Two Years on the Water: Help Shape What’s Next
Two years ago, Sail Her Dreams began with a simple goal: girls deserve to see themselves at the helm.
Not just at the helm of a sailboat, but as scientists, engineers, environmental advocates, captains, leaders, and decision-makers in their communities.
As we reflect on our second year, Sail Her Dreams has grown into much more than a summer sailing program. From our home at Montrose Harbor, in partnership with Great Lakes Sailing Center, we are creating opportunities for girls to experience Lake Michigan as both a classroom and a place where they belong.
Our Second Year of Impact
In 2026, Sail Her Dreams served 331 young people, connecting youth with sailing, STEM, environmental education, leadership, and mentorship.
This year also marked an important milestone for our organization. Through Great Lakes Sailing, Sail Her Dreams now has access to a Chicago Park District building at Montrose Harbor that had previously been left abandoned. Last year, Great Lakes Sailing began renovating and bringing the interior of the building back to life. This year, we were able to use the space for community activities and Sail Her Dreams educational programming.
Having a dedicated space at the harbor has allowed us to connect classroom learning directly to the environment around us and to Lake Michigan.
Our students learned much more than how to steer a boat or trim a sail. They studied wind and weather, investigated Lake Michigan and water quality, and explored sound waves, sonar, engineering, green infrastructure, bird migration, environmental stewardship, and careers they may never have encountered otherwise.....WE DID IT ALL!😮💨
We were also excited to welcome back mentors including Shelby Brunner, Daisy Villarreal, and Rory Rubin, while introducing our students to new mentors from a variety of STEM fields. Through partnerships with scientists, engineers, maritime leaders, environmental professionals, and community organizations, girls explored new opportunities. They engaged in hands-on experiments, asked questions, visited new places, and gained experiences on the water.
These experiences helped students connect what they were learning to real careers, real environmental challenges, and real possibilities for their own futures.
What was once an unused building is beginning to become something much more: a gathering place where sailing, science, mentorship, community, and Lake Michigan come together.
That community has become one of the most important parts of Sail Her Dreams.
Sailing Is the Beginning, Not the End
A sailboat is an extraordinary STEM classroom.
Every time a young person leaves the dock, she is interacting with physics, meteorology, engineering, navigation, environmental science, and the ecology of the Great Lakes.
At the same time, she is learning to make decisions, communicate with a crew, adapt when conditions change, solve problems, and take responsibility.
Those experiences are why Sail Her Dreams exists.
As we move into our third year, we're thinking even bigger about connecting sailing with Lake Michigan stewardship, maritime careers, leadership, and year-round opportunities for Chicago youth.
We don't want to build that future alone.
Celebrate With Us at Our Annual Gala
As we celebrate two years of impact and look ahead to what comes next, we invite our community to join us for the Sail Her Dreams Annual Gala on Friday, October 23, 2026.
This year's theme, Chicago's Legacy. Her Future., celebrates Chicago's history of innovation while looking toward the next generation of leaders.
This year’s evening will bring together an exciting group of special guests and speakers, inluding:
⚓ Madeline Crispell, Chicago Maritime Museum
🏗️ Angela Esposito, Chicago Architecture Center
🏅 Paralympic athletes and medalists
🌎 Alderwoman Angela Clay of the 46th Ward
🌎 Alderwoman Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth of the 48th Ward
Join us as we celebrate how far we've come and invest in where these girls can go next.
Join the Sail Her Dreams Advisory Board
Sail Her Dreams is now accepting applications from individuals interested in serving on our Advisory Board and helping guide our next stage of growth.
We're looking for people who can bring different experiences, perspectives, and connections to our mission.
This may include professionals in:
STEM and education
environmental science
clean water and water advocacy
birding and conservation
sailing and the maritime industry
youth development
architecture and planning
fundraising
community engagement
communications
and Chicago's civic and business communities.
You do not need to be a sailor.
We're looking for people who believe in the potential of young people and are willing to contribute their experience, ideas, relationships, and time.
Advisory Board members will help us think about some important questions.
How can we reach more girls across Chicago?
How can Montrose Harbor become an even stronger environmental and maritime classroom? What partnerships should we pursue?
How can we create pathways from a girl's first experience on the water to future education, employment, leadership, and careers?
Help Us Shape Year Three
Our first two years have shown us what is possible, even amid uncertainty and limited resources. Our next chapter is about building the partnerships, community, and infrastructure that will allow these opportunities to grow. If you're an educator, scientist, sailor, environmental advocate, community leader, business professional, or simply someone who believes in what Sail Her Dreams can become, we'd love to hear from you.
Applications for the Sail Her Dreams Advisory Council are now open.
Come help us shape what comes next.
When girls are given the opportunity to take the helm, there's no telling how far they'll go.
Sail Her Dreams
STEM Sailing Academy for Girls • Chicago
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