Senator Montgomery receives the Captains Award at the New York Harbor Foundation's 3rd Annual Harbor School Awards Dinner

The New York Harbor Foundation and the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School honor Senator Montgomery with the Captains Award for her leadership in the development of a maritime “cradle to career” pathway for NYC public school students. The event also honored the Marine Society of the City of New York with the Admirals Award for their long-standing support of Harbor School students. In addition to providing annual support, each year the Marine Society offers a scholarship for a Harbor School senior to continue their studies at SUNY Maritime.

Every year, the Harbor School Awards Dinner raises a substantial portion of the funds necessary for providing the on-water and environmental enrichment programs that make Harbor School both unique and successful. The evening is particularly special because it brings together a community of educators, environmentalists, maritime professionals, and generous donors who are united on the effort to train the next generation of marine stewards.

I am honored to receive the Captains Award and am proud to support the work of the New York Harbor Foundation. The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School is one of the true gems in the New York City education system. Each day, the lives of young people are being transformed as they are introduced to career paths in the maritime industry. Each time I have had the honor of visiting the Harbor School, I am inspired by the young students I meet and their thirst for knowledge. 

For several years now, I have been working with the Harbor Foundation, the Harbor School, the New York City Department of Education, the School Construction Authority, government and community stakeholders to expand the Harbor pipeline to create a feeder middle school. We continue the fight to create a Harbor Middle School for students throughout Brooklyn.

The Harbor School was  founded in 2003 with the vision of creating pathways to marine careers for young people who would not otherwise have exposure and access to these industries.

The Harbor School is a Career and Technical Education school that offers technical credentials in 6 marine fields: Aquaculture, Marine Biology Research, Marine Systems Technology, Ocean Engineering, Professional Diving, and Vessel Operations. It is the home base for the Billion Oyster Project, a Harbor Foundation program aimed at restoring one billion oysters to New York Harbor and engaging New Yorkers in their local marine environment.

The Harbor School has evolved into one of the top schools in our City and has successfully created a pipeline for their students into SUNY Maritime, one of the premier maritime schools in the world. In addition, the Harbor School is working to create a network of feeder secondary schools including Harbor View Elementary School, the Brooklyn Harbor School and the Staten Island Harbor School.

The Harbor School has become a model for successful marine-focused education and has inspired the creation of over 30 similar schools around the country. The Harbor School has successfully graduated students who have gone on to a wide range of careers in the marine industry and can be found working on nearly every ferry and boat in New York Harbor.

For more information about the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, visit https://www.newyorkharborschool.org