Student Classes
Students apply math, geometry and algebra skills
Hands on experience steering the skipjack ADA MAE.
Students develop teamwork as they "learn the ropes," raising and lowering the sails.
Preparing to launch a plankton trawl net to sample phytoplankton and zooplankton.
Looking for plankton caught in ADA MAE's trawl net.
Students use ADA MAE's onboard video microscope to view the
|
||
|
Carolina Coastal Classrooms, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation whose mission is to provide environmental education programs promoting understanding and appreciation of our coastal waters and maritime heritage through hands-on shipboard educational experiences. The centerpiece of this program will be the environmental education curricula taught onboard the skipjack ADA MAE and eventually upon the schooner CAROLINA.
The skipjack ADA MAE was built in 1915 in Rose Bay and is the only surviving working sail vessel built in North Carolina. This educational vessel is homeported in New Bern, North Carolina and offers daily and extended shipboard environmental education programs throughout the year. The schooner CAROLINA will be built as a reproduction of a classic 19th century coastal fishing and trading schooner and will also be stationed in New Bern.
Carolina Coastal Classrooms Programs provides educational opportunities for students of diverse racial, ethnic, socio-economic and educational backgrounds. Students participating in these programs will learn much about themselves, their abilities, the marine environment and the maritime heritage of much of the coastal United States through hands-on experiential education. Trained educators serve as the captains and crew and conduct the onboard "classrooms." Shipboard experiences will involve team-building and practical applications of shipboard skills using math, science, ecology, social studies, reading, writing, computer science and critical thinking. Shipboard experiences and skills are linked to learning objectives and goals from the North Carolina Department of Education Standard Courses of Study for math and science. Shipboard curricula include water quality analysis, marine life studies, hydrodynamics and aerodynamics, sail theory, navigation and studies in environmental stewardship.
Students are given hands-on educational opportutities by steering the ship, setting and striking the sails, dredging and trawling for oysters, fish, crabs, shrimp and plankton used for onboard study. They also make weather observations, take water qualtiy measurements and discussi environmental concerns affecting marine life in surrounding waters. Students will be able to maintain contact throughout the school year with the educational vessels ADA MAE and CAROLINA as they sail coastal North Carolina's waterways. Our program is structued so that 2000 to 3000 students may be served annually by our onboard educational programs.
See what is happening on the Skipjack ADA MAE on Facebook. In the Facebook search box type in "Skipjack ADA MAE"
Helen and Mildred at the helm.
We were finally able to get the skipjack ADA MAE out to Hatteras Island for this festival. We had been weathered out the 2 previous years. This annual festival celebrates the recovery of the commercial and charter fishing industry on the island following the ravages of Hurricane Isabel in 2003.
The family ties with the skipjack ADA MAE and Hatteras Village run deep. Jeff Aiken who is the owner of Jeffery’s Seafood Processing in Hatteras Village is the grandson of Ada Mae Hodges Cowan and grand nephew of Ralph Hodges, who built the vessel. His mother, Helen Aiken was the youngest daughter of Ada Mae. Dr. Alan Hodges and his family also live on Hatteras Island. He is the village doctor for Hatteras Village. He is also a grand nephew of Ralph Hodges and Jeff’s cousin.
The real treat of the trip was being able to meet with Mildred Brown and Helen Aiken, daughters of Ada Mae. They were a pure delight with the family stories and history they regaled us with. Both of these ladies live in the Hampton, VA area and came to the festival to see the boat. We were able to take them out for a short sail and in the parade of vessels for the blessing of the fleet.
While in-port we had several hundred visitors on the skipjack ADA MAE during the festival. The festival highlights the commercial and charter fishing industry. ADA MAE was the oldest commercial vessel participating in the event along with a number of other vintage charter and commercial craft.
We wish to express our gratitude to organizers of the Day at the Docks Festival and the Aiken family for the wonderful hospitality during our visit.
