A non-profit organization in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx is teaching young people how to build boats, row, sail and restore urban waterways.
Founder Adam Green started the Rocking the Boat program in 1996 while still in college. Over the years, he's directed high school kids from the South Bronx in constructing 37 wooden boats.
"I think one of the powers of the program is when you ask a kid what they've done today and they say, 'Oh I worked on building a boat' or 'I went sailing on the Bronx River.' That's going to raise people's eyebrows, and make the kids themselves feel special," Green said.
Besides teaching boat-building, sailing and rowing, Rocking the Boat also provides an environmental classroom. It gives participants real-life experience restoring the Bronx River, which is cleaner now than in past years.
"We work with professional scientists and implement their projects, so we're growing mussels and oysters and seaweed and monitoring birds and fish and water," Green said.
Rocking the Boat also works to keep its current and former members on the right course. A social worker keeps track of alumni as they make their way through college and into the working world.
Many students say it's been an experience they could never even have imagined.
"I didn't even know what it was it was just so out there, I was like now I have to check it out," said Student Alyssa Colon.
"You feel really good when you make something and it doesn't like fall down or sink in the water so it's really good," said Student Rocio Coats.
The organization is offering a community sailing program on Saturdays throughout the summer, where city residents can take rides on the Bronx River on boats the students have made.
For more information on the program, visit, rockingtheboat.org.