St Mary’s School students’ voyage aboard tall ship (From Wharfedale Observer)

St Mary’s School students’ voyage aboard tall ship

4:50pm Saturday 21st July 2012 in News By Observer reporter

Two students of St Mary’s School in Menston celebrated the finale of a 12th anniversary Tall Ships Trust voyage when they sailed into Portsmouth aboard the Stavros S Niarchos.

Lewis Mulholland and Georgia Shepheard, both aged 17, were among a crew of 45 students from 20 schools across England who set sail from Hartlepool last week for a ten-day voyage. It took them across the North Sea to Belgium and then down the English Channel to Portsmouth.

They described the voyage as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime experience’, having been specially selected to take part in the voyage by their school.

The voyages develop life skills, confidence and teamwork while, on a practical level, they help students learn first-hand about sailing, geog-raphy and weather systems.

Trust operations director, Tim Law, said: “For the past week, the students have been living in close quarters with each other in a new and challenging environment.

“They have forged friendships, faced challenges and taken part in new experiences – at the same time developing skills that will stand them in good stead for their future lives.”