 KATS program has taught many children
in the BVI about sea safety. The KATS program was developed in the British Virgin Islands in the early 1990's, and has been going strong year after year as the number one all volunteer program teaching the children of the territory the many aspects of safety in the sea. The KATS BVI program is an offshoot of the program that was originally started in St. John U.S.V.I. The program has grown from teaching youngsters to swim to sailing boats on their own and also competing in races all over the Caribbean. In the past sixteen years, thousands of BVI children have graduated from the various programs of KATS. The programs that the KATS offer are broken down into five different classifications, with swimming being the first class that a student must pass to be eligible to partake in the upper level programs. Beginning with the KATS swimming class, the ideal of safety first is instilled into the children so they have a profound respect for the sea, and they carry that with them into the other levels of programs.
 The KATS sailing program in the BVI.
Programs offered by KATS:
Swimming
Sea Skills
Sailing
Scuba
Windsurfing KATS is a non-profit organization that depends on local businesses and persons for their financial support to fund each year's activities. Through the generous donations and fundraisers held throughout the year, KATS has been able to maintain the finest equipment and tools for the children to learn from. Hats off to their sponsors!
The program is run by an all volunteer group of people that specialize teaching in each of their own programs. Hours upon hours are given up by many devoted volunteers that go the extra mile for all the kids to make the KATS program as starting point for kids to learn about the sea and to be safe.  KATS BVI Sailing receives the
International Rolex Regatta Sportsmanship Award. Many of the kids that have gone through various KATS programs have maintained friendships into their adult lives through participatation in the KATS program as adolescents. Giving back to the community is also what some of the students have learned in KATS, and have come back full circle and are now volunteer instructors to give even more credence to the program that it is doing well!
If you are interested in learning more about the KATS program, please visit the web site at www.katsbvi.com.
Read more about KATS in Escape-BVI Blogs. |