Four Bermudians have been accepted to one of the top maritime academies in the world with the help of the Bermuda Sloop Foundation.Education Minister Jennifer Smith was the guest of honour at the annual BSF Award Ceremony last night and said the programme is important to developing Bermuda’s youth.Dame Jennifer was Premier 11 years ago when the Government provided seed money to the BSF to build the ship.She said: “I’m honoured to say the vision was sound and, after five years of operations, the benefits to our youth and our community are visible and, better yet, have exceeded our expectations.“The Foundation’s focus on three core promises inspired us. Their goal was to take advantage of the enormous cultural and identity-building potential of ship life, particularly a Bermudian ship, together with the unique Bermuda oceanic environment, to help young Bermudians to learn and grow and to feel connected.”Dame Jennifer presented several awards including one to Bermuda Institute student Kristen Greene, who was the inaugural winner of the Adam Goodwin Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is in memory of Adam Goodwin, 22, who was the first officer aboard the Spirit of Bermuda when he died in a bike accident in October last year.Kristen, 17, has sailed on the Spirit of Bermuda for three years and has been accepted to the Master Mariners’ programme at the UK’s Warsash Maritime Academy. The scholarship will help him pay for the four-year programme at the UK school, which is known as the Harvard of Maritime Academies.Mario Thompson, who is a trustees of the scholarship and also won last night’s Most Spirited Mentor prize said: “The winner of this scholarship was found to be honest, diligent, hard working, has given up himself in service unselfishly and has shown leadership. He has a plan for his future and shown commitment.”Kristen will join Daniel Brangman and Rodrico Bean, who have both been watch leaders aboard the Spirit, at Warsash. He starts in September with Vernon Harrison, another Spirit alum who has been accepted to the prestigious school.The BSF also awarded: Gerald Smith the Most Valuable Volunteer; JP Skinner and Jeremy Maderios the most Spirited Collaborators; Gina Richardson the Most Spirited Educator; Waverley Moran the Most Spirited Student; Alistair Johnston the Most Valuable Skiller; and Most Spirited School went to Clearwater Middle School Girls.The Vershon Simmons Award for Most Improved Skiller was presented to Mahogany Bean. Vershon was the bosun on the Spirit and passed away earlier this month in a bike accident. A scholarship has been started in his name and will be presented next yearWaverley Moran also won the Bill Riker Scholarship for Young Sailors award which was provided by RennaisanceRe.