A former watch leader with the Bermuda Sloop Foundation has been hailed by the charity as a young man who “found the leader in himself”.Reid Perinchief, 21, struggled so much with school that he withdrew from the Berkeley Institute at the age of 17.“I lost focus, spending eight hours a day in school,” he said. “I went to the Adult Education School, got my General Equivalency Diploma, and started working. When you’re young, you feel like you need to get out of school and start making money. Then you realise that you’re at the bottom of the barrel.”He credits his early involvement with the Sloop Foundation, starting with the maiden voyage of the Spirit of Bermuda, for helping him discover his focus.“It helps you learn a lot about yourself. They do push you. It’s not easy. What I really learned was how to deal with people. I got great help with social skills. It’s something everybody should have a chance to do.”The eventual decision to attend college has paid off: in May, Reid will pick up his Associates degree from the New England Institute of Technology, after finishing two years of studies in air conditioning technology through his apprenticeship with Bermuda Air Conditioning.The decision to keep studying, he said, was “a totally independent thing”.“BAC held my spot for me while I was in school. Especially in these times, when it’s tough to find work, I’m happy to be able to come home to something concrete.”Now setting his sights on a Bachelor’s Degree, Reid said he ultimately hopes to transition into business management.“Going back to school and furthering my education — that’s what is ultimately important to me.”Continued participation in the Sloop Foundation depends on his work schedule, but according to the group’s director of strategic initiatives Malcolm Kirkland, the group hopes to bring Reid along on the next Newport to Bermuda races.“Reid is someone who excelled with us when he had a lot of chances to do otherwise,” Mr Kirkland said. “We’ve been thrilled to see his success and we hope we can keep him aboard.”www.bermudasloop.org.