Sea of Opportunities

Egan’s educational programs provide diverse, hands-on learning opportunities for Nantucket students at every stage of their academic journey. Our mission is twofold: to connect students with the Island’s rich maritime environment beyond the classroom and to cultivate the next generation of maritime professionals. By equipping local youth with the skills and experiences needed for careers on the water, we strengthen their futures and our coastal community.

Thanks to generous donors, Egan's education programs are 100% free. If you want to invest in transformative educational experiences for Nantucket youth, click here.

Classroom Collaborations by Grade Level:

Primary School:

Egan Maritime partners with classroom teachers at the Nantucket public schools; we partner with Nantucket's two independent schools to teach students about maritime history and science through physics and science. Our K-5 educational offerings include lessons on Nantucket's Lighthouses, ecological field trips to Foldger's Marsh, Breeches Bouy Demonstrations, Marshall the Sea Dog Story Time, and more!

Middle-School:

Egan Maritime centers our middle school educational programs around Grades Seven and Eight students. Our lesson plans prioritize Aquaculture, Oceanography, Engineering, and Design and Modeling. These lessons are project-based, enabling students to learn through hands-on experiences that bring theory to life in their own hands. In 2024, our offerings included scallop dissections, water quality labs, cardboard boat building, Tall Ship Lynx sailing, and Underwater Archaeology.

High School:

Egan Maritime partnered with Nantucket High School to create a maritime studies program. Egan Maritime developed the curriculum and supports a full-time teacher at Nantucket Public School. We offer credit-bearing courses to provide students with a clear pathway to job experience and college credits in specialized maritime fields.

The fall term emphasizes marine science and aquaculture, while the spring term includes a technical course in vessel operations, repair, and maintenance. Through this hands-on work, we continuously seek ways to engage students directly with industry professionals in shipbuilding, port operations, marine science, and other essential maritime sectors.

Each year, Egan Maritime works with Nantucket High School students to expose them to educational opportunities related to postsecondary maritime studies. This includes coordinating visits to Nantucket High School and Egan Maritime from a diverse range of New England colleges that offer marine education or maritime studies. These visits aim to educate students, community members, business owners, and educators about opportunities available within this sector. The Nantucket Golf Club Foundation generously underwrote the cost of these visits.

Our intern, Cecilia Wendelken, summarized these opportunities into a brochure.

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/...

Beyond the classroom, we have strategically partnered with local organizations to expand our reach. Curious minds of all ages will be able to explore the museum and partake in a series of programs designed to celebrate and promote Nantucket’s seafaring history.

Key Community Partners & Collaborators

• Nantucket Boys & Girls Club
• Nantucket Community School
• Nantucket Conservation Foundation
• Nantucket Historical Association
• Nantucket New School
• Nantucket Public Schools
• Linda Loring Nature Foundation
• Saltmarsh Senior Center
• The Tall Ship Lynx Educational Foundation
• Town of Nantucket Harbormaster

Since 2014, Egan Maritime has partnered with the Tall Ship Lynx to provide on-the-water sailing opportunities.

Each year, Egan and the Lynx Educational Foundation team up to offer a unique opportunity for local students. Sailing aboard the historic Tall Ship Lynx, a cornerstone of the Sea of Opportunities experience, is an unparalleled experiential educational opportunity. Over 500 local students climb aboard the Lynx, immersing themselves in Nantucket’s maritime history and oceanography and applying what they learn in the classroom to their sailing experience. These experiences are 100% free and supported through generous donations. If you want to support the 2024 sailing season, please email Carlisle Jensen at cbjensen@eganmaritime.org.

Our Lynx sails are not just about sailing but about planting seeds for future learning or career opportunities. At Egan, we aspire to inspire the next generation of “Salty Nantucketers.” Our sails include two extended three- and five-day expeditions where students learn the ropes and find confidence at sea. After their return, these youth earn the title of Student Mariner.

Egan Maritime and the Tall Ship Lynx continue to partner throughout the summer. During the summer, EMI offers numerous sailing opportunities. Join us on the Lynx for sunset sails, concerts on the water, and the popular Nanpuppets family cruise.

Egan Maritime members receive discounts on all Tall Ship Lynx Sails. To learn more about non-Egan Maritime sponsored sails aboard the Tall Ship Lynx visit: https://tallshiplynx.com/