Half Moon Returns to Goodwin

EAST HARTFORD – Goodwin College welcomed a good friend back to town as the replica ship Half Moon returned to the River Campus, visiting from upstate New York.

The ship – a sailing museum replica of Henry Hudson’s 1609 vessel that the explorer captained during one of his voyages to the New World – is docked at the College until next week. It arrived at Goodwin’s deep-river dock on the Connecticut River last week, and remained here during Hurricane Sandy. The ship was unscathed by the storm.

Connecticut River Academy Sophomore Gregory Bell holds tight to the rigging as the Half Moon arrives at Goodwin College.

The College welcomed the public to visit the Half Moon on Saturday, October 27, and Sunday, October 28. Crew members of the Half Moon gave tours of the ship, explained its significance in 17^th Century exploration, and discussed life at sea during the Age of Discovery.

The ship is docked behind 133 Riverside Drive at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Ensign Street in East Hartford.

The Half Moon is visiting Goodwin College for the fifth consecutive year, bringing thousands of people to the River Campus to see the historic ship.

As with past years, this year’s visit included a Voyage of Discovery for students at Goodwin’s Connecticut River Academy, an interdistrict magnet high school located on the College campus. About two dozen students participated in this year’s voyage, with one group helping to navigate the ship from upstate New York to New Haven and the second group from New Haven to East Hartford.

For more information on the Half Moon, visit http://www.halfmoon.mus.ny.us/livinghistory.htm.

Topping it Off: Last Steel Beam Set on Goodwin College’s Connecticut River Academy

Connecticut River Academy students cheered loudly on Wednesday as the final steel beam was placed atop the fourth story of a massive new school building.

The Academy, which has been open in temporary locations on the Goodwin College campus since 2010, will get its permanent home next year. Construction is on pace for the facility to be completed in 2013-14.

A crane lowers the final steel beam into place on the Connecticut River Academy.

The students gathered to watch the final beam set on the building. Many of the teenagers were high school seniors, and while they will have graduated before the new school opens, they have added their legacy. The final beam that topped the building has been signed by all the current students at the Academy.

Construction has been rapid on the new building. In January, Gov. Dannel Malloy helped Goodwin break ground on the project, a $57 million, 103,000 sq. ft., four-story facility on the north end of the River Campus. Once completed, it will house 480 students in a state-of-the-art interdistrict magnet high school.

The facility will include nine college-level science labs, a green roof featuring garden space, a habitat center, collaborative spaces for students and staff, Connecticut River ecology and history displays in the main entrance, music and art rooms, and a university-style lecture hall. There will also be a full-size gymnasium and fitness center, which will be used by both the College and the Connecticut River Academy. There will also be a brand new parking garage.