Two Students Set Sail On Marine Science Course
Yesterday (Aug 4) two young Bermudians debarked in Falmouth, Massachusetts to begin the world-renowned Science at Sea program at Woods Hole in Cape Cod. Kebir Gadio and Shaunte Young, both of St. George’s, will spend the next three weeks studying Marine Science.
They will have three intensive courses on land at the SEA Campus, which courses are Introduction to Maritime Studies, Introduction to Oceanography and Introduction to Nautical Science. The students will have homework and exams on what they are studying in order to reinforce their knowledge. Once they have successfully completed the coursework, they will then take what they have learned on land and apply it to the ocean with a ten day voyage as marine scientists aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer, a 134-foot brigantine.
There are 24 students in the program, which is highly competitive. For every student admitted into the program, approximately three students were denied admission, according to Captain Virginia Land. The students had to write a full application with essay questions, recommendations and grades. The students in the program come from all over the United States, from as far away as Washington State.
Kebir Gadio and Shaunte Young are being sponsored by the Center for Talented Youth (C.T.Y.) in Bermuda. Both students attended the C.T.Y. program this past school year. Miss Young studied math and Mr. Gadio studied marine science. They were selected by C.T.Y. for this program after a series of interviews and review of their work. Miss Young introduced herself to her fellow crew of 24 by telling them that she loved sports and wants to be a veterinarian or a medical doctor. Mr. Gadio, who is the youngest student in the program, told that he enjoyed sailing and the ocean. Shaunte Young will be entering her second year at Berkeley Institute in September 2010 and Kebir Gadio finished M3 at Somersfield Academy and will be starting 9th Grade at Avon Old Farms School in Avon, Connecticut in the fall.
Miss Young and Mr. Gadio had a heads up on their fellow crewmembers with a full tour of the SSV Corwith Cramer on June 7, 2010 when the boat stopped in Bermuda. The C.T.Y. students in the math and science classes were invited to tour the Cramer and see the science laboratory and some to the experiments and samples aboard the ship.
The students were nervous and excited. Mr. Gadio said: “I am looking forward to the program and learning about marine science. We are going to learn about science and its history and policy considerations. We are going to read novels such as Captain Courageous and understand more about how the ocean is so important to all parts of our lives.”
