Ship-to-Shore
Project Description
The “Ship to Shore” program follows on from the Canadian Leaders at Sea Program (CLaS) of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) to increase the awareness of the next generation to the RCN and provide a unique integrative learning experience to students. ‘Ship to Shore’ will employ regular communication between ship (HMCS Calgary) and shore (various schools) while she fits up, readies for deployment, and sails to destinations across the globe. Commencing in September 2019 and continuing since then (except for a short Covid-induced hiatus), more than 400 elementary school students in Calgary have experienced this program.
Students will actively engage sailors of HMCS CALGARY, via regular live video conference in classroom and other technologies, allowing coordinated communication that can explore and achieve curricular outcomes in the following:
• Social Studies – Geography;
• Mathematics – Logistics;
• English Language – Globalization;
• Science – Marine ecology;
• Technology (including SONAR and RADAR);
• CALM – Leadership, Citizenship, Teamwork.
This personalized introduction of the leadership, effectiveness, and values of our RCN to our next generation will allow students to see more of the world through our deployed men and women of HMCS CALGARY. A successful pilot could be adopted by schools in one or more of the other 11 Canadian cities by connecting with their namesake “Halifax” Class Frigate.

HMCS Calgary (FFH-335) near Pearl Harbor in 2014 (Credit: U.S. Navy via Canadian Sgt. Matthew McGregor)
Click HERE for a fact sheet about the Halifax-Class frigates.
Opportunities for Learning:
1. Cross curricular connections, authentically weaving the RCN story through all subjects.
2. Topic variance through spirit of inquiry: teamwork, coding/mapping, sonar technology, waste.
3. Direct Question & Answer portal (2 way) to learn and expand understanding.
4. Combined Forces Productions will video introductory welcome addresses for each school; serving to start the narration of the sailors and introduces key contact personnel.
5. Global connectivity and increased awareness of Royal Canadian Navy to next generation.
6. Key deliverables: competency and character, leadership, collaboration, problem solving, global geography, and community building.
7. Successful pilot will demonstrate an overarching national youth engagement potential with all of the RCN Ships and their namesake city schools; creating an outstanding opportunity, using technology, to give every Canadian school aged youth the chance to experience the advanced innovation, leadership, expertise, and diversity of a career as a sailor, without ever setting foot on deck.