Saltus Grammar School students have made history as the first organization in Bermuda to participate in the internationally recognized Educational Passages Miniboat Program, launching the island’s first student-assembled educational research miniboat into the Atlantic Ocean.

Since September 2025, 13 senior students, guided by Saltus Science Teacher Paul Wright, have been engaged in a truly unique, interdisciplinary oceanography project that integrates science, technology, engineering, design, communications, and real-world research. The project culminated in the successful launch of their uncrewed research vessel, Coral Tempest, on Wednesday, 14th January, by the team from Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), a unit of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University. Scientists and crew aboard R/V Atlantic Explorer were also carrying out scientific work funded by the US National Science Foundation at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series (BATS) sites 45 nm to the southeast of the island.

This pioneering project exemplifies Saltus’ adoption of the British Columbia Curriculum, highlighting the school’s commitment to authentic, interdisciplinary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) learning that encourages students to apply knowledge in meaningful, real-world contexts.

As part of their Oceanography course, students assembled, equipped, tested, and prepared a 1.5-metre (5-foot) uncrewed research vessel designed to sail downwind across the ocean while collecting valuable environmental data. Participation in the global Educational Passages program places Saltus at the forefront of experiential marine science education and marks a significant milestone for Bermuda’s educational community.

The project was deliberately structured to reflect real-world scientific collaboration. Students were organized into five specialist teams, each responsible for a critical component of the vessel’s development:

Working collaboratively, students were responsible for every stage of the process,from construction and ballasting to sealing, branding, and launch preparation. Now at sea, the Coral Tempest will transmit real-time data as students track its Atlantic journey, analyze oceanographic conditions, and study weather systems as part of their ongoing coursework.

“The Coral Tempest represents the very best of what learning looks like at Saltus,” said the Saltus Grammar School Head of School, Ms. Julie Rousseau, “Through our adoption of the British Columbia Curriculum, we are committed to interdisciplinary, inquiry-based learning that connects knowledge to real-world application. This project brought science, technology, engineering, creativity, and collaboration together in a powerful way, while marking a proud milestone as the first organization in Bermuda to participate in this global research initiative. Our students are not just studying oceanography, they are engaged in ongoing research, authentic problem-solving and collaboration and learning how to thrive through an exciting shared challenge and purpose.”

The Saltus community and the public are invited to follow Coral Tempest as it journeys across the Atlantic Ocean: https://educationalpassages.org/boats/coraltempest/

Educational Passages, a not-for-profit organization based in Maine, has been promoting ocean and environmental literacy through hands-on research experiences since 2009. While more than 200 miniboats have been launched globally, Saltus’ participation represents the first time Bermuda has been part of this worldwide scientific network.

Each miniboat is a genuine research vessel equipped with GPS tracking and satellite communication. Sensors measure sea surface temperature and wave height, while the boats are powered entirely by wind and surface currents, with no motors or remote control, allowing them to drift naturally across the ocean.

Miniboats frequently survive major storms and often make landfall in distant countries, where they are recovered and relaunched by new communities, fostering international connections and shared scientific discovery. To date, the program has connected students across 36 countries.

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