SPS.bm (Support Public Schools Bermuda) was excited to link up an anonymous supporter with the Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) to provide historical and ecological boat tours to our public school students on June 7th and 14th.

Excited P6 students from Elliott Primary and East End Primary and their teachers boarded the BZS’s boat the Callista, taking educational tours of the Bermudaful environs of Trunk Island and Harrington Sound.

SPS.bm Team Members Jules Harvey and Deanne Hart were also present, along with BZS Captain Trevor Rawson.

Students cruised past limestone cliffs where longtails and their chicks were nesting, and learned how introduced invasive trees have taken over the cliffs and islands after 98% of Bermuda’s endemic cedars were killed by introduced scale insects. They then learned about the extensive restoration ecology programme BZS has implemented on Trunk Island, BZS’s living classroom, where invasive vegetation is being replaced with native and endemic plants. The tour ended with a refreshing swim and students being thrilled at the sighting of a spotted eagle ray flying over the bottom of the Sound.

Says Dr. Jamie Bacon, BZS Education Officer: “The mission of the BZS and BAMZ is to inspire appreciation and care of island environments. This academic year we provided over 8000 free conservation educational experiences for Bermuda’s schoolchildren. We were delighted to be able to provide these additional experiences for Elliot Primary and East End Primary through arrangements made with Support Public Schools, Bermuda. There is nothing better or more important than connecting the next generation with our beautiful natural world and inspiring them to protect and nurture it.”

Founder of SPS.bm Ms. Juliana Snelling said, “SPS.bm is thrilled to provide this opportunity for learning outside the classroom to our public school students. In addition to liaising the private sector with public school classrooms on our website SPS.bm to supply our students with much needed educational resources according to “wish lists” posted by teachers, SPS.bm aims to enhance public school learning opportunities outside of the classroom through cultural enrichment activities such as these. Our students are our future and we will continue to do what we can to stimulate and enhance the learning experiences of our public school students and help equalise their educational opportunities. Supporters can contact sps@spsteam.bm for more information or purchase much needed resources for our students on our website SPS.bm.”

SPS.bm is not a registered charity — rather we are a community-action initiative that answered the rally call for grass-roots action to improve public education. We do not solicit funds from the Bermuda public and we do not receive funding from the Bermuda Government or public sources. Supporters make direct purchases of school supplies and projects, so we never see, receive or handle funds. That way 0% of dollars are spent on administrative expenses and 100% are spent on supplies and projects for public school students.

• Press release from Support Public Schools Bermuda