Sandals Foundation Partners with Antigua’s National Sailing Academy Providing Free Sailing Lessons to Students

November 18th, 2024 – The Sandals Foundation has partnered with the National Sailing Academy to provide some EC $36,000 toward funding for thirty (30) students of the Antigua Girls High School & Five Islands Primary School to participate in the National Sailing Academy program for the 2024/25 academic year.

The National Sailing Academy School Programme is geared towards offering school-aged children aged 8-18 the opportunity to learn sailing as part of the school’s curriculum, as a means of recreation or as a career path. According to the National Sailing Academy, sailing has contributed some EC$ 6 million to Antigua’s economic growth. The Government of Antigua & Barbuda have added sailing & swimming to the list of National Sports due to the growing potential of the yachting industry.

General Manager of the National Sailing Academy and President and Commercial Director of Antigua Sailing Week, Alison Sly-Adams, says the impact of the NSA School Sailing Programme is significant and set to grow over the coming years.

“The programme is now seeing significant numbers of Alumni working in the industry as skilled professionals who know they have a bright and potentially lucrative future. No other sport in Antigua can offer our young people the number & variety of employment opportunities,” she said.

“As well as developing critical life skills, they have developed an understanding of weather patterns, wind and the environment. With experience, they have a multitude of pathways available to them [through sailing], whether leisure, sport or as a career. The first step is to get them involved,” Sly- Adams continued.

Principal at Five Islands Primary School, Mr. Alden James, says the school is grateful to receive such a contribution to support the development of students. “The scholarship funding which you have offered our students for the National Sailing Academy is indeed an honour,” he said. “This generosity will be financial relief for the parents and will better aid in students’ participation and attendance,” he continued.

Youth development is a core area of focus for the Sandals Foundation, which, according to
Executive Director, Heidi Clarke, provides an avenue for the nurturing of transferable skills.

“Sports is an effective platform through which young people can develop critical life skills such as teamwork, resilience, discipline, goal setting, and more. This scholarship is one of many we are honoured as a foundation to support as it helps in the holistic development of our youth,” says Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation.

All lessons through the National Sailing Academy School Sailing Programme are free, as they are funded by donations from yachts, individuals, groups, and businesses in Antigua and overseas.

Students are encouraged by the board and instructors to continue learning to sail for many years. The National Sailing Academy is a registered independent non-profit organisation, founded by Elizabeth Jordan in 2010, offering free sailing classes to school children and Sailability Programme classes for differently-abled children and adults five (5) days per week. The National Sailing Academy gained accreditation as a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) sailing centre in 2014 and has since offered certified courses which are recognised worldwide. Today, there is capacity for over 150 children and adults per week to learn to sail free of cost.

Additional youth engagements programmes supported by the Sandals Foundation include music, mentorship, creative expression, art, and education.