Has Rich been successful in achieving his goals? At the start of the race Rich said he wanted to sail well and write well, to share his story with those on land, to deliver the sitesALIVE! content and to finish the Vendée Globe. He wasn’t defining success by winning or losing the race, since that was not his primary goal. Success can be defined in many ways.
Rich entered the Vendée Globe race in part for the challenge of the race, but mainly for the opportunity to create the sitesALIVE! education program designed to excite and engage students and families around the world. He says, ‘Once you’ve hooked kids with excitement, you can feed them whatever content you want—math, geography, teamwork, goal setting and more.”
Was his sitesALIVE! education program successful? Absolutely! Rich called in audio podcasts via his satellite phone, wrote Ship’s Logs, answered students questions, wrote essays in great detail, created videos of the gales, crossing the international dateline and prime meridian and on The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, among others. With help from his shore team, he also published a weekly print series that has appeared in newspapers around the world, Rich did this while sailing the Great American IV in difficult weather conditions, on dangerously high seas, in the heat and freezing cold, over the course of more than 25,000 nautical miles.
Rich has been followed by thousands of students in classrooms and families around the world. He has received very positive feedback and support from his followers. These point to the success of the sitesALIVE! education program.
Now we anxiously await Rich to cross the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne and complete the Vendée Globe. Thank you Rich Wilson for your inspiration and perseverance in successfully completing the Vendée Globe with the admirable educational goals that you set up for yourself. We admire you!