A pioneer in environmental education, Clearwater has opened the hearts and minds of over half a million children to the natural treasures and challenges of the Hudson River Valley.
Today, these children are now the eco-minded professionals, government leaders and grassroots volunteers who are helping to lead the environmental recovery of the Hudson River through their words and actions.
Clearwater’s program of ship-board education has been emulated nationally and internationally and is enthusiastically embraced by schools across the Hudson River Valley. Since 1969, when the majestic sloop Clearwater was launched, the “floating classroom” has inspired educators and children alike.
Our Founder
The brainchild of folksinger and river advocate Pete Seeger, the sloop Clearwater is both a vivid reminder of the Hudson’s rich history and a cultural icon for environmental awareness.
The Clearwater was inspired by the hard-working sloops of the 19th century, depicted in their day by artists of the famed Hudson River School. The amazing Hudson River School landscapes helped America re-frame its perceptions about nature, setting the stage for modern environmental thought. Clearwater has also helped change perceptions of the river, with its interactive education programs that make students part of the lesson. They promote “learning by doing” to reinforce concepts learned in the classroom. Students and educators can chart a course for environmental leadership through a rich menu of experiences, and acquire skills to last a lifetime.
Clearwater’s Philosophy of Education
Clearwater believes that if we want our kids to become environmental leaders, then we have to make sure our kids experience the natural world first-hand. Today’s kids are often too insulated from nature by the electronic devices, text messaging, and social networking that can saturate their lives.
Noted author Richard Louv (Last Child in the Woods) used the term “nature deficit disorder” to link a host of issues including attention disorders, obesity and depression to a lack of experience with nature. Clearwater believes that No Child Left Behind’s emphasis on testing must be balanced with actively engaging children with nature. Our philosophy of education is more like “No Child Left On-land”- if you connect kids directly to an ecologically and historically important resource, they will be more open and motivated to learn and care about the world that surrounds them.
We use the sloop Clearwater and the Hudson River as dynamic learning tools. The boat and our crew open the students to the exciting learning opportunities that the Hudson River can provide.
Educator Jerome Bruner in his classic book The Process of Education, made the point that “knowing is a process, not a product”. He believed that how the learning is structured is as important as the concepts being taught, and that concepts could be introduced at almost any age and reinforced over time.
Lifelong Learning
This “spiral” curriculum is an idea Clearwater has used as part of our effort to create a “pipeline” or path to building the next generation of environmental leaders. Clearwater’s environmental education programs serve as introductions for later opportunities to volunteer, be an intern, or even a member of the crew or staff. Our programs can help spur interest in kids to consider environmental careers in the new green economy and become supporting members of Clearwater.
Learn how to join our Education Pipeline
