#10: Biggest Jingle Mingle yet!
There was lots of hype surrounding our favorite sweat fest this year–it was finally coming back, live and in person, following two years of virtual erg-a-thons. More than 180 participants on 28 teams erged over 414,000 miles in support of our programs, now that’s what we call putting in the meters!
#9: Intermediate Rower Program Grows
After a successful pilot in 2021, we’re excited to continue our Intermediate program option for high school and middle school students. This program allows students to participate four days per week instead of the traditional six-day schedule, ultimately giving them the flexibility to pursue other commitments or earn supplementary income for themselves and their families.
Students in the Intermediate program participate in races and receive the same Student Support and Success services as students in our advanced program. This added option creates space for more students to row with us while simultaneously increasing the number of students in our college pipeline, a perfect win all around!
#8: Back to Regatta Life🏅
The pandemic years shifted our normal in ways that we couldn’t see coming–it felt like we were blown out of the water, and in some ways, quite literally so. Gone were the days when our athletes could meet their peers, get in on some friendly competition, and celebrate their wins and losses as a team. More so, it meant our rowers wouldn’t experience regatta life for the foreseeable future.
This year, our athletes got back on the racecourse in their first formal races in two years! They rowed through wild conditions, learned valuable lessons on the water and challenged their abilities. Best of all, they were able to share the experience with each other!
#7: Hands On Support, Every Step of the Way
Prior to the 2021-22 school year, we gathered input from students, alumni, and a panel of external advisors to restructure our academic programming in a way that better serves the communities we work with. What resulted was a robust academic support program that teaches skills and provides resources to help our students stay on track to graduating high school and successfully transition into college life.
We’re proud to say that every Row New York student in the class of 2022 graduated high school within four years and received a college acceptance offer. Of those students, 89% received a GPA score of 80 or above by the end of spring season. Additionally, 87% of participants received SAT scores above 1000, and 62% received SAT scores above 1200 putting them in the top 20 percent of their class.
Row New York students are encouraged to perform with the same grit, both in the classroom and on the water, and we’re here to support them every step of the way!
#6: Row New York Alumni Lead Tours for College-bound Seniors
Our impact is measured by the success of our students–when they thrive, we thrive. We love to see how rowing has shaped our students and kept them on track to pursuing their passions. You see, it’s not just about rowing–it’s the community we’ve built, the sense of belonging it instills, and the notion that we’re all in this together.
We saw the reach of that community this fall when our college-bound rowers attended tours led by Row New York alumni at Drexel University and Temple University. Our alumni are a source of inspiration for our rowers and we’re so proud of this beautiful network of support that they provide
#5: Peer Mentoring Program Expansion
This year our College Success program, in partnership with College Access: Research & Action (CARA), paired 28 matriculating seniors with college-enrolled peer mentors to build academic preparedness and ease the transition into post-secondary life. Together, mentors (or Peer Leaders) and mentees participate in workshops designed to help students navigate the college experience, build concrete skills, and develop valuable insights that promote college success.
Our partners at CARA are dedicated to ensuring that first-generation college students, low-income students, and students of color have the knowledge and support necessary to enroll and succeed in college. Following the success of the pilot program, we’re expanding College Success to 40 alumni in FY23 and 60 in FY24. We’re incredibly grateful for this collaboration with CARA and our ability to support our students beyond high school.
#4: Boathouse Fashion with J. Crew
Decked out in J. Crew’s cozy fall sweats, alumni rowers took the traditional varsity pieces on the water and reflected on the opportunities rowing has opened for them.
“Row New York coaches came to my high school one summer and showed a video called ‘Why I Row’,” said Patricia Destine, Row New York alumni. “After watching it, I knew I wanted to be part of that world.” Patricia is a coxswain, rowing coach, and cohost of Rowing In Color–a podcast dedicated to amplifying BIPOC voices in rowing.
#3: School Day Adaptive Rowing Returns!
In 2021 we brought adaptive rowers back on the water and this year, welcomed back School Day Adaptive Rowing! Through our partnership with District 75, our rowing program is once again accessible to high school students who are receiving special education services. Since November, the students have been learning fundamental terminology, how to row and how to use the rowing machines. Come April, it’s out on the water to apply all the skills they learned during their indoor training.
#2: Row New York Turns 20!
2022 gave us a lot to celebrate, most notably two decades of growing through rowing! This milestone was the perfect moment to reflect on our growth from a small empowerment program for girls, to our specialized programs for youth, adaptive, Veterans, and community rowers of all ages and abilities.
Over the years, we’ve helped hundreds of NYC students achieve academic and personal successes through the sport of rowing. None of this has been possible without our dedicated coaches and staff, the most amazing group of kids you could ask for, and our faithful supporters. We’re grateful to have celebrated this anniversary with our rowing community because we couldn’t have made it this far without each and every one of you.
#1: Groundbreaking at the Sherman Creek Community Boathouse and Learning Center
After years of planning, we are thrilled to announce that groundbreaking is here. In 2023, Row New York will begin construction of the facility, which will enable us to expand programs to serve thousands of New York high school youth and people with disabilities–with high-quality athletic and academic programming.
Addressing a historic lack of water access along the Harlem River, the boathouse and its five boat bays features a universal design that will be accessible to people of all physical abilities. The project also includes a surrounding public park and publicly accessible dock providing the community with much desired access to the waterfront. It will create a welcoming gathering and classroom space for community residents and organizations, and stimulate economic growth in the Washington Heights and Inwood communities.
