me baldly exposed to conversations I’d rather not have been privy to.  For example, a woman in the seat behind me went on at great length effusing over the life-changing experience she just had during her vacation.  She made a bungee jump.  This person elaborated in grand style, enthusiastically and loudly, regaling her seatmate on how the bungee jumping experience truly marked a new beginning for her. And maybe it did.  After all, for her the experience held the hallmarks of adventure as one researcher defines it: “A state of mind that begins with feelings of uncertainty about the outcome and always ends with feelings of enjoyment, satisfaction or elation about the successful completion of that journey.” Boy, she sure was elated.  She stayed elated for the whole flight.  How I missed my iPod.  It may have been all for naught, sitting in front of Madam Bungee, had it not started me thinking: This sense of adventure, the perceived risk of stepping out of one’s comfort zone as one steps off the dock and onto a tall ship is a key part of our experience.  My bungee friend clearly had taken her own step out of her comfort zone when she stepped off that platform and onto nothing.  But is one step enough?

Measuring Success: A Success Story

Jim Gladson, president and founder of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute, called Friday.  He knew I was interested in an article he wrote for LAMI’s newsletter, The Topsail Sheet, about a program I thought might be of interest to attendees of this year’s conference on measuring success.  Jim and the Mountain View School District in South El Monte, California partnered for a program helping at-risk youth.  LAMI and one of the district’s two middle schools, Kranz Middle School, worked together along with the University of Southern California to build and execute an intervention program designed to lower truancy and disciplinary problems while raising grades and school involvement.  The results were amazing, and I quote:  “all, 100%, of the kids were still in school.  Not only that, 100% had gone up in grade point averages (especially the girls); 100% had gone down to virtually zero in truancy; 100% had gone down to virtually zero in discipline referrals; and all but three were involved in extra programs like band or sports, etc.”

Captain Chris Sinnett, Conference Opening Key Note Speaker

    The U.S. Coast Guard’s sailing training ship, Barque EAGLE, recently completed her four-month summer voyage on the Eastern Seaboard.  This summer, EAGLE ranged east to Bermuda where she hosted the UK’s Princess Anne as part of the 100th anniversary of the Newport-to-Bermuda Race.  Her most western port was a rare transit up the Potomac River to Washington, D.C. in support of the Coast Guard Commandant’s change of command.  Barque EAGLE’s southern port was Charleston, SC where they scouted our location for this year’s annual conference.  The most northern port of call this year was Halifax, NS.