Rocking the Boat

Meliza Peña on the Bronx River.

Meliza Peña used to stand on a bridge as a child and watch the Bronx River flow beneath. Today, Meliza is 21 years old and on the Bronx River nearly every day because of a youth program called Rocking the Boat.

An average day sees Meliza—who's participated in the program for four years—leading students in boating safety, reading tide tables, identifying different species of macroinvertebrates, and conducting tests for dissolved oxygen levels—all on an open rowboat that serves as a classroom, rain or shine.

Since 1999, Rocking the Boat has taught leadership skills to South Bronx teens through the construction and use of replicas of 18th-century wooden rowboats. Making these boats increases their practical knowledge, teaching them to read blueprints and use geometry and trigonometry. On the river, they learn about the history of the area, explore its ecology, and become part of a team. A grant from The Trust in 2005 enabled the group to take on more students.

Meliza begans an internship with Congressman Jose E. Serrano in January 2006 and she won the Congressman's Award for Youth Leadership based on her work at Rocking the Boat. "Rocking the Boat has been like a home for me and allowed me to do so many things to improve my life," she said. "I'm grateful for that."