Students christen two miniboats at Maritime Museum

Published 11:33 am Thursday, December 25, 2025

The pair will join a fleet of others heading out on a Pacific voyage

By JAY CORELLA

The Astorian

On Thursday, Dec. 18, students and teachers from two Kelso, Washington schools gathered at the Columbia River Maritime Museum to officially christen a pair of “miniboats,” prior to their voyage out into the Pacific Ocean. The children built the boats over a 10-week period through an education program with the museum where they learned about ship design, naval science and naval traditions. 

One, christened “Survivor,” was built by Tangi Bennett’s fifth grade class from Wallace Elementary School and another, “Titanic Unsinkabear,” was built by Olivia Nigh’s fourth grade class from Barnes Elementary School.

The christening was the culmination of the museum’s educational miniboat program. The miniboats are slated to be released into the Pacific off of a large cargo vessel and will join a fleet of over 30 which have also been built, christened and released by other schools.

The boats are equipped with G.P.S. trackers will be able to be tracked online during their time in the Pacific.

“I don’t think they realize they’re learning,” said Bennett.”It has been an amazing hands-on activity.” 

For Nathan Yeh, a boat educator at the museum, the miniboats represent the first set he has overseen since taking on his position within the education department in August.

“I think the favorite part for me wasn’t necessarily the miniboat itself,” Yeh said, “It was more getting to know the students and having that journey in that 10-week program. … In our other programs, we go to schools to visit just for like an hour for one day, and then visit them maybe next year again,” said Yeh. “But with that 10-week cycle, you can really get to know some of these students.”

The event started with a series of presentations by student teams. The presentations included poems, reports about what students learned, information about the vessels and wishing the vessels good luck.

“Mr. Nathan will take our miniboat to a not-so-miniboat,” said one of the students at Wallace Elementary.

The program culminated in the christening. Branches were placed on the miniboats, to symbolize a safe return to shore. Next, sugar glass bottles were smashed on the side of the hull to christen the vessel — and the students celebrated with an orange juice toast. 

The miniboats will be loaded onto the Panamanian bulk carrier Buena Ventura before being released into the Pacific Ocean. 

The miniboat’s voyages can be tracked online: at educationalpassages.org.