Hudson City children were able to get out of the classroom and onto the Jersey City waterfront Thursday as part of the Atlantic Cup Race’s “Kids Day.”

The students were invited to the Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City to visit the boats and meet the sailors. They also learned about the environmental challenges facing the ocean and the importance of recycling.

“I hope we can inspire these kids to appreciate the nature that they have and do better than we've done taking care of it,” says education coordinator Dave Rearick. “It’s about getting them to know there is an ocean that exists and how wonderful nature is and how to take care of it."

The Atlantic Cup Race is considered one of the top international sailing races.

The teams are stopped in New Jersey for a few days during their trip from Charleston, South Carolina, to Portland, Maine.