USS Constellation spent the winter in Baltimore’s Coast Guard Yard, so that a dedicated crew could replace rotted planking. The Living Classrooms Foundation, Constellation‘s steward, is also the parent organization for Project SERVE (Service- Empowerment- Revitalization- Volunteerism- Employment Training), a  job-training program for ex-offenders and disadvantaged youth; LCF saw the undertaking as an excellent opportunity to benefit both programs. Project SERVE participants got the opportunity to work on a one-of-a-kind vessel, and Constellation‘s shipwrights had the help of an enthusiastic crew.

The repairs concluded in February, but the return trip was postponed due to winter ice. By this week, however, the waterway had cleared. With the aid of McAllister Towing and Transportation, Constellation has made her way back to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, ready to greet visitors with renewed strength. (Photos courtesy Living Classrooms Foundation)