Jerome Bird Hi, I'm Jerome Bird, the Director of Education for Pride of Baltimore II. This is a great job because you get to sail a lot and meet lots of interesting people - like the other 10 Teachers Aboard and the hundreds of students who come to visit the ship on School Tours.

My office is in the World Trade Center in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The World Trade Center is the world tallest five-sided building. You can see it from everywhere around the harbor. It's a cool place to work. On this trip, I'll be sailing from Mystic, Connecticut, to Philadelphia. Mystic has a wonderful seaport that has been restored so that it looks just like it would have in the 1840s.

They are building a tall ship there called Amistad. That was a ship that slaves took over when they were sailing near Cuba in 1839. That was the only slave uprising on a ship. In 1997, Pride II played the part of Amistad in a movie with that name made by Director Steven Speilberg. It was exciting to watch our own ship on the big movie screen! I'll tell you lots more about Mystic and Amistad when I'm there.

Sandy Barrows Hi, Boys and Girls! I am Mrs. Barrows. I will be your guide as we travel on board Pride of Baltimore II from Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love, to Annapolis harbor, our own state capitol. I live and teach in Bowie, Maryland, a residential neighborhood, which is located in Prince George's County. Our county borders Washington, D.C. My city is on the eastern side, right next to Ann Arundel County. Many people know it because of the horse racing track in Bowie.

Because of our central location, many of the parents of the students at my school, Kenilworth Elementary, work in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washihgton, D.C. Kids spend their weekends playing soccer or baseball or whatever sport is in season.

Kenilworth is the home of over 700 students, most of whom live in Bowie. There are four classes on each grade level - K-6. We were thrilled to be named a Blue Ribbon School this year and are also proud that our principal, Mr. Melzer, was named Outstanding Educator at the national level by the Milkin Foundation.

My Kenilworth students and I are touring Pride of Baltimore II while it is docked in Saint Michael's this May. We are happy to be your hosts for the first leg of our tour of the Chesapeake Bay area. We invite you to come with us as we tour Liberty Square in Philadelphia, ride the waves of the Chesapeake, and dock near our home in Annapolis.

Carol Corwell-Martin Ahoy maties! I always wanted to say that, but living in Western Maryland doesn't offer as many sailing adventures as other parts of Maryland. Western Maryland does have a lot of other things to offer. We'll get back to that in a minute!

My name is Carol Corwell-Martin, and I am a third grade teacher/curriculum coordinator at Salem Avenue Elementary School in Hagerstown, Maryland. My school is a large elementary school for our county, with about 500 students in grades Pre-K through 4. We are also a Title 1 school; maybe your school is too? This was a really great year for our school...we were named a National Blue Ribbon School and I was the Washington County Teacher of the Year.

Hagerstown is in Washington County, named after none other than our first president, George Washington. You probably didn't know that the first monument ever erected to honor Washington still stands in our county.

When people from "away" ask about where my school is in Maryland, I say, "You know the really skinny part of Maryland, where the state is almost split in two? That's where we are." We are tucked into the Allegany Mountains, so there are many opportunities for hiking, biking, camping, and exploring the forests. The Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia, marks the eastern boundary. The southern boundary is the Potomac River, which offers good fishing, motor boating, and hiking along the C & O Canal.

Another favorite place to visit in our county is Antietam National Battlefield, the site commemorating the bloodiest day of fighting of the Civil War. The northern boundary of Washington County is the famous Mason-Dixon line. When I was growing up, I was always told that the Maxon-Dixon line was supposed to be further north, and that's why Washington County almost got cut in half. My husband (who is from Pennsylvania) says that's not true. I think he might like the fact that Pennsylvania got more land than they were supposed to!

My students call me "Ms. C" and they know these things about me: I like to collect diner stuff, I'm a runner, and I love outrageous books like Math Curse, Diffendoofer Day, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. What are your favorite books? I really try to make learning fun and exciting, and I love to laugh with my students!

Mary Kay Hirsch Hi boys and girls! My name is Mary Kay Hirsch. I teach second grade at Brooke Grove Elementary School in Olney, Maryland. We are a suburban community in Montgomery County. There are about 600 students enrolled here in grades K-5. How does that compare with your school?

Carol Lady Ahoy! Greetings from the capital of Maryland! I'm Carol Lady, an adventurous first grade teacher at West Annapolis Elementary School in Anne Arundel County. West Annapolis Elementary (WAES) is located in a waterfront neighborhood in the city of Annapolis, less than a mile from the State House, the Governor's Mansion, and the Naval Academy. Our students can take walking field trips back in time into our historic district or walking field trips to our State Government buildings to experience current events first hand.

Our small community school uses the "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child" rule toward our students' education as we actively involve all 237 students, parents, Midshipmen volunteers, neighbors, and 20 teachers to assure SUCCESS for everyone.

Jamie Pepper Greetings from Saint Mary's County. My name is Jamie Pepper and I will be your Teacher Aboard Pride of Baltimore II from Norfolk, VA, to St.Mary's City, MD. I have never sailed before so I am kind of nervous. I hope I don't get seasick!!

I do enjoy the water and spend as much time in and around the water as possible. From the deck of my house, I can see water all around me. Last summer, I bought a jetski and I try to ride it every chance I get. When I'm not riding the jetski, I like to sit on my beach and read or just enjoy the view.

I teach at Banneker Loveville Elementary School in Loveville, MD. My school is located in a rural community with tobacco farms, country roads, and Amish buggies. I have been a member of the Banneker Loveville staff for 12 years. This year I am teaching math and social studies to both fourth and fifth graders. My class is getting their Maryland Pursuit team together. We plan to answer all the questions in the Game, and make up some, too, so that we can earn lots of points! My class really want to win the grand prize - the sail on Pride II in the spring. Will we be competing against your school?

Fran Rallo Ahoy! My name is Frances Rallo and I am a Baltimore County resource teacher. I've been at my school, Timonium Elementary, for six years and in Baltimore County for nineteen. I teach third, fourth, and fifth grade students either math, social studies, reading, or language.

The groups I work with are small. Sometimes I just have two or three students in my group. They are very smart students but have a hard time learning in the large classroom setting. I teach them in a different way, too.

If you were to come into my classroom, you might see the students playing a game in math. The reading students might be watching a video of puppets teaching them phonic sounds. We read for literary experience, to be informed, and to perform a task. This year we made ghosts, turkeys, trees, snowmen, sheep, and some smaller projects like making candy and cookies. The students have fun making these projects and learn a lot about following directions.