A new academic article reviewed the benefits of sailing aboard the historic schooner Shenandoah on youth. Published in the Journal of Experiential Education, the study followed 421 youth who sailed on Shenandoah in 2021 and 2022 under the management of Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy (MVOA).
The study found that youth who spent a week aboard reported increases in social and emotional skills. Of the 421 participants, complete data were collected for 358. More than half were part of school groups, while others joined open-enrollment voyages. The findings showed improvements across a number of categories, including caring, making connections, and building confidence. More than 70 percent of participants expressed interest in recommending the program.
Founded by Casey Blum and Ian Ridgeway, MVOA took ownership of Shenandoah in 2020. It raised $1 million to rebuild the schooner before restarting youth programming in 2021. Both Blum and Ridgeway had sailed on Shenandoah as youth, and sought to address mental health challenges faced by young people after the COVID pandemic.
MVOA aims to build a new hull for Shenandoah, to continue its mission for future generations.
