Teamwork is Letting Costa Mesa Teens Set Sail

COSTA MESA— Students who attend schools on Costa Mesa’s west side have been relishing in the smell of saltwater air, thanks to a partnership that lets kids test their hand at sailing and, for some, provides access to local waterways for the first time. Orange Coast College’s School of Sailing & Seamanship is offering scholarships to students served by the Costa Mesa nonprofit Save Our Youth allowing them to partake in a week-long sailing camp where the kids are taught boating basics and then allowed to get out on the water for a hands-on lesson. In addition to sailing camps, SOY also offers water activities, including whale watching during spring break and surf camps during the summer. SOY seeks to empower teens within Newport-Mesa Unified School District through academic and social programs that motivate them to learn, grow, and make positive life choices. SOY has provided free sailing lessons for youth for 25 years in collaboration with the OCC School of Sailing and Seamanship. “The board of directors of SOY always believes in providing access to the water and wonderful water activities for our local teens who live on the Westside of Costa Mesa,” said Mary Cappellini, executive director of SOY. “They live...