Community Sponsor Spotlight: Navigare Yachting

Jesper Rönngard, founder of Navigare Yachting, has nothing but praise for the ways in which Shorecrest welcomed him, his wife, Amelie, and their children, Linnea ’22 and Ludvig ’25, when they arrived from Sweden seven years ago. Their online research of educational options in the area provided their first positive impression of the School. 

“Shorecrest looked so good,” he says. “We agreed with the way they looked at everything – education, community... When we met [former Headmaster] Mike Murphy H'20, we developed a great personal relationship with him immediately. And when we got a personal tour, we were blown away!” 

Before the entire family was living here full-time, Linnea '22 spent her freshman year at Shorecrest and then returned to Sweden to finish high school. Jesper recalls that Steve Gende, her English teacher and advisor, was instrumental in helping her learn the language and feel at home. Linnea is currently studying media and communication at Lund University in Sweden.

Ludvig ’25 has pursued his love of soccer and basketball at Shorecrest, and after graduation in May, will study something business-related – perhaps at the University of Tampa. “He has really grown up quite a bit at Shorecrest,” says Jesper, who believes the School has prepared his son well for the future, as this has been his entrée to the whole of American culture and society. “Academically, we’ve been really impressed by the curriculum. The quality and level of the education is very, very high. … This is a formative time with teenagers; and the kids here learn to treat people with respect. That becomes a part of their DNA. I’m glad I’ve been able to give Ludvig a dual understanding of education in Sweden and in the U.S., and I think that’s given him a great foundation.”

As this year’s Gala Entertainment Sponsor, Navigare Yachting has donated an incredible, weeklong charter in the British Virgin Islands on a four-stateroom, four-bath catamaran – a very special getaway for anyone who shares the Rönngard family’s love of sailing in that gorgeous part of the world. 

“The generosity of the Shorecrest community blows me away!” Jesper says. “I think the person who won the trip last year paid fifty percent more than its value!” These back-to-back sponsorships represent a strong vote of confidence in the Shorecrest experience.

“Any way I can give back to this amazing school, I would love to. We try to explain to our kids the power of giving and show them how good it makes you feel about yourself, besides what it does for other people. Shorecrest has always treated us really well, and they have taken care of our kids in an exceptional way.”