(Newswire.net – January 15, 2013) San Francisco, CA — Captain Richard Gillette will receive a Jefferson Award in San Francisco for his work with youth who are disadvantaged, low income or suffering from life threatening diseases.
Captain Richard Gillette is the Founder and Executive Director of a life-altering program for children called Spirit of the Sea, in the San Francisco Bay area. His mission is to bring the Spirit of the Sea to youth with hands-on experiences aboard a sailing vessel. These voyages serve to educate and inspire new awareness, perspectives, and initiative regarding the oceans, the environment, their communities, and themselves.
The health of our oceans and the future for our youth are in jeopardy. The problem today is that ocean and aquatic sciences are among the most under-represented disciplines in K-12 education curriculum. Spirit of the Sea addresses this problem by providing hands-on experience not available in a classroom. By providing a meaningful outdoor marine adventure aboard the organization’s 64′ sailboat, they provide a perfect environment to cultivate critical thinking skill, perseverance, teamwork and leadership skills.
This knowledge and experience enables the participants to make better choices in life. They get a broader sense of community, teamwork and self. They gain awareness that they have the ability to take action, be effective and influence their own lives, and assume responsibility for their own behaviors
“If people feel they understand the world around them…(then they) feel they can make a difference through their decisions and activities.” Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, Exploratorium Founder
Spirit of the Sea works closely with children who are at-risk, low income or are suffering from life threatening diseases at no cost to the participants. The organization works with groups of children who are formerly homeless, foster children, from the “inner” city, suffering from life threatening diseases such as cancer, part of Police Activities groups for at risk youth, learning or emotionally challenged, children of incarcerated parents, etc.
“For kids with life threatening diseases we provide a day out on the water, offering fun, adventure, education, fresh perspective and a respite from the cancer that haunts their lives. They enjoy time spent with family and friends in a context of support, joy, laughter, and hope. The children make healing connections; find strength, community, and courage to fight,” offers Captain Richard Gillette, Founder.
Captain Gillette is uniquely qualified to introduce children to the Spirit of Sea. He has over 40 years of experience on boats and at sea with numerous long ocean passages. Children love to hear his stories about sailing and the sea and they love learning about how the oceans affect our world and how what we do on land affects the ocean. He is a passionate advocate who excites and inspires children and crew with his vision, knowledge and passion.
On January 15th, Captain Gillette will receive the prestigious Jefferson award for Community Service for his outstanding work with 1000’s of children, inspiring them to learn about the oceans and themselves. (http://www.jeffersonawards.org/).
“The Jefferson Awards are a prestigious national recognition system honoring community and public service in America. The Jefferson Awards are presented on two levels: national and local. They began in 1972 to create a Nobel Prize for public service.”
For more information on Captain Gillette and Spirit of the Sea go to the website at: www.SpiritoftheSea.org