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The public is invited to join Sisters Academy 8th-grade students as they launch their handmade boat. They will be joined by Ranney School students who will be launching their watercraft as well.

The culmination of a semester-long project administered in partnership with Project USE, the inaugural sail will occur at 8 a.m. Saturday at Deal Lake boat ramp off Main Street.

“The boat-building program at Sisters Academy is in its third year of collaboration with Project U.S.E. and is just one example of the distinctive programs that sets the Academy apart,”  School Principal, Sister Mary Louise Miller said in a written statement. “Our students take great pride in having built their boat from scratch, through teamwork and perseverance.”

The program is a unique initiative by the Newark-based Project nonprofit founded in 1970. Since its inception, Project USE has worked with hundreds of thousands of young people and adults, and work to address social, economic and environmental issues that affect New Jersey residents.

The long-running collaboration with Sisters Academy allows students to explore the maritime history of the region while learning the science and art involved in boat building, officials said.

The Program combines standard curricula, [math, physics, history, etc.] with rigorous and exciting experiential learning – a hallmark of Project USE programs.

Founded in 1997 Sisters Academy is a part of the Mercy Center ministerial programs. The independent middle school aims to empower young women from chronically underserved communities.

For more information, visit www.sistersacademynj.org.

[Photos courtesy of Sisters Academy]

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