Students from Jefferson County school districts spent their last weeks of school learning not only about maritime industry, but about teamwork.

“I learned with effort and teamwork, you can build a boat,” said Blue Heron Middle School seventh-grader Samuel Holmes.

Beginning May 14 students from Port Townsend, Chimacum and Quilcene participated in the Maritime Discovery Program, which is a partnership between the schools and Northwest Maritime Center.

“NWMC staff and teachers from the middle schools collaborate to develop maritime-themed curriculum in every subject area,” a release from the center stated. “Over 200 students are exposed to the diverse skills involved in the maritime realm during an intensive, 5-8 day program.”

During the program, each student took three to four trips aboard the center’s historic 26 foot longboats where they learned to sail, row and and be a part of a team of 10.

Outside of being on the boats, the students learned about maritime-themed subjects in art, science language arts, physical education and social studies.

“Blue Heron Middle School’s program includes a boat-building and woodworking component,” the release stated. “The students work alongside skilled boat builders to build a Skunk Island Skiff and oars which will be launched and displayed during a celebration on the last day.”

Chimacum students had additional collaboration with Centrum artists Christian Swenson and Hannah Viano, while Quilcene students also had a Native American history component.

“I did not know anything about boats before these classes,” said Lea Harison, a seventh-grader at Blue Heron Middle School in Port Townsend, excitedly. “I had a lot of fun.”

See page A17 for a photo page of Blue Heron Middle School students during their project.