No bottles of champagne were broken over the bows, but a small cannon was fired as the first boat hit the water when Woolwich Central School and Maine Maritime Museum of Bath celebrated their 10th annual Discovery Boat Launching.

Thursday’s event at Nequasset Park marked the anniversary of the innovative program where sixth, seventh and eight graders are introduced to traditional wooden boat-building methods. They constructed two rowing skiffs this school year.

The sun broke through the clouds just as the first boat hit the water, accompanied afterwards by the boom of a field cannon fired by MMM trustee chairman Stephen Caulfield.

MMM boatshop manager Kurt Spiridakis has been involved with the Woolwich program all 10 years. Elementary schools in South Bristol, and West Bath have similar Discovery Boatbuilding programs.

“I think the program gets better every year,” said Spiridakis, who serves as the students’ advisor.

Students apply to MMM to take part in the program. Spiridakis said the workshop can have 14 students. Woolwich had 13 seventh graders and one eight grader participating this year. They spent one school day a week at the boatshop in Bath.

“The kids learn the importance of setting goals and the value of working together as a team in order to achieve those goals,” WCS Principal Jason Libby told the crowd of parents and students there the celebrate the launching.

Libby thanked the community, businesses and private donors for their financial support. He said he hopes the program will continue for many years.

Among those attending was former Woolwich selectman Lloyd Coombs and wife Collette. Coombs said he looks forward to boat launches and admiring the students’  handiwork.

“I’ve never missed one. They build them from scratch and do everything themselves including picking out the colors they’re painted,” he said.

Both boats’ sterns have small brass plates engraved with the student boatbuilders’ names. One boat was christened SS Sheldon, the other Denise.

“It’s gratifying to see the town continue to support this financially,” said Selectman Allison Hepler. In April, voters passed an article contributing $5,000 toward the program’s cost.

Select Board Chairman David King Sr. said he wished there had been a boat-building program when he was in school.

“It’s good to see the kids put down the cellphones and learn to use a tape measure and all the other different tools needed to make something from start to finish,” King commented.

The students described the program as a positive experience and fun to have been part of. “Probably the best thing I have ever done, schoolwise,” John Arsenault wrote among the thoughts shared by students in the event program.

Other students taking part included Andrew Card, Caleb Cousins, Ashlyn Cox, Natalie Emmerson, Riley Gale, Lexi Hall, Acadia Keefe, Hanna Moore, Chasity Rutledge, Hazel Smith, Nikki Sullivan and Magdalena Woodmoore.

Adult volunteers included Caulfield, Nick Locsin, Kelly Watt, Rick Marco, Rick Cliffe, Richard Spear, George Sprague and Charlie Durfee.

This year marks the 21st anniversary of the MMM Discovery Boatbuilding Program. Funding comes from the town and Margie and Jeff Geiger, Charles D. Whittier and Family, Diversified Communications, PC Construction, Shelter Institute, TSCA John Gardner Fund, and generous individual donors, according to MMM’s website.