Fourteen students have been put forward for hands-on education, community service and leadership training to become Bermuda’s future leaders.

The Future Leaders Summer Induction Programme will be guided by themes dedicated to the late activist and author Eva Hodgson – buoyed by $25,000 from the Cabinet Office budget and aid from the private sector, including Hudson Structured Capital Management (HCSM).

Seon Tatem, the programme’s youth director for this year, said that by the three-week programme’s end, students would be poised to “identify inequality and injustice in the world and their community, as well as empathise and identify with the experiences of persons from various backgrounds.

“They will apply leadership, team building and analytical skills that will empower them to question their roles as citizens and leaders, and consider the power they hold – both as individuals and as a collective.”

This afternoon Mr Tatem told the gathering: “At the end of the programme, you will be glad you stuck it out and will have a lifelong group of friends, and some would even say a new family, to help you along life’s journey.”

David Burt, the Premier, was also joined on the grounds of the Cabinet office by Siniah Lambe, a CedarBridge Academy student taking part in the programme for the first time this August in the youth empowerment programme.

“From learning and gaining leadership skills to providing service to the community, Future Leaders' aim is to help their students make a positive impact in society,” she said.

Mr Burt said the students would tackle issues such as “poverty, identity and social justice while being guided by a strong support system of mentors and community leaders”.

HSCM is this year’s platinum sponsor, and Mr Tatem said the partnership would provide “opportunities in the corporate sector, based on an identified need for more Black Bermudians in executive leadership roles”.

The programme was launched in 2017.

The seven chapters of focus for this year’s programme are: service and community building; poverty, crime, and inequality; identity and privilege; leadership and self-determination; social justice and entrepreneurship; the power to make a difference and, and how to take action.

The programme this year is joined by:

⋅ Berkeley Institute students AJ Smith, Jaelen Jones and A’Mya Harvey;

⋅ CedarBridge Academy students Zamauri Hardtman, Siniah Lambe, Chyne Martin and Kayla McCarthy;

⋅ Bermuda High School student Fasika Simons;

⋅ Somersfield Academy student Desmond Crockwell;

⋅ Warwick Academy students India Bascome and Xavier Ramsey;

⋅ Saltus Grammar School student Meron Simons;

⋅ Dellwood Middle School student Preston Ephraim III;

⋅ Homeschool student Sari Smith.