11th-grade students from the Maritime Engineering and Environmental Studies Academy (MEESA) showcased Innovator I, the academy’s first mini boat, during Sail250 in Norfolk, Virginia. Students have been designing, building, and testing the vessel since the first quarter of the 2025-2026 school year as part of MEESA’s signature project.
Through participation in the Educational Passages program, students joined a worldwide network of young explorers using mini boats to study the ocean, collect data, and connect with classrooms across the globe through real-world STEM learning.
Throughout the school year, students designed, built, and tested Innovator I while applying concepts in engineering, environmental science, and maritime studies. As they developed their vessel, students applied their knowledge about global logistics, weather patterns, and ocean currents. They also learned the physics behind sailing, including buoyancy, hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, drag, and vessel efficiency. Through iterative design and testing, students gained a deeper understanding of how wind, water, and a boat’s structure work together to create movement across the ocean.
The name Innovator I reflects both the identity of the students and the significance of this inaugural launch. At MEESA, students are known as Innovators, young visionaries who explore, design, and solve problems through hands-on STEM experiences connected to maritime and environmental fields. The Roman numeral “I” represents the beginning of a fleet, the courage to take the first step, and the belief that one idea, or one student, can start a wave of change.
The goal is for Innovator I to be powered by wind and ocean currents while transmitting GPS location and environmental data that can be tracked and analyzed by students.
Additionally, MEESA Innovators had the opportunity to showcase their work at the Student CTE Showcase at the Virginia Air and Space Center alongside their teachers and MEESA Director, Tirzah Jaynes. The event also featured a documentary highlighting an innovative Virginia school that uses hands-on, workplace-based learning and showcased Region 2 Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that provide students with similar real-world learning experiences.
The crew of Innovator I is composed of 11th-grade Innovators from MEESA, a Virginia College Partnership Lab School led by Old Dominion University in collaboration with Newport News Public Schools. Through partnerships with educators, university researchers, and maritime professionals, students connect classroom learning to authentic maritime and environmental applications while preparing for future careers in Virginia’s growing maritime economy.
Special Thanks
This project would not have been possible without the support of community and industry partners who provided expertise, mentorship, and opportunities for students to connect their learning to real-world maritime experiences.
We extend our sincere thanks to the following partners for making Innovator I possible:
- Educational Passages for connecting MEESA students to a global network of ocean exploration and STEM learning.
- QED for helping students explore maritime trades and career pathways.
- The Mariners’ Museum and Park for co-designing an interactive exhibit that will allow the community to track Innovator I’s journey.
- Youth Sail Virginia for teaching students the fundamentals of sailing and vessel navigation.
- J&F Alliance Group for supporting the integration of IoT technologies, AI-driven data visualization, and dashboards that enable students to analyze information from the Atlantic Ocean.
- Signature Canvas Makers for introducing students to maritime CAD design, digital fabrication, and the role of marine textiles in vessel design and manufacturing.
- The U.S. Coast Guard for assisting with safe launch operations.
- Dominion Energy for helping students explore connections between offshore wind energy, maritime engineering, and sustainability.
Together, these partners help MEESA students build the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to navigate Virginia’s maritime future while creating a legacy that will continue as future cohorts of Innovators launch vessels of their own.