Mrs. Wallace’s and Mrs. Slafani’s class were at Yonkers Pier. We were supposed to sail the Clearwater, but we couldn’t because the wind was striking as fast as lightning.

“When I count to three and say pull, you tug on the rope. Ready 1……2……3………pull!!” We pulled as hard as our hands can pull. The rope was scratching against my hands, but I kept on pulling. We were pulling really hard. And . . . WE WON!!! I was surprised to know that we won. “Guys, good job!” yelled our leader.

"So you want to know why this team beat the other team?” asked Chelsea. “YES!” we all screamed loudly. “So does anybody know why they won?” We all began to the think at once. Then I got it.

“I think we won because we had a help of a simple machine, the pulley, and they didn’t.” She said, “Yes you are right since there are five ropes coming out, you two had the strength of ten people because 2x5=10.” “Ooo…” we all cooed.

“Alright everybody time to switch,” said Jocelyn. “Just in time to finish,” said Chelsea.

From the Clearwater Sloop field trip, I learned:

I would really like if we would be able to go back on the Clearwater because we could catch fish, steer the sloop, haul up the sails, and MOSTLY. . . sail the Clearwater!

Aayushi's teacher is Susan Wallace. The class expects to sail on the Clearwater this spring thanks to underwriting by THV and the Sloop. The students pictured above are from Horizons on the Hudson in Newburgh.

If you want your students to Explore a Place and Discover their World this school year, consider applying for a Bus on Us grant to visit one of the historic or natural sites in Hyde Park or an Explore Award to visit other significant places in the Valley.

• They scrub the decks with salt water

• Just because the water looks dirty doesn’t mean it is dirty

• Pulling the line to raise the sails is not easy

• Pulleys are a great help to raise the sails

• One small creature called the zebra mussel can ruin the whole river.