Newark Students Learn to Sail in Belmar
A day on the Shark River yields life lessons for inner-city youth
For sixth-grade students from the Robert Treat Academy in Newark, a day on the Shark River was more than just fun in the sun. As the classmates assisted one another in mounting and launching kayaks from a floating dock near Belmar's L Street beach, one holding the boat firmly against the bulkhead while the other steadied themselves atop the craft, then handing them their paddle and seeing their friends hit the water, the lesson becomes clear. They're learning about themselves. For the sixth year, students from the Newark-based charter school came to the Shark River basin through the City Sailors program and the Friends of Belmar Harbor. The sailing lessons have since been incorporated into Academy curriculum. For Paul Perotta, a physical …
