Eighth-grade student Cole Adams spends every weekend boating. 

That’s why the Whitworth-Buchanan Middle School student spent several hours with 18 other students Saturday learning about boating safety from School Resource Officer Mark Logsdon.

“We learned about the safety of water and to know how dangerous boating can be if you’re not doing the right thing on them,” Adams said. 

Logsdon said Adams was one of 18 students and one father who all completed the class, required for a boating license.

The Tennessee Boaters Safety course is Coast Guard accredited and teaches boat and water safety. The class is mandatory for anyone born after January 1989 to operate a boat. 

Logsdon’s class is geared for students from 8th to 12 grades because that age group is where most drownings occur in Rutherford County. 

He plans to offer the one-day Saturday class most months for both students and their parents. Watch the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for information on the next class.

Sgt. Matt Brian of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency spoke to the students about the class.

“It’s just to make sure you think a little bit,” Brian said. “Hopefully, this will save you all. Be safe and have fun and use your head.”

PHOTO PROVIDED: Students who completed the boating safety course are, from left, front row, Majka Tester, Savannah Logsdon, Hannah Cox, Riande’ Turner, Emily Schultz and Landon Lee; second row, SRO Mark Logsdon, Cameron Schultz, Cole Adams, Alyssa Henderson, Allayna Henderson, Taylor Gleason, Brent Gleason and TWRA Sgt. Matt Brian; third row, Josh Cox, Marshall Smithson, Austin Filkins, Samuel Harper, Alex Keasler, Dale Tilley and parent Chris Lee.