Home Community Community News Southold students honor local history by building their own boats

Southold students honor local history by building their own boats

Launching the duck boats at Founders Landing. Courtesy photo: Southold School

With near gale force winds howling throughout the day, students and staff from Southold School gathered at the Founders Landing boat ramp in Southold yesterday to christen and launch two duck boats that represented the culmination of a school project which was over one year in the making.

Southold High School students built the duck boats under the guidance of technology teacher Matt Pfister as a means to learn practical skills and honor the marine heritage of the Southold community.

“It was a project that encompassed many skill sets which was very much supported by the students, their families and the school district,” said Pfister.

Superintendent David Gamberg envisions this project as just a start of the kind of learning that honors local heritage and teaches students valuable lessons.

“Building boats from scratch and by hand creates a real sense of accomplishment,” said Gamberg. “It incorporates math, science, and even… the history of Southold and the maritime focus from the first settlers in 1640.”

Gamberg said that a larger program which involves boat building could help support the marine industry on the East End, giving students opportunities for employment and recreation.

“This may evolve into a North Fork vocational opportunity for students at some point in the future,” he said.

Southold High School principal Bill Galati also pointed out how this project supports a more comprehensive approach to the study of boating, whereby students have access to securing a boating license through a seventh grade technology course run in conjunction with The U.S. Power Squadron.

“Boating safety is a both a practical and enjoyable course elective that is perfectly suited for Southold students,” said Galati.

Source: Southold High School press release

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