Schools WaterWise Programme Relaunches
Bermuda Schools WaterWise [BSWW] celebrated its 2015 relaunch at Bonefish Grill in the Royal Naval Dockyard with a host of middle-school student participants, local and international sailng luminaries and sponsors.
Sizeable funding grants from local security firm, Bermuda Security Group, and the Sir Ben Ainslie chaired, Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, were presented to BSSW programme director, Christian Luthi.
Bermuda Security Group Chairman, Herman Tucker and fellow Bermuda Schools WaterWise sponsor representatives from the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation – Iain Percy, Paul Goodison and Sir Ben Ainslie, along with prospective sailors
The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation presented a touching tribute to late Olympic medallist and Americas Cup legend, ‘Bart’ Simpson.
Sir Ben Ainslie [Ben Ainslie Racing], Chris Brittle [Artemis Racing] , Paul Goodison [Artemis Racing], and Iain Percy [Artemis Racing)]addressed the group and announced their funding grant to BSSW of $15,000 and invited the young sailors and all in attendance to join the second annual Bart’s Bash global sailing event set for 20 September 2015.
Iain Percy said “It’s an honour to award a grant to this fantastic, educational sailing programme. This is exactly the type of project that we, as a Foundation, want to support. One of our main objectives, and challenges, is to raise the profile of sailing as a valuable educational and career development tool.
“I am so happy that Bart’s legacy will continue here in Bermuda, and with the America’s Cup sailing is going to be an even bigger part of people’s lives so it’s fitting that all its young people will have an opportunity to benefit from that. We will be spending a lot of time here over the next couple of years, and I look forward to supporting the Foundation’s impact on the island.”
Local sponsor, Bermuda Security Group donated $20,000 to play its part in the resurrection of the programme and expand access to the sport of sailing for a diverse community that includes in the first year, twenty M1 students from each of five public schools.
Chairman Herman Tucker praised the programme, saying, “This is a brilliant programme that introduces sailing through academics and arts, math, history, social science and physics. BSG is privileged to play our part in helping Gus and Christian bring it to life“.
Gus Miller, curriculum developer for the Bermuda Schools WaterWise M1 programme joins Herman Tucker, Chairman Bermuda Security Group and Christian Luthi, Director, Water Wise for the funding contribution from the local security firm.
August ‘Gus’ Miller, an educator, Finn sailor and Olympic level coach, developed the multi-discipline curriculum guide specifically for the Bermuda M1 population. Miller shared that the grant will allow an existing schools educational initiative known as WaterWise to continue to offer water safety, seamanship, small boat handling and sailing as a powerful educational tool to a wide spectrum of young people on the Island.
WaterWise is a school based, teacher led cross curricular programme that has integrated science, technology, engineering and maths from the start to help young people in their intellectual, emotional, social and physical growth.
The school’s entire academic curriculum is woven seamlessly into the ten WaterWise teaching segments and helps illuminate important points they must understand in their training.
They learn the discipline of the sea from sailing a small boat solo. They gain greatly in their ability to listen to instruction, to concentrate on the task at hand, to keep cool in the face of panic and fear, to be self-confident and to realize they can master something they never dreamed of doing if they work hard to train and prepare themselves.
Many enjoy the challenging experience so much that they ask to be sent to programs designed to focus on developing their sailing ability further. Their teachers’ championing of the WaterWise program comes when they experience seeing a profound transformation in their students during their progress through the programme.
Thanks to all who’ve contributed their time, and a considerate amount of funds toward this great program. One that will, (without any doubts) be a success for them that partake.”They learn the discipline of the sea from sailing a small boat solo. They gain greatly in their ability to listen to instruction, to concentrate on the task at hand, to keep cool in the face of panic and fear, to be self-confident and to realize they can master something they never dreamed of doing if they work hard to train and prepare themselves.”
“A chain is as strong as its weakest link” Stay focused and you,(all)will succeed in your personal endeavors.
This is the first time that I have been aware of this particular programme. Fantastic initiative by an octogenarian looking to the future for our young people. The UK has lost so much since the 1960s by the downgrading of sport in schools since the 1960s because of the view that sport was all about competition – it is but it is not the be-all and end-all of sport. I loved the quote “There can be too much emphasis put on competition results at a young age when kids want to play, dream, and hang out with their friends.” I have never been that competitive myself but have enjoyed sport all my life – an enthusiasm engendered by being lucky enough to have been at schools that had strong sports programmes in the 1940′s and 1950′s. School sports have been down graded in the UK since then with great detriment to the country’s health and wellbeing.
So lets get Portsmouth UK following Bermuda’s example and that of two ultra-competitive and successful Olympic Champion Sailors who are doing so much to promote sailing for all young people
Jim Page – Sailing Secretary, Portsmouth (UK) Sailing Club
Sorry – wrong end of the stick there – I should have checked the Finn website before implying that Gus was an Olympic champion in that last paragraph – as importantly he had a great career as an administrator and coach obviously with a huge interest in helping young people.