Educational Passages Podcast

Cassie
  • 5.0 (5)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

This podcast takes a deeper dive into the world of miniboats and their Educational Passages. Hear from students, teachers, deployers, researchers, finders, and more. Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

  1. The Cape Cod Sea Turtle Project

    3H AGO

    The Cape Cod Sea Turtle Project

    Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series — where the stories behind our miniboats reveal something even deeper than ocean currents and GPS tracks. Each episode invites you to step into a moment of possibility — to feel the anticipation, the uncertainty, and the extraordinary connections that unfold when students send something small into a very big ocean. Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this: The Cape Cod Sea Turtle Project, where students, scientists, and community partners work together to understand how ocean currents impact cold-stunned sea turtles. Through the use of student-built miniboats and drifters, classrooms become part of real-world research—tracking movement, collecting data, and uncovering patterns in the ocean. This is a story of hands-on learning, collaboration, and discovery, showing how understanding the movement of water can help protect marine life and power the blue economy.  Sources & More Info: Educational Passages Project: https://educationalpassages.org/capecodseaturtleproject/ Mass Audubon Sea Turtle Project: https://www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/wellfleet-bay/projects/sea-turtlesStudentdrifters.org Page FM, Manning J, Howard L, Healey R, Karraker NE. 2023. Developing bottom drifters to better understand the stranding locations of cold-stunned sea turtles in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. PeerJ 11:e15866 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15866). Cold Stunned Sea Turtles: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/cold-snaps-and-stunned-sea-turtles More on Jim Manning's work: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/low-cost-technology-helps-connect-fishermen-and-students-science Support the show Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

    13 min
  2. Flat Stanley Finds a Sweet Ride

    MAR 14

    Flat Stanley Finds a Sweet Ride

    Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series — where the stories behind our miniboats reveal something even deeper than ocean currents and GPS tracks. Each episode invites you to step into a moment of possibility — to feel the anticipation, the uncertainty, and the extraordinary connections that unfold when students send something small into a very big ocean. Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this: A classroom on Peaks Island, Maine builds a miniboat called P.I.E. on the Tide and fills its cargo hold with dozens of Flat Stanleys — tiny paper travelers ready for adventure. The boat sails into a quiet cove in Newfoundland, where it’s discovered by a crew working on the water and eventually delivered to a nearby school. What happens next is a coincidence so perfect it feels almost scripted. In Flat Stanley Finds a Sweet Ride, we share the story of how a simple classroom tradition, a student-built boat, and a little help from the ocean came together to create one very sweet connection across the sea. Read more and see what happens next; https://educationalpassages.org/boats/pieonthetide/ Support the show Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

    12 min
  3. Why do we LOVE miniboats?

    FEB 12

    Why do we LOVE miniboats?

    Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible. Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.  Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this: Since it's February, we’re talking about love — why we LOVE miniboats! Not just because they carry love letters to the world, but we will share some of the extraordinary true moments they've brought us—serendipity in Nantucket, a wedding-day connection in Australia, and the unforgettable journey of the Rye Riptides: A classroom in the middle of a pandemic launches a miniboat into the Gulf Stream. Students track it for months as the world feels uncertain and disconnected. What happens isn’t just a remarkable ocean crossing, but a powerful reminder that curiosity can anchor us, stewardship can unite us, and even the smallest boat can carry connection, resilience, and love across an entire ocean basin. Visit https://educationalpassages.org/support to make a gift which helps these stories continue, and visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/ryeriptides/ to see pictures and the full story of the Rye Riptides that was featured in this episode. Support the show Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

    11 min
  4. Message in a Bottle 2.0

    JAN 19

    Message in a Bottle 2.0

    Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible. Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.  Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:  Message in a Bottle 2.0 tells an extraordinary true story of chance, connection, and community. When the Crimson Cyclone, launched on Christmas Eve 2023, made an unexpectedly quick landing along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it set off a chain of events, with an unlikely connection at the heart of it all. This episode shares how curiosity sent into the ocean—whether by bottle or by boat—can return as meaningful connections, new programs, and lasting opportunities for students, reminding us that learning and community often grow from the most unexpected beginnings. Visit https://educationalpassages.org/support to make a gift which helps these stories continue, and visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/crimsoncyclone/ to see pictures and the full story of the miniboat featured in this episode. Support the show Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

    12 min
  5. The Gift That Keeps On Giving

    12/27/2025

    The Gift That Keeps On Giving

    Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible. Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.  Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:  This episode tells the remarkable, ongoing story of a student-built miniboat that has connected classrooms, countries, and generations since its first launch in 2016. What began as a high school research project in Connecticut became a global journey across the Atlantic, linking students in the U.S., Ireland, the UK, the Canary Islands, the Bahamas, and then North Carolina through shared discovery, letters, data, and friendship. Relaunched again and again by new students each time, Lancer carries gifts in her cargo hold and lessons in her wake, proving that learning doesn’t end at the shoreline. This episode reflects on how one small boat became a “gift that keeps on giving” — inspiring curiosity, community, and connection year after year — and invites listeners to help keep her legacy sailing into the future. Visit https://educationalpassages.org/support to make your gift and help keep the Lancer's story alive (https://educationalpassages.org/boats/lancer/) Support the show Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

    14 min
  6. Wow, Palau!

    11/19/2025

    Wow, Palau!

    Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible. Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.  Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:  How far can a summer project carry the dreams of a new generation of ocean explorers? Sparked by hands-on learning with the Oregon Coast STEM Hub, high school students along the Oregon coast build an uncrewed sailboat—the Yaquina Neversink—and launch it into the Pacific. What follows is an extraordinary eight-month voyage across thousands of miles. This miniboat’s resilient journey forges global connections, breaks records, and brings students closer to science, community, and the power of the ocean itself. Guided by a name rooted in hope and heritage, this tiny vessel proves just how far small beginnings can truly travel. Visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/yaquinaneversink/ for more information about the boat and project - and what happened next! Support the show Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

    9 min
  7. The Albatross

    10/10/2025

    The Albatross

    Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible. Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.  Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:  How can one field trip spark a journey that soars far beyond the classroom? Inspired by the TMS Sea Challenger, a group of middle school students from Massachusetts build their own miniboat—DMS Anita—and send it to sea aboard the R/V Endeavor. What follows is a remarkable adventure spanning two ocean voyages, unexpected landings, global connections, and a bittersweet homecoming aboard the ship’s final cruise. Guided by a symbol of endurance and exploration, this story celebrates how one classroom’s dream grew into a global journey of ocean exploration and inspiration. Visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/anita/ for more information about the boat and project, as well as https://educationalpassages.org/boats/tmsseachallenger/ and https://educationalpassages.org/boats/warrior/ for more information about the other boats mentioned in the podcast. Support the show Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

    17 min
  8. The Sea Eagle Has Landed

    09/11/2025

    The Sea Eagle Has Landed

    Season 4 of the Educational Passages Podcast continues with our “Imagine This” series - Where the magic of miniboats come alive through the voices and visions of those who make it all possible. Each episode will paint a vivid picture of discovery, connection, and curiosity — not just tracking the voyages, but exploring the challenges and unexpected outcomes behind them.  Now press play, close your eyes, and imagine this:  What happens when a high school marine biology class sets out to build a tiny boat and release it into the Atlantic? An extraordinary three-year odyssey ensues... It's about more than just tracking ocean currents, this project evolved into a powerful lesson about persistence, collaboration, and global connection. Listen in for the full story and find out where it ended up! Visit https://educationalpassages.org/boats/seaeagle/ for more information about the boat and project, as well as https://educationalpassages.org/boats/gryphoncruiser/ and https://educationalpassages.org/boats/hope/ for more information about the other boats mentioned in the podcast. Support the show Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

    12 min
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About

This podcast takes a deeper dive into the world of miniboats and their Educational Passages. Hear from students, teachers, deployers, researchers, finders, and more. Educational Passages is a non-profit organization that seeks to connect people around the world to the ocean and each other through unique global experiences.

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