BIDDEFORD — With a nod to history, a Biddeford Regional Center of Technology student has helped update one of the nation’s most recognizeable maritime symbols.

While attending BRCOT classes, Biddeford High School Senior Nick Desjardins learned through his instructor, Ed Driscoll, of a project to design and create a new gate for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. General Contractor John Palmer had reached out to local architectural designer Dana Peck of Maine Heritage Architects in Biddeford to create a replica of the Coast Guard’s original historic emblem.

“The original insignia was in a museum three states away and could not be moved, so we had to get creative with how we would replicate the design,” Peck said.

That problem was overcome by taking photos and measurements of the original Coast Guard insignia. 

“Nick gave them the basic insignia and then we worked with the contractor to laser cut it from the AutoCAD design,” Peck said. “It was a very efficient way to get the job done.”

The orginal U.S. Coast Guard emblem was approved and adopted by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Andrew W. Mellon on Feb. 26, 1927. The emblem contains a pair of crossed anchors with a life ring with a shield and surrounded by a line grommet.

Desjardins, who will attend the University of Southern Maine in the fall to study engineering, said he was grateful to be a part of this meaningful project.  

“It was exciting to have a real-life project to work on in the engineering field,” Desjardins said. “I was honored to be part of this project and look forward to seeing the gates completed.” 

Once completed, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy gate project will include four new gates each one weighing 1,500 pounds. 

All of the new gates will bear the insignia created by Desjardins and to recognize student ingenuity that helped make the project possible, Peck is gifting one of the insignias to the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology.

In addition, BRCOT students and instructors have been invited to the ground-breaking installation in Connecticut this spring.

Biddeford Regional Center of Technology is one of Maine’s 27 Career and Technical Education high schools. 

The school accepts students from Biddeford, Dayton, Old Orchard Beach, and Thornton Academy in Saco. Programs include: Autobody, Auto Technology, Business & Financial Management, Information Technology, Legal Studies, Medical Assisting, Early Childhood Education, Electrical Technology, Engineering and Architectural Design, Project Lead The Way Engineering, Health Assistant-CNA, Intro to Medical Sciences, Machine Tool Technology, Plumbing and Heating, Residential Construction and Remodeling, and Welding-Metal Fabrication.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 and by email at editor@journaltribune.com.

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