The Brendan Sail Training Program for LD Youth honored students and volunteers for their acheivements last year. Tobin Cooper of St. Ingoes earned the Wood Award for outstanding achievement. Nancy Abell of Ridge was honored for her volunteer efforts. Pictured in front row are Arthur Birney, Judi McKay, Nancy Abell, Tobin Cooper and James Muldoon. Back Row: Maggie O'Brien and Tim Dowling. (photo credit: Marc Apter, St. Mary's College of Maryland)
ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. - Tobin Cooper of St. Inigoes received The Brendan Sail Training Program for Youth Student Sailing Award in May at a ceremony in Annapolis. Nancy Abell from Ridge was also honored for her volunteer work with the Brendan Sailing Training Program for Youth with Learning Differences.
The Brendan Program is for students in their early teens, ages 11 to 18, who have moderate learning differences. It is designed to introduce students to the joys of sailing, to help improve their relationships with their peers, and to promote self-esteem, confidence and maturity. The program conducts week-long sailing camps in Annapolis and Southern Maryland.
Cooper received the Jerry and Kathryn Wood Award for outstanding achievement at the primary level (ages 11-14) at the St. Mary's College of Maryland camp. This award is named after the former owners of Annapolis Sailing School which has housed the Brendan Program free of charge since its inception.
Abell was given The Molly Mahoney award in honor of Molly Mahoney who helped The Brendan Program expand to St. Mary's County. Abell is the Director of Events and Conferences at St. Mary's College of Maryland and long-time supporter of the Brendan Program.
Jim Muldoon of Washington, D.C., Chairman of the St. Mary's College of Maryland Board of Trustees, is the founder of The Brendan Sail Training Program. Many years ago, Muldoon observed that sailing was a natural for young tactile learners and envisioned a program where youth would not only enjoy sail-ing but also learn how to handle themselves in emergencies, how to stay safe, how to help others, and how to work with a team.
Muldoon said, "It is understood that youth with learning differences learn differently, often by "doing" rather than hearing, or watching, or reading about something. The skills required to learn to sail are complex. Some come from a book, some are intuitive and need to be felt, explained and harnessed."
Other awards went to Lingan (Link) Sweeney of Stevensville, MD, who received the Arthur Birney Award for outstanding achievement at the advanced level (ages 15-18) at the St. Mary's College of Maryland camp. This award is named after Arthur Birney, the owner of Port Annapolis where the pro-gram's orientation and swim test is held.
Benjamin Catterton from Harwood, MD, received the "No Guts No Glory" award for outstanding achievement at the primary level (ages 11-14) at the Annapolis school. This award is named after the sailboat "Nogutsnoglory" owned by Jean and Howard Kluttz.
Pat Ewing from Sandy Spring, MD, was given The Valerie Hill Award for his work with the Annapo-lis program. Valerie Hill was one of the original Brendan volunteers and an advocate of children and sail-ing. Hill passed away last year. Her husband Mike Johns attended the awards banquet and presented the award.
Other individuals that were recognized for their support of the program were Tim Dowling and Rick Franke of the Annapolis Sailing School; Jean Kluttz from Shearwater Sailing Club, and Mr and Mrs. Arthur Birney.
The camps are held each summer in Annapolis, Maryland, and in Southern Maryland. The Annapolis camp is sponsored by the Annapolis Sailing Schoo and Learning Systems International. The Southern Maryland camp is held on the shores of St. Mary's College of Maryland, in St. Mary's City.
For more information about The Brendan Sailing Program, contact Debbie Ewing at 301.717.4816, or address inquiries to her at 1500 K Street NW, Suite 350. Washington, D.C. 20005. Applications for the program are available on the Web site www.brendansailing.com.
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