HOULTON, Maine — Living many miles from the ocean, students in Aroostook County do not grow up with the same access to finding things wash up on shore as those who live along Maine’s coastal communities.
But that did not stop a group of students from Houlton Southside School from jumping on board a project to create a model sailboat, complete with a GPS tracking device, to send out into the world as part of a Southside’s 21st CCLC After School Program.
Teacher Gretchen Fitzpatrick learned of the program when she attended a technology conference. At that conference Dick Baldwin and Larry Wade of Maine Maritime Academy gave a presentation on Educational Passages. The purpose of the project was to get students involved in the nautical aspects of sailing, and to track the boat’s progress through a website thanks to an internal GPS device. Affixed to the boat was a note that read “Finder’s Instructions. This is a school boat and we want to learn about the world. We hope it has a long and adventurous voyage with many stops along the way.
“If found at sea, fix me up, add a message and trinkets and send me on my way. If found on land, please take me to a school so your students can learn. Please contact us if you can. Let’s see how far around the world we can get this boat to sail!”
Heather Bell decorated the boat with scenic images from Maine. The boat’s sail featured a map of the state, along with a depiction of Houlton’s “Boy and the Boot” statue. The model also contained a stuffed moose and some key rings in a waterproof compartment inside the boat
And to the students’ surprise, their model sailboat, named S.S. Maine Shire, washed ashore in Bermuda, making the first of what is hoped is many stops spanning the globe.
Although technically the vessel did not travel on its own from Maine to Bermuda — it traveled from Maine to Charleston, S.C. via a Maine Maritime training ship, where it was then released — that fact did not deter the students from showing great enthusiasm when Warwick Academy school officials in Bermuda contacted them.
The two schools held a video conference session, where the students learned about the two different cultures. Fitzpatrick said one of the most intriguing things for both sets of students was the clothing each was wearing. As a private school, the students from Warrick Academy were clad in school uniforms.
“I thought it was really cool, because most schools don’t get to have this opportunity,” said Josh McGillicuddy, a student in the after school program.
Student Haven Hanning added “I thought it was cool that we got to Skype with the students in Bermuda.”
Student Connor Fitzpatrick said, “the Skype session was pretty cool because they told us a lot about their school, and that they had field hockey and rugby. Their grades are different too because they go by Year One (instead of kindergarten).”
Student Amanda Thorne said, “I like that we got to go to Maine Maritime Academy and explore the boat.”
Student Mayan Pratt added, “We got to see a simulation (of tracking the boat) and it was like a video game.”
Prior to its release, students traveled to Maine Maritime Academy in Castine for a tour. Houlton’s boat is but one of many that were released this past spring. It can be tracked by visiting www.educationalpassages.com. Fitzpatrick also plans to create a Facebook page to provide updates on where the boat is located.
“The hope is that when it lands in different places, people will learn a little bit more about Maine,” Fitzpatrick said. “We are hoping the community will get involved as well and track the boat on the website.”
The school hopes the vessel returns in 2018.
