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The Journal Of Commerce, 6/3/98 APL Container Is Traveling Current-Events Lesson A group of fourth grade students from Millburn, N.J., gathered at APL Ltd.'s Kearny intermodal container facility recently to welcome the “Boomerang Box” as it arrived for the first time on the U.S. East Coast as part of its U.S. tour. The cargo container recently returned from a four-month tour throughout Asia. The “Boomerang Box” is a 40-foot-long cargo container, painted in vibrant colors with students' artwork depicting Pacific Northwest trade. The project uses the World Wide Web, satellite tracking and large-scale transportation systems to help students understand how international trade works. The project is sponsored by APL, the Port of Seattle and Metropolitan King County (Seattle), Wash. The container has traveled by ship to six major Asian ports since October, carrying cargo for APL customers. The U.S. tour of the Boomerang Box marks the second phase of the project — a domestic journey by train between U.S. cities. A Web site at www.apl.com/boomerangbox, offers curricula, profiles on international trade jobs and overseas pen pals for students worldwide. The site has recorded more than 83,000 "hits" from students, teachers and parents since its October launch, APL said. Students from Seattle, Singapore, Ecuador, New Zealand and other parts of the world have logged on to follow the traveling container. The New Jersey students have been following the Boomerang Box through the Internet to learn about culture in different countries, planning imaginary trade missions and studying their own East Coast docks, APL said. “We plan to be on this adventure as long as it lasts,” teacher Mary Palisano said. During the Kearny event, students participated in curriculum exercises about international trade and the mathematics of loading a container, and prepared a message to return with the box for students in Seattle. Students also toured APL’s terminal. “The Boomerang Box has truly opened a window on the world for us,” said Kim Swan, a teacher at Holy Rosary Elementary in West Seattle. “We've used the container's travels as part of our social studies curriculum, integrating geography and computer use with real-world lessons about the ways people depend on each other.” David Paul, principal at Pathfinder Elementary in Seattle, said, “What’s been most exciting about this project is that it's been so hands-on. The Boomerang Box has allowed students to learn in a much more imaginative way than simply reading from a textbook.” The Boomerang Box project grew out of a partnership among APL, Seattle and the county as a way to help prepare students for future trade-related jobs in a city in which one out of every three jobs depends on international trade. |
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