In a concerted effort to ensure that even the youngest Bermudians understand the importance of tourism to their Country, Elbow Beach Hotel has "adopted'' Paget Primary School.

The Raphael-owned hotel, which only last weekend, was awarded the coveted Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, made what they hope will be their far-reaching move last December.

"We are very serious about the future of tourism in Bermuda,'' says reservations manager Rehanna Palumbo and spokeswoman for the scheme. "It's also a community effort for all of us who work at Elbow, to show that we are very much a part of the community and anxious to help bring our community together. We want to support Bermuda's school system and to encourage more young Bermudians to become hoteliers.'' Already, members of staff have been to the neighbourhood school to talk about their work in the hotel, have assisted with the children's gospel concert last month and donated a new television to Primary I students.

"We have talked to the children, explaining how a large hotel is run on a day to day basis, and all the services and activities that are offered. We have made a point of teaching them about the large selection of jobs that are available within the hotel industry, including all aspects of administration.

We were pleasantly surprised by all the questions they had -- one child even wanted to know what happened in emergencies, if a guest gets sick or if a fire breaks out. I felt these were good, valid questions as these particular children were only eight years old. We are planning for all department managers to go and talk to the children -- and to also take a turn at doing lunch-time duty!'' Paget Primary principal La-Verne Lau says she welcomes the new venture. "We need to be a part of the community and we need the community to be part of us because the school has to exist within the community,'' she exclaims. "We have some parents who work in the hotel industry and we need to be part of the whole tourism issue. Somewhere along the way,'' she points out, "people seemed to lose sight of what tourism was all about. They became mixed up, confusing `servitude' with `service', which has had a very detrimental effect on the tourism industry. That is why we wanted to focus on hotels and their importance in Bermuda's economy.'' Noting that the tourists she has met have all been very positive about the scheme, Mrs. Lau says that her children need to know that education is not just a mindless exercise. "It's a process that has a definite purpose, especially in preparing students for future employment. They need to see tourism in a positive light and I think our association with Elbow will help to change attitudes.'' With Education Month in full swing and Tourism selected as this year's theme, Elbow Beach and Paget Primary have launched a full slate of events to bring the two institutions even closer together.

Last week, various classes were given tours of the hotel, "both front and back of the house'', touring a guest room and staying for lunch. A group of ten-year olds from Primary 6 became `newspaper reporters', also interviewed guests on how they viewed their Bermuda vacation in general and Elbow Beach in particular.

Coincidentally, the four guests chosen as interviewees are all teachers, who have been visiting the Island for upwards of 20 years.

All were unanimous that "Bermuda is still a wonderful place to visit'' and insisting that Bermudians are as polite as ever. The teachers were bombarded with questions from the `reporters' who had all carefully prepared a list of tourist-related queries. Some of these, to be sure, were a trifle repetitious, but the very fact that all of the children seemed to be interested in visitor reactions to such things as the Airport, Bermuda's weather, and what had prompted the choice of Bermuda as a holiday destination in the first place, suggests that they had done their homework well.

Asked if she felt safe in Bermuda, Connie Wiggenhauser emphasised that she found the Island "very safe'' and was unfailingly tactful when asked what she thought about new arrangements for arriving visitors at the Airport. "We did have to stand out in the rain when we arrived as the alterations are still under construction. But I expect it will be nice when it's finished.'' Barbara Iacoi, who teaches kindergarten in Rhode Island, confessed that Bermuda was a place she kept in her heart, "knowing it is somewhere I just love to return to and it's there, waiting for me! Well, yes, we do like good weather, but anything seems good after winter at home. Even if it's raining,'' she added, "it's a treat in itself to be able to stretch out with a good book and just relax.'' Kanhair Fray, 10, gave up on her `job' of reporting and, instead, decided to draw a picture of a fish for Miss Iacoi, who immediately asked if she might keep it. "I thought I was being interviewed,'' she explained, "and I end up meeting a famous artist! I am so honoured. I shall frame that and hang it up in my classroom.'' Although the visitors agreed that they loved the beach in sunny weather, they told the children that one of the reasons they kept returning was because Bermuda was beautiful in all seasons. "And yes, this weather seems very good to us,'' exclaimed Nancy Brown of Massachusetts. How long had she been teaching? "Around 28 years'' was the answer. "I think we're going back in history here!'' Asked if this meeting with school children made her homesick, Wendy Peterson, also from Massachusetts, and a teacher of seven year-olds, replied "No, but it's very interesting -- it really does make you realise that children are universal. I'm not sure what your curriculum is in Bermuda, but it's nice to see that they have a good grasp on the basics. The world is all right! Just look at this next generation -- they're great!'' This tourism/reporting project has been led by class teacher Bridget Andrews, here on a year exchange from Great Yarmouth in Britain.

"We've been working very hard on interviewing techniques, encouraging the children to ask questions which demand more than just a `yes' or `no' answer.

This is our contribution to Education Month and when they return to school the children will write a report. That will go on display for parents to come and see next week.'' Director of the hotel's Resort Services Shirley Richardson, who runs the Children's Programme, has also organised a full programme of hotel/school events. Guests have been entertained with lunch-time concerts in the hotel lobby by the Paget Primary Choir and to displays by the Paget Primary Steppers.

"Next month, on March 21, I am organising a fashion show in Ondine's as a benefit for the staff and, as we have now adopted Paget Primary, we thought it would be nice to include them in the show as well, she says.'' Mrs. Palumbo says that she and her colleagues are "very encouraged'' by the reaction of both the students and the teachers to the `adoption'. "We asked the children what they thought about a career in the hospitality industry and, at first, they said they weren't interested. But after hearing all about the many different kinds of job opportunities that exist within the hotel, they became much more interested, so I think it's true to say that, already, we are seeing a shift in attitude.''