PHILIPSBURG:--- The Build Your Future Project started as a joint initiative of St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) and St. Maarten Sailing School, was introduced to 5 schools in 2013 including MPC. During the first year, some of the 4th formers of Milton Peters College VSBO-PKL/PBL, Division Carpentry participated in building a small Norwegian-style boat called a Skerry. The vessel, "Sir Milton Peters", has been visited by both the Governor of St. Maarten and by the Netherlands Royal Couple during their recent visit to MPC on November 13th.
After the launch of the schools boats, held during the 2013 Heineken Regatta in conjunction with the MPC Inaugural Heineken Race Team, the Kids at Sea Foundation was formally established to oversee and grow youth initiatives of the Marine Industry. Kids at Sea Foundations has subsequently been chosen by the SAMENWERKENDE FONDSEN, as a grant recipient for 2014. All founding organizations are extremely excited about the Grant Award as it will solidify the programs of Kids at Sea for Many years to come!
In December, in order to fulfill some of the grant requirements an MOU was signed with MPC and Sundial Schools, the islands largest public high schools. The Build Your Future portion will be fully integrated into the curriculum of the carpentry class at MPC and at Sundial it will be done as an after school project, and approximately 30 students will participate in an after school sailing certification program over the course of 2014.
The boats are being built using the traditional stitch and glue method. They students have "joined" the boat panels with epoxy and have now completed the stitching part to hold the boat in shape and in the picture you see them starting the glue process. Once the gluing is complete they will cut the pieces of wire off and then lay the Fiberglass cloth over the panels.
The photo shows the first set of students who will participate in the sailing certification. For more information please contact KIDS AT SEA FOUNDATION.
