Twenty-five years ago, NESS was founded on a simple belief: every student deserves the opportunity to discover what they’re capable of.

This year, we’re celebrating just how far that belief has taken us—and the more than 50,000 students who have learned, explored, tried something new, built new skills, and discovered something about themselves along the way.

Our 25 Years of NESS Annual Benefit, Delivering Possibility, presented by Telaid, celebrates everything a NESS experience can set in motion. At NESS, the ocean is our classroom—a place where students learn by doing, challenges become opportunities, and every experience opens the door to discovery, growth, and connection. Through marine science, sailing, adventure sports, and STEM, students ask questions, solve problems, work together, and put new skills into practice.

And what happens here can extend far beyond a day on the water: the courage to try something new, the resilience to keep going, a sense of belonging, a spark of curiosity, or the confidence to lead. What begins at NESS can stay with a student long after they leave our docks.

Throughout the evening, we invite you to experience NESS through the eyes of our students. Step into our interactive ocean classrooms, hear stories from students and alumni, and take part in mission moments that bring the heart of NESS to life. You’ll see firsthand how experiences, big and small, can open doors to new possibilities and shape what comes next.

This milestone wouldn’t be possible without the community that has believed in NESS and our students for 25 years. Together, we’ll celebrate how far we’ve come, create Waves of Possibility for what comes next, and help ensure even more students have the opportunity to discover just how far they can go.

Individual tickets, corporate sponsorships and family/individual sponsorships are available now.

NESS Annual Benefit Sponsorship Brochure

Thank you to our Benefit Sponsors!

A Look Back at our 2025 NESS Annual Benefit

New England Science & Sailing Foundation Annual Benefit

Together, we'll celebrate the journeys already underway and help deliver possibility to every student still waiting to begin theirs.