SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — South Portland fifth-graders are learning about maritime trade and how Maine connects to the rest of the world.
A new program by the Maine Port Authority, the Department of Transportation and the South Portland School Department brought students to Portland’s International Marine Terminal this week to get a firsthand look at the shipping industry that connects Maine to other markets around the globe.
“I really hope that they’re fascinated and interested and they start thinking about what sorts of jobs there are out there in the world,” said Sarah Maxwell, a fifth-grade teacher at South Portland’s Skillin Elementary School. “I think there’s so much in fifth grade that they really don’t know about ‘What are their opportunities?’ and ‘How do we connect here in Portland, Maine, with the rest of the world?’”
Icelanding container shipping company Eimskip has operated out of the Portland terminal since 2013, reviving the industry for a Maine port that had struggled in recent years to stay in the game of maritime trade. Now, business is strong enough at the location that state officials in recent years have needed to expand the International Marine Terminal.
The idea of the South Portland school program is to help parents, students and community members become more aware of Maine’s growing trade presence.
The kids get a chance to tour the waterfront and see it in action, and maybe be inspired to work there someday.
Organizers say getting the kids out of the classroom and into the community makes the biggest and longest lasting impact.