Environment DEC
From the July 2003 issue
DEC and Albany Boys and Girls Club Hold Kayaking Classes for Urban Youth
In conjunction with the Albany Boys and Girls Club (ABGC), DEC recently conducted a four-part course on kayaking for urban youth. Al Mapes of the Bureau of Environmental Education and Brother Yusuf Abdul-Wasi, who runs the ABGC Gang Prevention Program, organized the classes.
For several years, Brother Yusuf has recruited minority students for DEC's Summer Youth Camps. The Gang Prevention Program grew from the relationship that developed between the ABGC and DEC. Students who took the course used the same kayaks normally used during July and August at Pack Forest, where some of them had camped during previous summers.
Learning and Doing
After some beginner jitters, these girls
are all smiles as they enjoy the
kayaking experience
Standing behind DEC retiree Jim Beil
(front row, left), ABGC's Yusuf Abdul-Wasi,
and DEC's Al and Jeff Mapes, students who
completed the kayaking course proudly
display the certificates they earned
The course included two classes of paddling instruction (levels 1 and 2), both of which were held at Lawsons Lake Park in Clarksville; a class in water rescue techniques at the Arbor Hill Community Center Pool, and finally, a kayaking class on the Hudson River, where the students practiced what they had learned in the previous three classes.
The course concentrated on the safe use of small watercraft and how to work within a group toward a common goal. Environmental stewardship is a major theme of Yusuf's program at ABGC, and during their classes, the students were encouraged to develop an appreciation for nature and outdoor activities. Eight students participated in some portions of the course, and 6 other students received certificates for completing the entire course.
Al Mapes said, "It was very rewarding to work with these great young people from Albany. None of them had tried kayaking before, though a couple had canoed. Water sports like paddling are a good way to get people outdoors and to build a bond with the natural world. That bond motivates people to care for their environment!" Several people assisted with the kayaking classes, including DEC employees Mike Cavanaugh and Jeff Mapes, DEC retiree Jim Beil, Mack McPherson of Albany, and Dan Mehlman of Delmar.
