West Island College
Encyclopedia
The West Island Colleges are a set of private Canadian
junior high and high school
s, one of which is located in Montreal
's West Island
, and the other in the south-east of Calgary
. The schools also offer a program known as Class Afloat that provides students with an educational experience while sailing around the world.
, located on the West Island of Montreal. The Montreal campus has since moved to Dollard des Ormeaux.
credit to students while living aboard a tall ship
. Students may sail for one or two semesters during which time they learn seamanship
and work as crew
members while taking high school classes with teachers on board. Port programs in the cities visited provide the students with an opportunity to meet and interact with other cultures, giving them an international perspective on their education. Class Afloat took place in the S.V. Concordia
since its foundation until the sinking of the ship in February 2010.
The ship operated with a full complement of professional crew, administration, teachers and students. It sailed a different route every year and it circumnavigated the globe many times. In 2008-2009, it crossed the Atlantic
three times, sailing through Northern and Western Europe
, South America
, Western and Southern Africa
, and the Caribbean
before finishing the year in Nova Scotia
.
The Concordia sank on February 17, 2010, about 550 km from the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
. All the passengers and the crew were rescued without injuries by two merchant ships after being located by the Brazilian Navy
.
The 2010-2011 Class Afloat program will take place aboard SS Sørlandet, a fully rigged Norwegian vessel, built in 1927.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
junior high and high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s, one of which is located in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's West Island
West Island
The West Island is the unofficial name given to the western cities and boroughs of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada...
, and the other in the south-east of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
. The schools also offer a program known as Class Afloat that provides students with an educational experience while sailing around the world.
History
The College was founded in 1974 by Terry D. Davies in Pointe-Claire, QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, located on the West Island of Montreal. The Montreal campus has since moved to Dollard des Ormeaux.
Class Afloat
The College again expanded its offerings with the addition of the Class Afloat program. Class Afloat is a co-educational sailing program that provides high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
credit to students while living aboard a tall ship
Tall ship
A tall ship is a large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques. "Tall Ship" can also be defined more specifically by an organization, such as for a race or festival....
. Students may sail for one or two semesters during which time they learn seamanship
Seamanship
Seamanship is the art of operating a ship or boat.It involves a knowledge of a variety of topics and development of specialised skills including: navigation and international maritime law; weather, meteorology and forecasting; watchstanding; ship-handling and small boat handling; operation of deck...
and work as crew
Crew
A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard...
members while taking high school classes with teachers on board. Port programs in the cities visited provide the students with an opportunity to meet and interact with other cultures, giving them an international perspective on their education. Class Afloat took place in the S.V. Concordia
Concordia (ship)
Concordia was a steel-hulled barquentine that was built in Poland in 1992 for the West Island College, Montreal, Canada. She served as a sail training ship until she capsized and sank on 17 February 2010.-Description:...
since its foundation until the sinking of the ship in February 2010.
The ship operated with a full complement of professional crew, administration, teachers and students. It sailed a different route every year and it circumnavigated the globe many times. In 2008-2009, it crossed the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
three times, sailing through Northern and Western Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Western and Southern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
before finishing the year in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
The Concordia sank on February 17, 2010, about 550 km from the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. All the passengers and the crew were rescued without injuries by two merchant ships after being located by the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
.
The 2010-2011 Class Afloat program will take place aboard SS Sørlandet, a fully rigged Norwegian vessel, built in 1927.