Yesterday, high school students from Seattle’s surrounding neighborhoods and islands attended the Youth Maritime Training Association’s annual career day event at Maritime Event Center in downtown Seattle. Students arrived on foot, bus, train and ferry to engage maritime industry representatives in conversations about local job offers and the details of working in employment environments as maritime freight, oceanography, deep-sea diving and ocean expeditions.
Jordan Hanssen, expedition team leader, spoke with students and teachers about the challenges of planning expeditions and operations management. Often, they had more questions about the 2006 ocean race across the North Atlantic and the basics of living at sea aboard such a … ”crazy looking boat.” Also often heard throughout the day, was the common mantra, “That’s just nuts!” In an effort to embrace such common expressions, Jordan continued to go into detail about the really nutty life that four guys live for about 70 days at sea without food drops, support vessels or other physical support.
OAR Northwest’s Education Director, Otto Loggers, continues to be amazed at how riveted in conversation some students become after they learn more and more about the sport of extreme ocean rowing. Both students and teachers are excited about becoming involved and following the expedition from the comfort of their classrooms. The education program associated with the expedition aims to motivate student learning, and the approach is to make students active participants in the learning process. From the way students showed so such a high level inquiry in speaking with Jordan and seeing the vessel, OAR Northwest believes the program will positively impact many, many students.
Tomorrow, younger students with families will be able to speak with a rower and step aboard the rowboat at the May 14: Family Fun Day of Seattle Maritime Festival, Pier 66 and Bell Harbor Marina.
More information about the school education program is available on the new website tab titled: EDUCATION. Inquiries can be sent directly from this page.