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We believe that youth who act out of a sense of personal responsibility, interdependence and global awareness will lead productive lives and build strong communities.
We teach personal growth through experience-based academic programs for youth of diverse backgrounds, with an emphasis on girls. By placing students in demanding classroom and shipboard environments, we challenge them to learn rigorous skills and to return home anchored in experiences of self-reliance and teamwork.
- It is our job to help students develop personal responsibility and to value and practice teamwork. As students learn the tools to make responsible choices, they begin to make the transition from adolescence to adulthood. We help students to learn that interdependence is as important as independence.
- Students learn best in diverse groups. We enroll racially and socio-economically diverse classes, representing a diversity of academic preparedness.
- Many girls learn best in a single-sex setting. We offer an all-girls program to help young-women to step forward and take healthy risks to broaden their horizons.
- Taking students into the world, and especially the natural world, engages them in learning in a real, constructivist manner. We offer both experiential and academic education with the understanding that learning takes place best when these two modes go hand in hand.
- True personal growth results from experiences that are both profound and extensive. Our programs invest deeply in students by enrolling them for extended periods and offering them an immersion in new worlds.
- Students of the 21 st century must see themselves as global citizens. The microcosm of a ship at sea offers opportunities for students to understand the finite nature of our small planet. Interaction with those we meet along the way opens students to broader perspectives.
- Community is the tie that holds us to productive and happy lives . As we create community on sailing voyages, we give students the tools with which to create and participate in positive communities throughout their lives.
The Tall Ship Education Academy helps students grow personally, socially, and academically. In collaboration with community stakeholders, TSEA prepares each of our students to become:
1) Whole individuals who . . .
- Possess self-confidence,
- See themselves as physically capable,
- Approach new situations with flexibility,
- Respond to criticism constructively,
- Choose healthy, engaged lives;
2) Responsible community members who . . .
- Act effectively as both leaders and followers,
- Work collaboratively and find success in teamwork,
- Communicate effectively with peers and adults,
- Take responsibility for their impact on others,
- See themselves as global citizens and act as stewards of the planet;
3) Intellectual achievers who . . .
- Demonstrate mastery of the essential knowledge and skills of the curriculum,
- Possess intellectual curiosity and flexibility,
- Think critically and creatively,
- Take the initiative to be self-directed learners,
- Hold themselves to high academic standards.
TSEA is accredited by the Schools Commission of the Western Assoication of Schools and Colleges.
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Accrediting Commission for Schools
533 Airport Blvd, Suite 200
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 696-1060
Joanne Fedeyko, Chair
Victor Cordell, Treasurer
Heidi Hill, Secretary
Michelle Sioson-Hyman, Member
Louis Alessandria, Member
Caitlin Schwarzman, Semester for Girls program founder and Emeritus Member
)Nettie Kelly, Executive Director and ex-officio member
The Tall Ship Semester for Girls was founded by Caitlin Schwarzman in 1998 at Mercy High School in San Francisco . Caitlin, an experienced sail training educator, saw the need for an all-girls program that would tie academics into sail training and give the participants an educational experience that would change how they viewed themselves, their future and their community.
TSSG was modeled on two successful East Coast sail training programs but it is characterized by four unique elements: first, our students are racially and socio-economically diverse, second, all our students’ demonstrated financial need is met, third, students are all drawn from the San Francisco area and their lessons at sea are tied into their lives during the culminating six weeks in their home community and finally, our program is the only all-girls sail training program in the country. These four elements set TSSG apart.
The Tall Ship Education Academy was incorporated in December 2001 and received non profit status from the IRS in October 2003. The organization was formed to support an already existing program, the Tall Ship Semester for Girls, and to build additional programs based on the success of the Tall Ship Semester for Girls model.
In 2003, during the formation of the Tall Ship Education Academy , a critical partnership was formed with San Francisco State University (SFSU). SFSU provides a home and facilities for TSEA while TSEA provides outreach to potential SFSU students and an opportunity for SFSU students to participate in internships in experiential education. This partnership has proven beneficial to SFSU and TSEA. Both parties expect a longstanding relationship.
We are fortunate to have dedicated organizations and individuals
who passionately support our programs. >> please take a look
at our supporters
Make a difference in the life of a student by becoming
a part of our organization. Check our Volunteer! page for opportuniites to get involved.
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