PENOBSCOT BAY PILOT • February 15, 2026
Youth educational non-profit Sailing Ships Maine, based in Portland, has won two major national awards, according to Tall Ships America and the American Sail Training Association, in a news release. At Tall Ships America’s annual conference, Sailing Ships Maine Senior Captain Anna Maria Hansen was selected as US Young Sail Trainer of the Year, and Sailing Ships Maine, the program she leads, was named US Sea Education Program of the Year. “Thank you so much for the unexpected honor! I feel really touched by the recognition," she wrote in acknowledging the award. "I feel deeply fortunate to offer meaningful wilderness experiences and voyages of self- discovery for young people. I cannot imagine work more worth doing than to empower youth to develop problem-solving skills, communication, teamwork, and environmental awareness."