GULF SHORES — Gulf Shores City School (GSCS) teachers have been training since the beginning of September to teach their students how to apply skills learned in sailing to a variety of subjects from science and math to English and social studies.

GSCS sailboats were purchased using funds from a grant that encourages the application of sailing to science, technology, engineering, art, math and medicine (STEAMM) initiatives.

The subjects taught by the teachers who have volunteered for the program include health science, engineering, marine science, environmental science, math, English, sustainability, Spanish and social studies.

GSCS Career Tech Coordinator Jessica Sampley said the 10 teachers-in-training have been able to practice at their own pace, allowing them to gain the confidence and credentials to teach middle and high school students how to sail. As the first crew of trainee teachers for sailing, they
essentially had to dive in headfirst.

"We really threw them in the deep end, and they were good sports about it," Sampley said. "Our teachers don't like to feel like they aren't prepared for something … They were stressing out about it, but in the long run you're not going to be taking kids out next week."

One of Sampley's goals with the sailboats is to create a sailing class. Along with that, teachers must be trained, sailboats must be integrated into classes for hands-on applications of lessons, after-school programs such as a possible sailing club would be able to use the boats, and the school would have the ability to have a sailing team that could enter local and regional competitions.

She said GSCS has been looking to add sailboats for several years now and that the school system seemed to strike the "right place at the right time" with people and funding.

While serving on the National Academies Committee for the K-12 STEM Education and Workforce Development in Rural Areas report last year, Sampley met a teacher from Hawaii who taught a degree program in ethno-mathematics, or place-based math.

"They use sailing as one of the tools to teach students how to sail but it's also aligned with math lessons," she said. "So, they're actually learning hands-on math, which it's not very often that you do that."

One of the engineering teachers, James Salvant, has years of experience in sailing and has helped the other teachers learn the ropes of sailing.

Sampley said she would like Salvant to teach a class on general maritime practices where students can learn more nautical-based skills. She would also like to see an expansion of the scuba lessons and certification offered through the school during the summer, hopefully growing the program to be held in the school season.

"I also really would like to do a camp next summer with sailing, discover scuba, kayaking," she said, "and I really want – with this new grant we're getting to partner with – Diving with a Purpose and the Africatown Heritage Foundation, to partner us with the underserved schools they work with in Mobile and have them come over to get to experience what our students do."

GSCS has received support from U.S. Sailing and local entities such as Jackie McGonigal, who previously worked at Orange Beach Wind and Water Learning Center but now works at the Graham Creek Nature Preserve, and Salvant, who has provided his engineering expertise alongside his sailing knowledge.

The City of Gulf Shores is also working with GSCS to provide a permanent storage space at Mo's Landing, where the covered picnic table area currently is. Funding for the storage facility is covered by the grant funds.

The sailing teachers will be able to practice with the sailboats until they feel confident in training their students. Sampley said students will likely be able to hop in boats later in the school year.