Public School Programming

For over a decade, Strong Wings has partnered with Nantucket Public Schools to support students who need it most. Each week during the school year, small groups of elementary and middle school students step away from traditional classrooms and into Nantucket's conservation lands, beaches, and outdoor spaces with a Strong Wings instructor. These aren't field trips—they're carefully designed interventions that help young people develop skills that will serve them for life.

The students who participate face real challenges. Some struggle to connect with peers. Others carry difficult home situations into the school day. Many have experienced more failure than success in academic settings and are at risk of falling into patterns that could follow them into adolescence and beyond. School guidance counselors and administrators identify students who could benefit from this approach, understanding that for some children, three hours in the woods can accomplish what three days in a classroom cannot.

This programming is delivered in English and Spanish and provided at no cost to families, serving over 100 students annually. The relationships built during these weekly sessions create something equally important: pathways to summer programming for students whose families couldn't otherwise afford it. Strong Wings provides over $350,000 in financial aid annually, with many recipients coming directly from the school-year program. This continuity matters because students can build on their momentum rather than losing ground during vacation months, working with the same educators who already know them and believe in their potential.

For families navigating economic hardship, behavioral challenges, or language barriers, this year-round approach offers consistency in a child's life: familiar faces, sustained support, and a community invested in their growth even during the moments when they struggle to see it themselves.