All aboard, inland schools! 

Maine Sea Grant at the University of Maine is connecting students from rural communities to coastal Maine, giving them an inspiring experience that has the potential to reshape their perspective and consider a future in science, aquaculture, or environmental stewardship.

The “Bringing the Sea to Inland and Rural Youth” initiative, launched in fall 2023, connects middle and high school students with cutting-edge aquaculture practices, marine science careers, experts in the field, and Maine’s coastal heritage. Continuing the program in fall 2024, all five schools that participated were classified as vulnerable, overburdened, and/or underserved. For students who may have never seen the ocean or stepped on a boat, their day on Casco Bay was a revelation.

This program does not just connect inland students to the coast, but is intended to inspire the students involved to work in the blue economy and aquaculture-related industries. With the importance of aquaculture in Maine, the Maine Sea Grant’s program makes necessary contributions to knowledge around ecological and sociological changes that affect the state’s coastal communities and businesses.

These contributions are bolstered by the UMaine Marine Aligned Research, Innovation, and Nationally-recognized Education (MARINE) Initiative. MARINE and Maine Sea Grant together combine and expand on transdisciplinary marine research, education, and outreach to improve the socioeconomic well-being of students and their communities in Maine.

Read the full story on UMaine News.

Written by Emma Beauregard, Communications Intern