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Maritime Education
While participating in BMC curriculum students become activly engaged in...
As a not-for-profit, community-based organization focused primarily on providing experiential maritime programming for area residents—mostly youth—BMC provides an assortment of educational programs that support the school’s efforts to maximize student achievement and personal development while encouraging them to become active participants in their own education.
What makes the BMC experience unique?
- We utilize our challenging and engaging local maritime environment to broaden horizons and build confidence.
- We reinforce the important academic and life skills that are crucial to students’ success.
- We use maritime-related experiential learning to engage students and focus their attention on self-development, both academically and socially.
- We spend the summer months sailing on Presque Isle Bay on one of the center’s sailing vessels.
- We spend the winter months indoors where students are engaged in the boat shop experience.
City of Erie, Pennsylvania School Board of Directors President Mr. Gary N. Horton sailing with some Erie school students who are recent immigrants to the United States aboard BMC's 34' catamaran Taco the Town , 3 August 2009.
Mr. Gary Horton, Erie City School Board president says,"The Quality of Life Learning Center kids sailing at BMC are getting a lot more out of the experience than just a sailboat ride. The BMC maritime instructors weave a wide range of subjects including science, math, history and social studies into all of their hands-on, standards based programming in an engaging, exciting, and fun way."
More than 14,000 students have worked together at BMC to build 89 boats since its inception more than a decade ago. Projects range from building a basic Six Hour Canoe to the building of a replica Erie Boat.
We spend much of our time with students on the water and in the boat shop, but we also work closely with them to encourage a lifelong love of boating and learning. We show them how learning can be fun, teaching them hands-on skills like basic chart plotting and navigation.
Please visit our List of Courses for more information!