Sixth Grade students at The Pennfield School have had the exciting opportunity to participate in REACH, US Sailing’s STEM Education Initiative at The Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, RI.
The engaging, hands-on program combines STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education with sailing instruction. For one month, students meet twice weekly at The Herreshoff Museum where instructors provide opportunities for real world applications in science and math fields while teaching about sailing.
On a typical day, students are split into two groups when they arrive. One group spends time learning about how science and math connect to sailing by solving real world problems. Meanwhile, the other group spends time out on the bay. This allows for small group and even individualized instruction. By the end of the course, everyone in the program will spend time on the water, sailing a Herreshoff 12 ½. Students are also exposed to the rich history surrounding Rhode Island’s maritime culture and heritage. It’s STEM education at its best.