An impressive 118 participants from the Sachem Extended School Year (SESY) program joined the adults and junior sailors for a day on the Great South Bay as Sayville’s Wet Pants Sailing Association celebrated its 12th annual Sachem Share Day.
Sachem East guidance counselor and Wet Pants member, Katie Taylor, started this wonderful program and explains, “If you have not been part of this incredible day, let me explain what it is about. Over ten years ago a special event took place. Wet Pants Juniors invited approximately thirty of their peers from the Sachem Extended School Year summer school to share a day on the bay. Ping-pong, board games, lunch, ice cream and sailboat rides ruled the day! Social and physical barriers were broken down, and new friendships were formed. We have continued to host the high school level students from this program and last year approximately 100 students and teachers joined us for the day! We have even had enough volunteer skippers and boats to have a race! This event is one of the highlights of our summer, both for our juniors, and for the Sachem students. I am blessed to be connected to both of these groups, and hear all school year about how this day was the best experience of many a student’s summer.”
This year’s event went beautifully, with sunny skies, calm water, and a good breeze. Many Wet Pants members joined in to take our Sachem friends out on the bay, forging and renewing friendships.
Sachem Superintendent Jim Nolan was on hand during the morning preparations and greeted several busloads of SESY students, staff, and friends. Assistant Supervisor Joe Kistenger, former principal Tony Santo, and many dedicated and wonderful teachers and staff members helped the 118 students to get vests on, step in a sailboat, and enjoy an exciting sail on the bay. Junior sailors ran a scavenger hunt and joined in ping-pong and board games throughout the day.
Everyone sat together in the clubhouse for lunch, ice cream and more games after an exciting morning of sailing. At the end of the day, SESY and Wet Pants friends gathered for photos and a warm goodbye.
Many thanks to Doug Shaw and the Sayville Yacht Club Foundation for their generous donation of 10 PDFs, and to the Sea Tow Foundation for the boat rides for SESY students and the loan of 30 PDFs for the day. Thanks go to SESY Supervisor Trish Auletta, Asst. Supervisor Joe Kistinger, former principal Tony Santo, and all the amazingly dedicated teachers and staff at SESY who helped each student to participate in the many activities.
Special thanks to Wet Pants members, especially Katie Taylor, Noreen and Joe Cunningham, Tara Felice and all of the Wet Pants instructors, parents and juniors who made this day a huge success! We all look forward to next year’s Sachem Share Day, which is one of the best summer days for SESY and Wet Pants Sailing Association.
–Submitted by Elizabeth Gennosa, English teacher at Sagamore Middle School