Setting Sail

Sid Swift’s school day starts a little differently than most sixth graders’. After waking up around 9:30, he eats breakfast and dives into his Launch coursework—all while living on a sailboat with his family. “I like Launch because I can work at my own pace,” Sid says. “I usually try to knock out all of my schoolwork first thing, just by dedicating a few hours to it.”

In December 2024, Sid and his family left their St. Louis home (and the Lindbergh school district) to chase an adventure: living full-time aboard their boat, a 1997 Beneteau Oceanis 461 named Layla. Since then, they’ve sailed along the East Coast, making stops in places like Fernandina Beach and Fort Pierce, Florida. “We wanted to travel and meet new types of people,” Sid says. “My parents wanted to show us that you don’t have to take the conventional road in life.”

But so far, Sid says, boat life hasn’t been all sunshine and smooth sailing. “Everything keeps breaking,” Sid says. “We just had to fix the oven again.” Still, Sid and his dad have become pros at handling repairs together—most recently fixing a leaky pipe.

“Launch has made it possible for Sid to learn wherever we are,” says his mom, Holly. “We’ve had some tough months, but we’re finally moving again and are headed to the Bahamas. That feels exciting.”

While Sid’s younger sister, Addie, was homeschooled this year, Sid says Launch has been a great fit for him. “I like the teachers, and I like having control over my schedule,” he says. “Plus, I really don’t mind helping fix things. But I look forward to being in tropical areas, when I can just go and swim in the ocean afterwards.”