jackson park yacht club foundation

JPYC FOUNDATION

The Jackson Park Yacht Club Foundation (JPYC Foundation) is an Illinois nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to provide the outreach, education, training, support and resources necessary to engage young people in boating and other activities on and around the water, including non-traditional participants in boating activities. The JPYC Foundation is the non-profit affiliate of the Jackson Park Yacht Club (JPYC).

Junior Sailing Programs

The JPYC Foundation offers multiple programs throughout the summer for both member and non-member children. The classes are held in two-week sessions (Monday through Friday from 9AM – 3:30PM) during June, July, and August.

Students receive both classroom and on-the-water instruction. Classes are taught by US Sailing certified instructors and US Sailing REACH/Stem instructors. Instruction is completed on 420s, Bugs and/or RS Feva XL sailboats.

Students perform a sailing demonstration at the end of each session, wherein parents can take photographs and videos of their junior sailors. The demonstration is followed by an awards ceremony and dinner, which can be purchased at an additional cost (financial assistance available if needed).

Youth classes are geared to the students’ different sailing abilities and interests. Please note that the JPYC Foundation reserves the right to select the appropriate class level in order to ensure that children are in the best level for their age, size and experience.

Due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements, if inclement weather, classes may be cancelled.

Participation Requirements

• Swim Check :  Swimming is recommended, but not required. However, all students must be comfortable in the water. Instructors conduct a swim check on the first day of class. The swim check requires that each child be able to swim 50 feet fully clothed with a life jacket on and then tread water. Bring a towel and a change of clothes to every class. Please note that the Chicago Park District offers affordable swimming lessons .
• Life Jackets : All students must wear a US Coast Guard Approved Type III Vest PFD (Life Jacket) at all times.  We provide the life jackets. However, you may purchase one for your child to wear if you would like.
• Bring to Class Every Day :  Closed Toed Shoes, Sunscreen, Suitable Sailing Attire, Change of Dry Clothes and Lunch

Please click on the sailing program below to expand and learn more.

SPRING YOUTH SAILING

Spring youth sailing lessons on Saturday afternoons for youth ages 8 to 18. Whether a beginner or experienced sailor, this is your chance to get on the water as soon as possible in 2023. Students of all levels receive a total of 12 hours of classroom and on-the-water instruction.

NOTE: A minimum of 6 students are required for a session to be held with a maximum of 10 students in a session.  I f we have at least 6 students, we may be able to add another group of up to 10 spots during the same lesson dates if there’s enough interest.

Ages: 8 -18

Four Saturday Afternoons — 1PM to 4PM (3 hours each day)

JPYC Members $175 per session

Non-JPYC Members $225 per session

REGISTER HERE

JUNIOR PROGRAM

A 2-week sailing camp taught by US Sailing certified instructors and US Sailing REACH/Stem instructors.  Students of all levels receive both classroom and on-the-water instruction.

2023 Session Dates :

Monday – Friday — 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

Session 1:  June 12 th – June 23 rd

Session 2:  June 26 th – July 7 th

Session 3:  July 10 th – July 21 st

Session 4:  July 24 th – August 4 th

Session 5:  August 7 th – August 18 th

JPYC Members           $350 per session

Non-JPYC Members $450 per session

Discounts: A 10% discount for two (2) siblings enrolled in the same session.  A 15% discount for the same child in multiple sessions.

OPEN HORIZONS PROGRAM

A 2-week needs based scholarship sailing camp taught by US Sailing certified instructors and US Sailing REACH/Stem instructors. Students of all levels receive both classroom and on-the-water instruction.

2023 Session Dates:

Session 1:  June 12 th – June 23 rd

Session 2:  June 26 th – July 7 th

Session 3:  July 10 th – July 21 st

Session 4:  July 24 th – August 4 th

Session 5:  August 7 th – August 18 th

Sliding scale scholarships based on family income and availability of spaces. To be eligible, family income must be below $60,000.

                       Income less than $30,000 — Fee is $0

                       Income between $30,000 to $60,000 – Fee is $100

FALL YOUTH SAILING

Fall youth sailing lessons on Saturday afternoons for youth ages 8 to 18. Whether a beginner or experienced sailor, this is your chance to extend your time on the water in the Fall. Students of all levels receive a total of 12 hours of classroom and on-the-water instruction.

August 19 th

August 26 th

September 3 rd — No Class / Labor Day Weekend

September 9 th

September 16 th

Become a JPYC member for discounts on youth sailing programs. Join now . 

• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

JPYC Foundation - Diversity call to action to Chicago boaters

• Provide funding to support black and brown teens to become junior sailing and boating instructors and inspirational examples for younger sailors/boaters; staff should reflect the diversity of the children we should be engaging in maritime activities. If you do not know where to donate, you can consider donating to JPYC Foundation's pipeline program. To donate click here and indicate that your donation is for the JPYC Foundation's diverse instructor training fund.
• Incorporate curricular lessons on diversity, empathy, implicit bias and racial equity, so that all boaters, young and old, boys and girls, white, black and brown, understand their responsibility for social justice and racial equity in our society and in our boating community.
• Connect with diverse boaters in Chicago and around the world who can be role models for all our young boaters, but especially young sailors/boaters of color so they see people like them thriving in our boating community.
• Create a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee to discuss ways that we can educate our community and empower our youth boaters of color on and off the water.
• Extend the influence of your organization to support facilitators and remove barriers for boaters of color when participating with other boating groups (e.g., yacht clubs, high school/ college sailing teams, fleets) and events such as regattas and clinics.

Related Articles

Sailing for All? Foundation Calls for Boaters to Diversify the Sport

The jackson park yacht club foundation is calling on all boaters to help diversify the sport., by leeann trotter • published august 5, 2020 • updated on august 5, 2020 at 5:42 pm.

Some 200 children are spending part of their summer at the Jackson Park Yacht Club learning how to sail. 

“My mom signed me up," said 16-year-old London Gillespie. "She said, 'You’re going to boating camp.' I was like, 'What is that?' And I didn’t think I was going to like it but actually I really like it."

The yacht club is one of the oldest in Chicago. Their foundation runs the sailing school.

During the two-week program, students learn the basics, as well as some important life lessons.

Karen Harris, president of The Jackson Park Yacht Club Foundation, said the camp teaches “everything from teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, resiliency."

"They are all taught through sailing," she said.

One of the missions of the Jackson Park Yacht Club Foundation is to create opportunities for all youth- especially on the South and West sides of Chicago.  

What time is the solar eclipse in Chicago and Illinois? See peak times across the state

Niles police investigating carjacking, assault near movie theater in broad daylight

They provide scholarships to those who need financial assistance. They also have a training program to teach students how to become certified sailing instructors, as well as pipelining them into college sailing programs and marine careers.

“Unfortunately, boating, and in particular sailing, is still perceived as primarily a white man's sport. Particularly someone who’s rich," Harris said. "So, we really want to start changing that."

The Jackson Park Yacht Club Foundation recently issued a call to action to other boaters to help diversify the sport. They are urging other yacht clubs, sailors and boating organizations to do similar things.  

"If we all work together then we can get diversity on the water," Harris said. "And if we can get diversity on the water, we can get diversity on land.”