They begged their power squadron leader to set off the flare gun, but were educated about the fines for signalling a false emergency instead. Eight students are learning a variety of marine trade skills and enjoying good-natured banter with local seniors who are volunteering to teach them.
"You have youth and seniors. This is about community members working with our schools and the relationships being built the amount of support has been phenomenal," said Sunshine Coast Alternative School (SCAS) teacher Rich Biel.
Marine industry services training (MIST) ran as a pilot project in 2007/08 and is now a regular curriculum program. Biel said 20 teens applied for MIST and eight were accepted based on previous experience and a commitment to the program that runs every Friday with classroom instruction in the mornings and restoration of boats in the afternoon. "The Tjensvold family of Halfmoon bay kindly gave us a boat to work on and Sunshine Coast Self Storage allows us to store our boat on their property," Biel said.
The seven boys and one girl are working towards qualifications in pleasure craft operator certificate (PCOC), marine operator's VHF licence, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), first aid, Canadian Yachting Association levels three and four and sailing instruction through the Learn to Sail program at the Gibsons Yacht Club, which is where the two boats being restored by the group will be used. MIST is offered at no cost to students since it counts for 12 of the 82 credits they need to graduate from Grade 12. Sally Thicke, principal of SCAS, said the school's budget funds the program but "in the case of MIST, because certification costs exceed what is a usual school expense, the Lighthouse Learning Network has generously offered to work in partnership that will assist in funding the costs incurred for specialized certification."
In class, students sat around a square-shaped desk configuration while Diane Melody and her husband Bill Foley, both retired teachers and avid boaters, took turns instructing the youths in preparation for the PCOC examination. Barry Rewcastle, power squadron commander, sat between two boys during the lesson, and at break, he laughed about not having much to do with teens or how they learn. "You really have to come to see the pace and momentum to understand the difference between youth and adult learners," he said. "He was doodling the whole time and yet when there was a question his hand was going up - he had the answers right away," Rewcastle smiled. Molly Kennedy is 15 and the only female in the course. Biel said she probably has the most boating experience of all the students, and she plans to use the certification and skills in the future. "I'm used to pleasure craft, 40-foot motorboats. I plan to join the Coast Guard and also spend time on a boat and maybe work on one," Kennedy said. Waine Pendleton is nearing his 17th birthday and said he might try to get hired with B.C. Ferries. He looks forward to using his new skills when he has his own boat one day. Biel, sporting his captain's hat and acting as eager as any teenager, said he looks forward to working out any kinks in the program and moving towards helping with the school district's ability to offer a similar course to youths in the regular semester-styled system at Chatelech, Pender Harbour and Elphinstone secondary schools. "It's expensive, but it's quickly become the jewel of exterior programs on the Sunshine Coast," Biel said.
