Introducing SEA Star:

Star Island’s Cross-Curricular Education Program

SEA Star offers day & overnight trips:

  • Educational Programming for Elementary and Middle School classes
  • Service Projects for High School and Recreational groups

Field trips include up to 3+ hours of educational content, including Social studies, Environment, and Arts activities, a group sustainability game, and focused discussions.

  • Teacup Techniques
  • Peering into Plankton
  • Waste Race
  • Island Rhymes

SEA Star includes an opportunity for students to give back – Star Service is a fun way for students to help the island thrive and to learn more about how it works. Options include:

  • Gosport Gardening: help the Environmental Services Team take care of island gardens
  • Island Clean-Up: help keep the island clean and learn about how marine life is affected by trash that gets into the oceans
  • Help-the-Pels: assist our seasonal staff, the Pelicans, with helping operate the Oceanic Hotel – fold laundry and get a behind-the-scenes looks at how our housekeeping team operates

SEA Star hopes to encourage students to learn about Star Island, create something when they visit, and inspire them to take home what they learn and share what we do on Star with others.

Contact Justina Maji for more information.

SEA Star’s Vision

Star Island is an ideal place for teaching and learning because of its unique setting and heritage and Star Island Corporation’s commitment to its vision, “to create on Star Island an environment that frees all who come to renew spiritually, explore matters of consequence, and gain knowledge about the world as it might ideally be.”

Star Island staff and shoalers are passionate about making the world a better place and creating a supportive community that is empowered to carry out important, educated work in the wider world. SEA Star’s mission is very much the same – to inspire people of all ages, children in particular, to learn about Social Studies, Environment, and Arts on Star Island, and to take that knowledge back to the mainland to inspire others and to learn and grow as caring, educated members of our community.

There is no better place to learn than in the welcoming, encouraging, and hopeful setting of Star Island. We encourage you to bring your students to SEA Star so that we may help them discover this special place and the opportunity to learn, create, & inspire others with their experiences on our magical island in New Hampshire’s own backyard.

Social Studies

Star Island is rich with information to share about history, the environment, and art. As one of the Isles of Shoals, Star Island is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a federally recognized list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Star Island’s designation as a National Historic Placereflects its cultural and architectural significance in American history. The Celia Thaxter Museum and Vaughn Cottage Library holds a wealth of educational resources, including books, artifacts, and research materials. SEA Star teaches students about three different eras on Star Island, dating back to John Smith’s landing in 1614 and the Gosport fishing village, through the Grand Hotel Era of the 1800’s, until our current role as a forward thinking conference and retreat center founded in 1915 by the non-profit Star Island Corporation.

Environment

Star Island has been on the forefront of green technology in New Hampshire, with the largest off-grid solar array in New England that powers up to 60% of our electricity and 100% in the off season months. Our Green Gosport Initiative includes innovative strategies to lessen our footprint on the environment and combat climate change, including, but not limited to the different types of water we use, composting, and creative re-use of materials. The island also hosts a plethora of plants and wildlife, and has its own marine lab with a touch tank.

Arts

Creativity is plentiful on Star, as readers, writers, musicians, and other skilled artisans gather often to work in what many feel is the perfect setting for developing art. Poetry, prose, music, and visual art are abundant, and talented artists of all kinds love to spend time learning on the island. SEA Star challenges students to test their creative side by designing their own teacup, inspired by Celia Thaxter’s pottery, in a place where every view looks like a postcard and inspiration abounds. Our curriculum shares Celia’s own work with students and asks them to try their hand at poetry about what they see, hear, feel, and touch on the island.

Star Service Projects

We have plenty of opportunities for your students to give back! A SEA Star Service Project is a fun way to help the island thrive and to learn more about how it works.

Help us pick up trash on the front lawn, near the shore, and around the hotel. Learn how to help sea creatures affected by litter!

Help our seasonal staff, the “Pelicans”, with a group clean up task that will lighten their work load. Learn how a little teamwork can go a long way!

Assist the island gardeners with weeding or harvesting veggies in one of our island gardens. Learn how a garden grows!