Bermuda?s schoolchildren have yet another option for summer with the launch of environmental day-camps offering a hands-on way to look at the world around us.

Though Waterstart Ltd. camps were started in 2000, this year they will be kicking it up a notch by teaming up with the Bermuda Biological Station for Research (BBSR) ? a collaboration which will take the camps to an all-new level of experience and expertise.

?This is an exciting development for Waterstart students,? said J.P. Skinner, BBSR?s education officer and Waterstart director. ?BBSR will give us access to unique resources and will provide the students with the opportunity to receive first-hand knowledge of our marine environment and how it affects our everyday lives.?

Waterstart?s programmes involve a balance of aquatic skill instruction, environmental investigation and team building. Day camps are broken into practical skill lessons and classroom session. Activities in past camps have included lessons in diving, fieldtrips to mangrove swamps and caves, kayaking excursions, coral reef research, plankton tows and snorkelling trips.

The goal is to teach safety skills, and to prepare students for possible future employment by providing unique opportunities for exploration and discovery. That explains the importance behind the collaboration between Waterstart and BBSR, Mr. Skinner explained.

?BBSR?s faculty will lend their expertise to our research activities and will be on hand for lectures and questions,? he said. ?Students will also get insight into careers in marine biology, oceanography and environmental conservation.?

The programme is open to all children over the age of 12. ?Students only need to have a keen interest in exploring and learning about our environment, and be very good swimmers, to take part.?

In addition to camps for new participants, this summer?s programmes will also feature alumni classes for former students who want to pursue more challenging scuba diving instruction and earn advance PADI certification.

Mr. Skinner founded Waterstart in 2000 while teaching at the Bermuda High School for Girls. His students became the inspiration behind the idea that a new, hands-on education programme was needed to get young people involved in Bermuda?s marine environment.

?I knew that many local teenagers were interested in our environment, but didn?t have the opportunities outside of the classroom to express their interest and get involved,? he said.

For more information and applications for Waterstart summer camps, those interested can contact BBSR online at www.bbsr.edu, or call Mr. Skinner at 297-1880 ext. 241.