Heave! Lined up in near perfect unison, eight 11th grade high school students finish hauling on the main sheet as the huge white sail billows high above their heads. The students, acutely aware that the sail they just set w ill determine the speed in which they make their passage from Palermo, Sicily to Naples, disappear below deck to star t their Wester n Civilization class lecture. Hailing from across the pond in Newport, Rhode Island, the students attend a visionary school that uses a tall ship as their floating campus, and utilizes a methodology known as Sail Tr aining to cultivate more than their young minds. The school wants their graduates to be leaders, to think pr agmatically, to act with purpose, and to communicate effectively.

SAIL TRAINING AND TALL SHIPS A bastion for Sail Training and tall ships both modern and historical, Newport has served as the epicenter of North American tall ship activities for close to forty years. The Sail Training movement began in earnest in the United States in 1973 when a well known Newport resident, Barclay Warburton sailed his small brigantine, Black Pearl, to Europe to participate in their tall ship race series.

Encouraged by the international camaraderie that he witnessed, even at a time when the iron curtain remained firmly closed, Warburton felt compelled to bring tall ship racing back to North America. Upon his return, he founded the American Sail Training Association, also known as ASTA, a non-profit that continues to operate to this day. Despite its name, the organization does not actually teach people to sail; rather, it promotes Sail Training and supports the North American fleet of 250 sail training vessels.

So then, what exactly is Sail Training? It is a methodology that uses sailing as a medium for leadership training and communication development.While there are hundreds of different organizations that promote the use of their sport for leadership development (golf, ballroom dancing, etc.), none can simulate the unique environment onboard a tall ship.

The tall ship actually serves as a microcosm of the real world — a virtual laboratory where there are special collective rules, expectations, and customs. On this floating educational platform, young participants quickly learn the virtues of community and civic life. Sail Training has also been studied formally at the academic level. Two years ago, the University of Edinburgh found that “participants of education under sail experiences” show measurable improvements in social skills.

While thousands of people participate on tall ship voyages every year, most are familiar seeing tall ships at large-scale maritime events and festivals. These festivals are most often associated with an annual race series operated by ASTA. The TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®, an annual race series that alternates between the East Coast, Great Lakes, and West Coast evolved from Barclay Warburton’s original vision. These spectacular events are known to attract enormous crowds. In 2003, for example, the all-time attendance record was set for the Navy Pier in Chicago. A 2009 tall ship event in Belfast,Northern Ireland drew 800,000 people.

Amazing, since the whole population of Northern Ireland is only 1. 2 million people!

One of the most popular trends in Sail Training is where a school uses a tall ship as a floating campus, as chronicled in the fictitious scenario of the opening paragraph.

Emulating what many see as the ultimate learning experience, the tall ship allows students and faculty to actually visit the locations they are studying in a cost-effective, economical manner. Additionally, students gain many of the leadership skills that are difficult, if not impossible, to impart on a traditional high school or university campus.

Every year we witness a larger number of visionary schools seizing this unique opportunity, and in 2010, a consortium of Mid- Atlantic colleges will mark their inaugural joint history program on the Great Lakes.

One of the sad truths about tall ships and Sail Training in North America is that the entire fleet and the American Sail Training Association, have struggled financially, even before the onslaught of the most recent recession. While tall ships are wildly popular, the vast majority of individuals incorrectly assume the ships must enjoy a large amount of government or grant support.

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. There is a dearth of government spending for tall ships and a private philanthropy void as well. In fact, there is not a foundation or company in the United States that has a consistent national giving stream for tall ships. The American Sail Training Association is actively seeking a title sponsor or sponsors of the annual race series to remedy this situation and turn the tide.

One of the very best ways an average person can help is by participating in a tall ship voyage. So the next time you see a tall ship in Newport, or anywhere else on your seafaring journey, stop by and learn about the vessel’s Sail Training program. Talk with the crew, take a tour, and think about a young person you might know, or yourself, who would benefit from a tall ship voyage and adventure of a lifetime!

Caleb Pifer is the President of Educational Partner-Ships and a board member of the American Sail Training Association.

Email: cpifer@educationalpartner-ships.com More info online at sailtraining.org