At NESS, partnerships are at the heart of our mission. By collaborating with schools, community organizations, and nonprofits, we expand access to ocean-based education and create meaningful opportunities for students and families. These partnerships fuel innovation, inclusiveness, and long-term impact, helping us empower the next generation of explorers, scientists, and stewards of our environment.

AmeriCorps

The NESS SEA AmeriCorps program uses national service to engage students in STEM-based ocean adventure learning that will increase academic engagement and social and emotional growth. NESS SEA AmeriCorps members teach experiential STEM-based lessons during the school day and in after-school programs, and mentor students to increase social and emotional skills such as perseverance and confidence. Members also design and implement STEM-based, extended learning and summer programs with marine science, adventure sports, and sailing as their educational platforms.

City of New London 

Since 2012, NESS has proudly partnered with the City of New London to expand access to high-impact, experiential learning. Working alongside local schools and community organizations, we provide students and families with opportunities that are engaging, meaningful, and inclusive.

Through a growing network of collaborators, NESS delivers ocean-based education, fosters environmental stewardship, and inspires adventure learning. These partnerships reflect our ongoing commitment to accessibility, equity, and creating lasting impact in the New London community.

NOAA Bay Watershed Education & Training Program

NOAA’s environmental education program, the Bay Watershed Education and Training program (B-WET), promotes Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) with a learner-centered framework and local environmental issue field investigation that creates and implements informed action. A two-part project with NOAA grant funds, the Ocean Experiential Learning Program (OELP) includes student programs and a teacher professional development at New England alternative schools and Hartford HeathCare’s Natchaug Hospital clinical day treatment schools. The grant incorporates NOAA resources and real-time data into NESS programs and enables a research cohort of alternative school teachers within the Natchaug partnership schools to determine best practices in experiential environmental education for alternative school settings. NESS will connect students with their local watersheds and provide decision-making and leadership opportunities that encourage a stronger, more sustainable, and more equitable community. 

Recycle Regatta

In partnership with Educational Passages and the North American Marine Environment Protection Association, NESS cohosts this free, fun, hands-on competition that students and classes can participate in from anywhere! The Recycle Regatta requires students to build a model sailboat out of recycled and repurposed materials, test its buoyancy, calculate its speed, and modify their vessels accordingly to submit their fastest and most creative designs.

While using the Engineering Design Process, students learn SEL skills such as teamwork and communication in addition to the basics of engineering, mathematics, sailing, buoyancy, and stewardship. A Teacher Toolkit is available to help participants bring the Recycle Regatta into their educational space. 

The Sailing Museum & National Sailing Hall of Fame

Save the Sound

Since 2018, NESS staff in Stonington and New London, Conn., test the water quality of Long Island Sound (LIS) in Stonington Harbor and Alewife Cove in partnership with the nonprofit, Save the Sound. This Unified Water Study tracks embayment (recessed shoreline) health and measures human impact annually in Connecticut and the greater Long Island Sound environments. These watersheds include harbors, rivers, coves, bays, creeks, brooks, inlets, cuts, and others. The findings from this study will further our understanding of the Sound and inform and support our actions to preserve and protect it. NESS accesses three stations in upper Stonington Harbor (above the train tracks) and five stations in the outer harbor via power boat. NESS measures four other stations accessed by kayak at Alewife Cove in New London. Measurements must be taken within three hours of sunrise.

Vesta Corp. Norwich & New London

In partnership with Vesta Corp., NESS offered Ocean Beach Adventure Programs and Green Harbor Sailing Programs for FREE to participating resident students during the summer.

Ocean Beach Adventure Programs provided students with access to discover the marshes of Alewife Cove by kayaking, snorkeling, seining, and more, and Green Harbor Sailing Programs introduced students to the physics behind sailing, utilizing simple machines and wind energy aboard Opti sailboats.