The Sea Creature That Saved a School (How Lobsters Are Keeping Students in School)


The small community on Deer Isle in Maine struggled to keep students in school; many felt that a diploma was unnecessary, since they could drop out and make good money by in the lobster fishing industry. But the local high school found a creative solution to keep students engaged and ensure increased opportunities in what can be a volatile industry. They redesigned their academic courses to suit the interests and talents of their students, placing an emphasis on project-based learning that explores traditional academic topics through fishing and marine themes - such as studying geometry through boat building. The approach has helped increase graduation rates by more than 30%.

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