New Maritime High School Near Seattle Brings Project-Based Maritime Education and Career Paths

Starting this autumn, the Seattle area will welcome a new maritime high school that aims to broaden access to boating, maritime trades, and waterfront careers for students from diverse backgrounds. Maritime High School, part of the Highline Public Schools system, will open with an initial freshman class and add subsequent grade levels over time, inviting students from nearby communities as well as from inside the district.

Filling a Gap in Maritime Education

Maritime high schools remain rare in the United States; one of the best-known examples is The New York Harbor School, established in 2003 and now located on Governors Island. The new Maritime High School in the Highline district will provide another important model of maritime education in the Pacific Northwest, emphasizing both recreational boating and job-ready skills for careers on and near the water.

Project-Based Learning at the Core

The school’s curriculum centers on project-based learning rather than a traditional period-by-period schedule. Bernard Koontz, executive director of teaching, learning and leadership for Highline Public Schools, explains that students will work on extended projects that can last several weeks and address real-world maritime questions. For example, a multi-week project might focus on improving container ship efficiency, blending academic learning with industry engagement.

Students will partner with teachers and industry experts to research problems, interview professionals, visit docks, and gather firsthand observations. On some days they will be in the field—spending time on docks or aboard vessels—while other days they will work in the classroom to master specific math, science, or technical skills needed to advance their projects. This approach aims to connect academic content directly to practical maritime applications, helping students see how classroom concepts relate to real jobs and systems on the water.

Partnership with Northwest Maritime Center

Highline Public Schools has partnered with the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend, Washington, to design the maritime curriculum. The Northwest Maritime Center is widely recognized for its educational programs and community events—such as the annual Wooden Boat Festival—and it brings deep experience creating hands-on maritime lessons for learners of all ages. That experience helps ensure the new maritime high school blends traditional academics with practical skills and experiential learning.

Jake Beattie, executive director of the Northwest Maritime Center, describes a model where certified classroom teachers work alongside maritime instructors to deliver hands-on lessons. Practical skills like outboard engine repair are taught not only as technical competencies but also as opportunities to explore systems thinking—how pumps, fuel systems, and mechanical components interact. In middle-school programs, for example, students apply algebra to chart work, calculating time, speed, and distance before using those plans to navigate a small boat.

Opening Doors to Waterfront Careers and Recreation

A central goal of the new Maritime High School is to create equitable access to the water. Historically, participation in recreational boating and many waterfront professions has been unevenly distributed across communities. Koontz highlights that the school’s design explicitly seeks to reduce barriers tied to ZIP code or skin color, offering pathways into maritime careers and lifelong recreational engagement.

While not every student will pursue a career as a marine technician, tugboat operator, or ship engineer, the program aims to increase awareness of boating and maritime occupations and to foster practical skills, confidence, and interest. The curriculum is expected to include wooden-boat building and sailing—traditions with strong roots in the Pacific Northwest—so students can explore both industry jobs and recreational boating as long-term interests.

How Community Members and Boaters Can Help

Community support will play a vital role in the school’s success. Local boaters and maritime businesses can contribute through financial donations, vessel donations, and by offering internships or mentorships. Organizations and individuals with specific technical skills—marine mechanics, vessel operators, sailmakers, or navigation instructors—are encouraged to discuss ways to volunteer or partner with the program to provide hands-on learning and career exposure for students.

By combining project-based learning, industry partnerships, and community support, Maritime High School aims to expand access to maritime education and create new opportunities for students in the Seattle area. Its arrival marks an important step toward diversifying the pool of young people who experience the water and consider maritime careers.

This article was originally published in the April 2021 issue.