Caleb Heyland with his trophy and scholarship certificate

Post date: Apr 05, 2016 5:54:22 PM

In early March, Wells High School senior Caleb Heyland was part of a two-member team that won second place at the 2016 State of Maine Marine competition held by the Portland Yacht Services at the Portland Boat Show. Several vocational schools participated in the contest sponsored by Universal Technical Institute (UTI) and Snap-On tools.

In competition, teams had to take a thirty-minute written exam followed by hands-on troubleshooting and repair of a defective electronic circuit board used to monitor and control various “critical systems” onboard a modern recreational boat. These systems include the horn, fuel gauges, ignition, fuel sender and lights for the anchor and bow. Besides completing a multiple choice test, placing in the contest required the repair work to bring the circuit board up to code in the fastest time.

For their efforts, Heyland and his teammate from Kennebunk received a trophy for their school, a personal trophy, a $2,500 scholarship from UTI and tools worth $125 from Snap-On tools.

Heyland attends both Wells High School and the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS). Each school day Heyland travels to Portland where he is enrolled in PATHS’ Recreational Marine Repair class. This is Heyland’s second year studying at PATHS.

“Caleb has been focused on tinkering and fixing things since I met him when he was in 7th grade,” commented WHS teacher Cheryl Oakes. “He has taken his passion for working on inventions, motors, engines and his family business and turned it into his future. He took the opportunity to attend PATHS…and turned that opportunity into learning skills which will help him in his career.”

Heyland says he enjoys working on his own 14-foot, 55 horse power motor boat that he takes out on Brandy Pond, Long Lake and Sebago Lake.

Following graduation from WHS and PATHS in June, Heyland says he plans to work a year with his father in a family landscaping business before perusing any post high school education.

Caleb Heyland with his trophy and scholarship certificate