by Chris Widmaier, Executive Director
“I think we’re stuck.”, I heard him say plainly as I watched from the other side of the winding channel that cuts its way through the marsh. Cattails surrounded the two boys as their kayak was pushed deeper into the dense vegetation with their last stroke. Overall, they had been doing pretty well for their first time kayaking together. They were somewhat challenging conditions with a strong current for Irondequoit Creek and gusty winds blowing from the bay. In general, learning to paddle as a team is a challenging endeavour. Their classmates had varying degrees of success and they were doing better than most. But at this moment, they were forced to acknowledge that everything was not going as hoped.
I kept silent as the two boys stopped for a second to assess the situation. They talked out their options and prodded and tested different moves with their paddles. Hemmed in by the tall, straight leaves of the cattails, they didn’t have much room to maneuver their arms for a full stroke. They chose to back paddle against anything they could get some resistance in a burst of paddling. A quick sigh of relief, and they were back on their way, heading towards the middle of the channel to see what they could find around the next bend.
I’ve witnessed 100s of young people paddle in canoes and kayaks for the first time. I’ve definitely noticed different patterns of behavior while young people struggle productively to learn a new skill that has a very motivating reward – the opportunity to explore the world on the water. The opportunity to learn what they are capable of is also very motivating and they work hard to get the hang of it.
What I have learned is that learning to paddle is more about problem-solving than it is about technique.
Learning to stop and think is more important than a J stroke when starting out. It is the young people who learn to assess how they are doing, have the skills to adjust course, and are able to clearly communicate with their paddling partner who get the hang of it. When we say nature-based learning develops future-ready skills like critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity, this is what we are talking about. It is a magical thing to witness, especially when it is combined with the magic of seeing a blue heron wading in the shallows or a family of swans swimming by.
Appreciations and An Appeal:
We appreciate our partners – the Children’s School of Rochester #15, Bay Creek Paddle, and the Rochester Community Boating Foundation, who collaborated with us to provide the entire sixth grade class at CSR15 the opportunity to not only experience the joy of boating, but the satisfaction that comes from tackling a new challenge, and the bond that is formed with the people you share the experience with. We are very grateful to have them as partners in this work.
You can help us make more experiences like this possible with a donation this month.
The theme of our June campaign is “Discover the Good You Can Do”. It is a call for everyone to find nature themselves this summer and to consider the impact they can have with a gift to Rochester Ecology Partners.
- Fifty dollars we raise makes it possible for two young people to go kayaking.
- Two hundred fifty dollars makes it possible for our Environmental Health Ambassadors to explore Rochester’s waterways.
- One thousand dollars makes it possible for a whole class to get on the water for the day.
Our goal is to raise $20,000.00 by July 1.
We appreciate any contributions to our efforts to help all people find nature where they live, work, and play. We look forward to sharing the good things you make happen with your gift.