MV Times
The Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy was recently granted an award by the sailing training organization Tall Ships America at its annual conference in Baltimore.
The Frank J. Bailey National Maritime Excellence Fund Sail Training Program of the Year award is given to recognize sail-training institutions for “great demonstrations of dedication, innovation, and impact.”
Tall Ships America cited the academy’s initiatives supporting youth struggling with mental health issues through sailing.
“Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy stood out among the competition for its commitment to voyages at sea that promote mental health in youth and research on student outcomes […] Through an innovative positive youth development curriculum, Ocean Academy helps youth develop protective factors that shield them against the onset of mental and behavioral health problems,” the academy wrote in a press release.
Co-founder of Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy Casey Blum reflected on the award in a statement to The Times: “We have been collecting data about student outcomes onboard, and across all the areas we are looking at, [and] we have statistically significant results,” Blum said. “It’s super-exciting and validating, and I hope that we continue as a field to move toward measuring our outcomes, and that the students who sail with us are at the center of our story.”
The academy was honored at a ceremony in early February. They were given a plaque, and granted a monetary gift of a not-yet-finalized amount.