Oakleigh Elementary Students Set Sail

It was back in September when Cathy Kurtz first showed photos of the restoration of the Living Classrooms sailboat, the Lady Maryland, to an after school math and science club comprised of fourth and fifth graders at Parkville's Oakleigh Elementary School.

Kurtz, a friend of Living Classrooms president James Bond (no, not that one), heard about an ongoing "Every Penny Counts" capital campaign that was underway to raise the $180,000 necessary to pay for the restoration of the vessel which took place over the summer.

Her students were ready to take up the cause. They created banners, wrote advertisments for the morning announcements at school and collected change in special containers.

"They counted the change up every morning," Kurtz said. "The kids were so excited they even took the coins down to the nurses office to weigh them."

And Tuesday morning they bussed to Frederick Douglass Maritime Park in Fells Point to set sail aboard the vessel they raised a total of $262.72 to help restore.

"We just got back from spring break, and even before we left they were excited," Kurtz said. "They feel a special connection to the ship, like they're her friends."

Today Oakleigh students got a chance to dissect oysters, look at bay water under a microscope and see the plankton that live in it, hoist the sails of a ship and even go fishing.

As a bonus, all the schools that helped to raise funds for the restoration of the Lady Maryland were entered into a lottery and Oakleigh was the name pulled from the proverbial hat, so next year's students will get a chance to visit Living Classrooms as well.

The Lady Maryland was originally built by Living Classrooms and a group of students back in 1985 and has since carried over 200,000 students on journeys into the Chesapeake Bay where they participate in hands on learning activities.