 On the 22nd of January, fourteen young women from the Bay Area will begin their adventure as the 2008 class of the Tall Semester for Girls. Coming from eight different schools, these girls will spend their first six weeks focusing on rigorous academics, thoughtful communication, and critical teamwork skills. They will then spend six week as the crew of a traditionally rigged sailing vessel, exploring the oceanography, culture and life of the Caribbean. Finally, they will spend six weeks in an apprenticeship constructing a wooden boat.
This webpage is the portal to the TSSG 2008 program. Click the links above to see the proram's daily schedule, visit their voyage log or check thier myspace or facebook group.
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Ami Simpson
My name is Ami Simpson and I am a part of the 2008 Tall Ship Semester. I am 18 years old and a second semester senior. I found out about this program 2 years ago at a sailing regatta and fell in love with everything it had to offer. I love to meet new people, sail and do things that are completely random and unexpected. I am looking forward to meeting all the girls and to connect with each of them at a different level. I feel so grateful to be in this program and I am going to do my best to take advantage of all the opportunities it has to offer.
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Angelina Zervas
I am Angelina Demetra Zervas. I am a San Francisco Native. Before Tall Ships I attended Gateway High School, and I was a junior, class of '09! I have a passion for music, poetry, photography, and dancing. I love to be unique and create new things to spice up my life. I think Tall Ships is a great way to do that by putting girls into a new environment with challenges to help us be the best we can be. Not only does it push them, it also gives us a comforting support from the girls around us. I have seen so many girls gain so many great life experiences because of Tall Ships Education Academy that I am thrilled to embark on this life changing sailing trip. |
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Ashally Park
My Name is Ashally Park (pronounced Ash-uhh-lee). I'm 16 years old and I live in
Pacifica, CA. If you've never been to Pacifica consider yourself touched by an
angel. I attend school at Oceana High in (again) Pacifica and the purpose I
signed up for Tall Ships was to get away from all the negativity of my surroundings and fulfill my need for something more and better. And that's exactly what I found in Tall Ships. I heard about the program through my school which had an assembly about Tall Ships and as soon as I heard about it I was instantly interested. It was the best program I'd heard about all year. It was different from all the other programs because it had levels in which the applicant had time to grow as a person and excel at achieving goals and accomplish skills as a group and as an individual. Tall Ships prepares teenage girls how to become a better communicator, team worker, and more independent person. This program will help young girls of any background in being the best they can be, thats why I'm so lucky and thankful to Tall Ships for making the biggest and best change of my life. |
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Christina Gomez
My name is Christina Gomez. I am joining Tall Ships Semester for Girls (TSSG) to continue my high school experience. I’m interested in performing arts, swimming, and learning new things about myself as well as the world. I learned about TSSG through my older cousin Jessica who went on the 2005 semester and the 2007 summer program. She encouraged me to attend the program. I decided to follow through because it’s a great opportunity for me to travel and experience new cultures. It will give me the opportunity to really get to learn more about myself as a growing woman. I am excited to see all of the sights and make new friends. |
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Ellissia Hill
Hello! My name is Ellissia Hill; I am coming from Met West High School in Oakland, Ca. I love sewing, organizing, and helping other people. I heard about Tall Ship Education Academy through my school during a presentation that the staff gave. I decided to come to do the Tall Ship Semester for Girls because this isn’t something that I would normally do, and I know that this will help me to grow and become even more independent. I am super excited about the different cultures and the different environments that I will be in. Can’t Wait ;-) |
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Erika Monroe
Hello my name is Erika Monroe; I am 16 years old and coming from Gateway High School in San Francisco. Things that interest me are just simply being a typical teenager, and I love music; it’s basically my life. I love to play volleyball. I have been playing since I was in the 3rd grade, and I’m now in the 11th so yeah, a long time. I also love to be with my family and friends, because without them I wouldn’t be who I am today. I enjoy going river rafting in the summer. I also really love going to the beach on hot and sunny days and just laying out in the sand with friends. The way I heard about the Tall Ship program was at school. A number of girls that have graduated from Gateway have gone and they loved the experience. Another way was my best friend went last summer on the summer at sea 2007. She just loved it and said that I must go during the semester. But the reason that I decided to come on Tall Ships is for the life changing experience that I will get. Also I will learn how to sail, and even though I really never thought about it before, I think that it would be really great to learn something new like this. I have always wanted to go to the Caribbean and other islands so this will be great, because I can finally get to do something that I have dreamed of. I am excited for what I am going to experience and to become a new and better person. I will see places that not everyone gets to see and that people only dream about. I am lucky to have an experience like this. |
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Karry Araujo
My name is Kháritta's Araujo, however most people call me Karry. I enjoy writing, hanging out at the beach, and watching a good movie. I am very determined and I never give up; no matter how many times I fall, I will always get up and continue. I was born in Brazil, and six years ago I came to the United States with my family. Before attending Tall Ship Semester for girls (TSSG); I was currently a Junior at Oceana High School. I first heard about TSSG when Nettie Kelly went to my school and gave a very interesting presentation; I was a freshman at the time. When I heard the presentation for the first time, I doubted myself; I didn't think I could go. However when I learned more about TSSG I knew it was something I had to do. With patience, hard work, and a lot of people that helped me, I conquered this opportunity. I hope I will get a glimpse of different cultures, challenge myself, have fun, and face my fears. Even though I know that not everything will be cookies and cream, I am ready to embark on the Westward, and I am really excited for the future. |
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Marleina Benavente
My name is Marleina Benavente. I’m a junior from Metropolitan Arts& Technology High School. I’m interested in kick-boxing, arts, music, food, and being out-doors. I heard about Tall Ship through my English teacher who thought that this program would be great for me. I decided to join the Tall Ship Semester for Girls 2008, because I saw it as an opportunity to learn something totally different as well as the adventure behind all the hard work. The biggest challenge that I will have to face is being around a group of girls. My friends have always been boys with like maybe two girls. I am most excited about learning how to sail the ship, visiting the different countries and just growing as an individual. . |
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Marzett Lee
My name is Marzett Lee. I came from Mission High school located in San Francisco. I have lots interests, but my favorite things to do is braid hair in my free time. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and family and playing with my baby niece and nephew. I heard about Tall Ship from a friend of mine named Megan. She received an email that Tall Ships was looking for girls that were interested. She quickly asked me. Back in her younger days she sailed around the world as a chef on boats. So she really wanted me to go for a new experience. I’m most excited to be away in a different environment from what I’m use to. Also I’m excited to see different parts of the world that I’ve never seen. Its only a dream to visit these places. |
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Myeshia Holmes
Hi my name is Myeshia Holmes. I am coming from MetWest High School in Oakland, CA. My interest is working with animals (except reptiles those things scare me!) I also love working with youth my age and with baby and toddlers. I heard about Tall Ships through my sister because she did the summer program in 2007. I am excited about doing Tall Ships because I get away from all the drama and violence in Oakland. I am also excited about bonding with these girls that I barely know. I can’t wait till the trip. |
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Naiema Jackson
My name is Naiema Jackson, and I am sixteen years old. I spent the first semester of my junior year at MetWest High School in Oakland. As a child I loved sailing small boats with my dad. He also taught me how to swim. I have always been outgoing, and I have always loved adventure. I am also interested in culinary arts, interior design, photography, and basketball. I heard about the Tall Ship Semester for Girls through a presentation at MetWest. I chose to apply for this program because I felt it was the perfect opportunity to travel, learn, and grow as an individual and as a team leader. Not to mention, it is a great way to celebrate my seventeenth birthday and make new life long friends. I also wanted to push my limits a little. The opportunity to do something so vast came to me, and I had to take it. I am so excited to become a sailor and see the Caribbean with my own eyes. I am looking forward to sailing into the horizon, watching the sun set, and learning while exploring.
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Sophia DeNicola
My name is Sofia DeNicola but most people just call me Fia. I was a junior at Balboa High school of San Francisco, but this semester I’m proud to say I’m a Tall Ship girl. My older sister did this program a few years back and still talks about how it was one of the most amazing and rewarding experiences of her life. I of course had to see what the big whoop was about, so I signed on up. Most high school students would agree that for the most part, high school kinda sucks. It’s repetitive, grueling, and boring. So I feel blessed to have an entire semester doing something so unique from the run of the mill high school experience.
One thing that did freak me out was that I was going to be surrounded by girls. Seeing as how I’ve always surrounded myself with guys in attempts to avoid some of the drama girls are such magnets to, naturally my nerves took root. But after only one week with these amazing girls, any doubts I had melted away. We’ve already begun sharing our fears, insecurities, and personal experiences. Now I feel completely ready to take on the turquoise Caribbean Sea, nausea and all. |
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Valentina Perry
My name is Valentina Perry, and I am a junior at MetWest High in Oakland. My interests involve many things: anything fun, going to the movies with my friends, playing with my dogs, or going skydiving, rock climbing, or hiking. But also I like having time to myself where I can read and just be alone. I first heard about Tall Ships through Michelle, my advisor at MetWest. Molly came to my school and gave a presentation of what this program has to offer. I decided to join Tall Ships for the adventure, the experience, the challenges, meeting new people, and learning about different cultures. I'm excited about this semester for all these reasons, but also because it gives me the chance to use what I've learned in the classroom and put it to work in the real world. It's not every day that you get that opportunity. |
Christine Whitcraft, Oceanography Instructor
Ami's bio is going to go here |
Molly Simmons, Humanities Instructor
Ami's bio is going to go here |
Nettie Kelly, Oceanography and Navigation Instructor
Ami's bio is going to go here |
Vincent Chandler, Communication Instructor
Ami's bio is going to go here |
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