"Boarding a cargo ship during a severe storm" from presentation at USL by Chs. Harbor Pilot (8/2024)

Current events & guest speakers = powering student learning and curiosity!
In June, the steady hand of harbor pilot Christopher Thornton saved Charleston from a catastrophic disaster. He navigated the runaway MSC Michigan VII cargo ship safely out to sea. We had already studied the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster in March, so our students started school this month primed to learn more about all of this.
We are grateful for Charleston Branch Pilots Association President Crayton Walters for speaking with us yesterday. His compelling presentation (including a video of his boarding a cargo ship in 50 mph winds!) about these situations, the history of harbor pilots, what is required to become one, what the job entails, what ships they guide, and more was riveting. He stayed extra to answer over 30 thoughtful questions from our students! Our students and teachers now have a more comprehensive understanding of our port and how different pieces fit together.
Complementary learning experiences in the past two years have included the following: we have toured the South Carolina Ports Authority Wando Welch terminal, learned about the Charleston Port and Seafarers Society, attended a Marine Corps graduation at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., took part in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony on the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, kayaked Shem Creek to Crab Bank Island & the Black River with our friends from Coastal Expeditions, and much more.
We believe that our students should learn and understand the world through experiences. We want to empower them to be engaged in civic life. We are building life skills in our students to foster future leaders.
These values drive our robust experiential learning (30 field trips per year) and guest speaker program (30+ speakers per year). We want our students to see the world first-hand, learn from experts, understand all of the amazing opportunities and careers that exist, and become inspired by hearing directly from professionals in their field. All guest speakers will share their personal story and their career path at the outset. This allows our students to gain personal insights and knowledge about pathways to various professions and careers.
By the time of high school graduation, these experiences make our students uncommonly rare, insightful, compassionate, and informed (through 300+ guest speakers)! This is incredibly meaningful for colleges/universities and jobs beyond University School -- giving both confidence and comfort with working with a wide range of people and a direct understanding of a slew of jobs/careers.