​Keridwyn said she used to be scared of heeling — the sideways tilt of a sailing boat — but now, that’s one of her favorite parts of sailing. She said she even wants to sail around the world, and her dream is to sail to and around Europe.

She said sailing might seem scary at first, but the counselors help with everything.

​Will Avis, who has been a counselor with Brendan Sailing since 2019, said being able to see the progress the kids make is incredible.

“Seeing the skills that we teach them and then to see their aptitude in the water is a
really nice feeling,” said Avis, 21.

​Onboard the Schooner Woodwind on Thursday was the Brendan Sailing staff, campers and some of their family members.

Matt Newkirk’s 14-year-old son, Bartley, attended Brendan Sailing for the first time this summer after meeting and talking to one of the counselors about kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The counselor told him about Brendan Sailing.

“Seeing [Bartley’s] enthusiasm to do something nonscreen-related has been incredible,” Newkirk said.

Last week, Newkirk had the opportunity to go to the camp’s parent sail, which occurs on the last day of each session.

“[Bartley] sailed me around. It was unbelievable and I’m so proud,” he said.

​Even though this is Bartley’s first year at Brendan Sailing, he’s already talking about coming back as a volunteer next year, Newkirk said.

“Kids come back year after year because they’re in a setting where they can be successful,” Berry said.

Brendan Sailing was founded in 1985 as a nonprofit by James Muldoon, who was inspired by his son with dyslexia, Jim Muldoon Jr., who became a successful sailor at a young age on Muldoon’s racing yacht, the Donnybrook.

“One day, I noticed my son give directions to my crew and he’s telling them what to do,” Muldoon said, who attended Thursday’s sail. “He was not like that on land.”

Muldoon said Brendan Sailing gives kids a chance to build their confidence and ability to work as a team, as well as the option to be judged by what they do, not what they speak or write down. Muldoon, who was recently inducted into the Boating Safety Hall of Fame, said he’s working to broaden the sport and is “not
done yet.”

In addition to the Annapolis session, Brendan Sailing offers a St. Mary’s session in the summer — usually, a residential program where the campers stay in college housing at St. Mary’s College of Maryland — and biweekly after-school sailing sessions in Washington, D.C., in the fall and spring. This year, the St. Mary’s
session isn’t residential because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re going to expand in a reasonable manner with the right kind of people and the right kind of goals,” Muldoon said, because the “kids are what’s important.”

Bre Browning, 16, said her favorite part of the camp is connecting with the other kids and learning how to sail more.
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Press Coverage

• Spinsheet Magazine: "A Zeal for Teaching"
• The Capital Gazette: "Brendan Sailing's head instructor prepares for next steps in life"
• The BayNet: "In the Same Boat as Me"
• Southern Maryland News: "In the Same Boat as Me"
• Southern Maryland News Net: "Letter to the Editor - In the Same Boat as Me"

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"​Brendan Sailing has announced that registration is open for the 2021 Summer Camp Season.  This year, Brendan features both one and two weekday camp programs at their Bembe Beach location in Annapolis.   St Mary’s College of Maryland will host a ten-day residential camp and a week-long day camp in Southern Maryland.  An early bird discount of up to $100 is extended for registration by April 1st.  Scholarships are available, no youth is ever turned down for inability to pay."

​"ADHD/LD summer camps can positively influence a child for the whole year — 

"Sailing camp offers children chance to learn in a new way"