In the first week of June, over 90 fifth-grade students from Eastport Elementary, Georgetown East Elementary, and Annapolis Elementary Schools participated in the Eastport Yacht Club Foundation (EYCF) STEM through the Sailing and Boating Program. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, it was great to get the program running again.
Each class spent a day at Eastport Yacht Club (EYC). During the morning sessions, volunteers from EYC taught the students about Tides, Navigation, Wind, Mechanical Advantage, and Ecosystem Health through hands-on learning modules. Following lunch, the students, their teachers, and chaperones got to experience several hours on the water with volunteer captains aboard their boats. “Students were thrilled to put their new skills to the test on the water,” says Meghan Hryniewicz, EYCF STEM Program Co-Chair. “For most, it was their first time on the Chesapeake Bay and it was so rewarding to see their faces light up.”
“It’s fantastic for kids to learn from real-world scenarios,” says Eric Day of Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS). “The partnership between the EYCF and AACPS has been a significant highlight of the students’ elementary experience.”
Started in 2014, STEM through Sailing and Boating is a partnership of EYCF, AACPS, and the Maryland State Department of Education. There is no cost to the schools taking part in the program. Funding comes from the AACPS STEM Program and donations to EYCF. In the 7 years of the program, over 800 students have participated and have been given the opportunity to understand the connection between their classroom learning, their local environment, future career options, and their civic responsibilities as stewards of Chesapeake Bay.
