Water Walkers

Water Walkers' mission is to bring hope to inner-city youth through water sports and education. Since 2016, we have provided supports, opportunities, and services for more than 100 Nashville youth challenged by concentrated poverty, unsafe neighborhoods, and low educational attainment.

During the school year, Water Walkers provides twice-weekly after-school tutoring and enrichment programs that help students learn how to think critically, embrace challenges, and keep going in the face of setbacks. During out-of-school time, we provide outdoor recreation and watersports-based youth development programs that give young people opportunities to share new experiences, face and overcome self-doubt, and discover their strengths.

Through these programs, Water Walkers is providing youth with two things that greatly increase their chances of success: First, we're equipping them with the mindset and skills they need to work hard, work smart, and persevere. And second, we're providing a space for youth to build trusting, consistent, long-term relationships with adult and peer mentors during the critical transition to adulthood. In doing so, our vision is to narrow the achievement gap by showing youth they’re capable of overcoming obstacles with persistence and creating the future they see for themselves.