Aquidneck Island Living July Meet The Callahan Family

FULL S.T.E.A.M. AHEAD
FOR OHPRI’S PERRY
CORPS PROGRAMS
BY JONATHAN KABAK
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY OHPRI
ave a great weekend and make good
“Hdecisions.” Normally these are the
final thoughts of the week from Jonathan
Kabak, CEO of Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode
Island and Captain of the state’s flagship,
the SSV (Sailing School Vessel) OLIVER
HAZARD PERRY (OHP), but today they are the
concluding words of Evan Mello’s valedictory
speech at the Met School. While Evan’s time
in high school may have drawn to a close,
his time aboard the OHP, which started as a
high school internship a year and a half ago,
is just ramping up. Until he reports for USCG
boot camp later this summer, Evan will be
working as a crew member aboard the ship.
This is just one of a multitude of success
stories touted by Kabak as he talks about the
metamorphosis that the organization has
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undergone in the last several years with the
development of their flagship Perry Corps
program. “We refocused our attention on
serving our community,” said Kabak, “by
creating empowering experiences that
showcase the vast array of opportunities
available when we connect Rhode Island’s
two greatest assets: its people and the
ocean.” The organization delivers on
these goals through innovative program
models that “train for the sea and train
through the sea.” Bucking convention, the
ship doesn’t head south in the winter but
instead offers programs five to six days
per week dockside at her winter berth at
the Landing at Bowen’s Wharf, and then
sails the coastal waters between New
York and Maine in the warmer months.
The programs are as diverse as the
participants with offerings available for
all ages. Students come from all across
the state. Whether it is an adult workforce
development program for the maritime
industry and marine trades, or career
exploration for high schoolers, the programs
all share a common trait, “I get to do fun
things and learn something new every time
I’m here,” exclaims Marcuslyn Sieh, a 10th
grader from Providence, "and I like the fact
that I’m gaining more confidence doing
new things. It has me thinking about future
career choices that I had no idea about.”
“We’re not only able to teach what happens
on ships but foundational building blocks like
leadership skills that are applicable in any
setting,” said Holly Buresh, the organization’s
Educational Programs Manager. “Our
students benefit as much from the ship and
the projects that we do aboard as they do
from the community, and the engagement
with their fellow students, crew, and visitors.
The passion of the students to continually
return to the ship, seeking out more
challenging experiences, inspires us as
professionals to continue our own growth.”
“If you take a person sailing for two weeks
it becomes the best two weeks of their
life,” says Kabak, “but if we offer that same
individual an opportunity to come back
again and again, these amazing experiences
become their life!” At any given time, a
portion of the ship’s crew is often comprised
of program alums who are either working
aboard or volunteering their time to give
back to the organization. Rob Sampson,
a graduate of one of the workforce
development programs now is a USCG
Credentialed mariner and is serving aboard
as the ship’s Engineer. “This jumpstarted my
career in the maritime industry. I like working
here because I’m able to help other people
have that same opportunity," Sampson says.
Reflecting on the organization’s purpose,
Kabak becomes focused. “Ultimately we
are here to help Rhode Islanders build a
more resilient community, one that is posed
to address twenty first century challenges
whether natural or man-made. That
requires a population that has meaningful
sustainable employment, that is civically
engaged, and ocean literate. We have this
amazing platform that harnesses the best
of anachronistic tall ships and pairs it with a
thoroughly modern environment below.”
When asked what the organization’s greatest
challenge is Kabak says, “getting our
community to understand that we are not
just another not-for-profit sailing program,
but instead are an agent of empowerment.”
Others are in fact taking note and the
Perry Corps was awarded the 2022 Sail
Training Program of the Year at the recent
Tall Ships America Annual Conference
which was held this past February in
Newport. “The Perry Corps is a model for
making direct connections between sail
training, traditional academic content such
as science and math, and its real-world
application in creating options for work in
the future,” said Tall Ships America Executive
Director Dr. Kris Von Wald. “It is at the
forefront of sail training and sea education
and is well deserving of this award.”
For more information about the Perry
Corps, OHPRI programs, and opportunities
to get involved visit the organization’s
website www.ohpri.org or email
info@ohpri.org. You can also follow them
on Facebook at 'Oliver Hazard Perry
Rhode Island' or on Instagram @ohpri.
6 AQUIDNECK ISLAND LIVING