ARMENIAN ACADEMY EIGHTH-GRADERS WEATHER THE STORM
By: Kira Chappelle

Wayne Suburban Newspapers, PA
Sept 19 2005

Joyce Faccenda’s eighth grade science class from the Armenian Sisters
Academy sailed out onto the Delaware River on the Northwind, a 38-foot
schooner, to learn about the river and its water.

The late spring day, however, was dark, cold, and rainy, and the
trash bags protecting the students eventually left them soaked.

“We were wet and soaked but they really enjoyed being out on water,
and they felt like they learned a lot… They got an understanding of
being on water, of learning about the content of the water, and how
healthy the Delaware River is,” Faccenda, who is the science teacher
for grades 5-8 at the Armenian Sisters Academy on Upper Gulph Road,
said.

Faccenda learned about the program, operated by Philadelphia City Sail,
at a teachers’ workshop, and had originally planned the field trip for
last October. However, due to the pregnancy of the City Sail director,
bad weather, and illnesses, the trip was repeatedly postponed until
June 3.

“[At first] it was hard for the kids to get excited because the day
was bad, and it was canceled so many times,” said Faccenda. “But we
went and they left really, really excited.”

The 17 students learned about sailing, map reading. They tested the
water for microorganisms and oxygen content.

“The captain said they withstood so much that day that they could
have been true sailors,” Faccenda said.

Kira Chappelle has headed back to Bowdoin College after her summer
internship at The Suburban and Wayne Times.