BATH

Regional School Unit 1, the Bath Freight Shed Alliance and Bath Iron Works collaborated to underwrite the Maine’s First Ship Summer Shipbuilding Program.

Morse High School provided a forum for recruiting, screening and awarding academic credit for the students. By participating in the Shipbuilding Program, conducted annually with local students, these organizations found the fast track to a successful community enterprise.

The eight local students between the ages of 13 and 16 included, for the first time, a homeschooler, Ruth Connelly. The coalition asked two of the students, who have participated for three consecutive years, what they wanted people to know regarding the shipbuilding experience.

“Sure I could stay home and watch TV all summer but why would I do that if I can come here and learn something new and interesting every day?” said Kelsey Brick, an early graduation program senior.

Second in a family of seven, Brick has a strong sense of family responsibility that she balances gracefully with an intense academic program at Morse.

With a goal of a degree in accounting, Brick already is researching scholarships and grants to help fund her program at Nichols College.

Brick was attracted by the historic nature of the project, and the unexpected variety of the work kept her coming back.

She likens the experience with Maine’s First Ship to that of an extended family. Brick feels a similar sense of responsibility for the safety and success of other program participants, and has enjoyed the exchange of ideas and life experiences with many of the adult volunteers — much in the manner of her own family.

Brick also found that the media and documentary skills she learned while working with Patti Irish and Jane Stevens were valuable in developing and presenting materials for other classes at Morse.

To say the least, Charles Mills, a junior, also enjoyed the Shipbuilding Program.

“This is the very best thing about summer,” said Mills, third in a family of four.

Mills wants an engineering degree, and for him, it was all about the tools. The experience also helped at home, as he developed the confidence to do household handyman jobs.

Already, Mills is sowing the seeds for hopeful college recruitment. By submitting samples of his work to various engineering colleges, he is inviting comments and eventually recruitment offers in return. There has been a favorable response from Virginia Tech, where Mills would be close to his maternal extended family.

Country music holds a great fascination for Mills, and his talents include the drums, piano and guitar. He was a member of the musical ensemble that entertained during the highly successful “rib party” that crowned the MFS summer season.