career last week when they met representatives of companies which make everything from jewellery to hi-tech telecommunications networks.

One hundred M3 (ages 13-14) Spice Valley Middle School students met representatives from companies including Cable & Wireless, Island Engineering and the Property Group Ltd. at the Maths In Careers Fair at the school.

And Paget Primary School held its Meaningful Math Day to show the students the importance of maths and how it affects their lives.

Dejuanna Burrows, a maths resource teacher at Spice Valley Middle School, said: "Maths is not a monster. The maths fair will teach the students how different professionals like an architect, a dentist, a plumber make use of math and make it more real for them.'' "If you want to go into any of these professions, you know what classes to take and it tells you how to do everything,'' said student Alexis Shall.

A total of 11 companies participated in the maths fair and tables were set up for each company to show what each company did and the role of maths in these careers. "I think I'll learn what people do in the Bermuda Weather Service and The People's Pharmacy,'' said student Charles Pitt.

"I didn't know about the jewellery process and how jewellery is made and I learnt a lot of new stuff and things about children's medicines,'' said student Deidrea James after seeing demonstrations by Link To Link Jewellers and People's Pharmacy.

Maureen Clemendor, the representative from Cable & Wireless said: "I think if more companies get to schools and interact with students in such arenas as this, it would be helpful.'' Other representatives participating at the fair included: Marine and Ports, Bermuda College and the Ministry of Works and Engineering and dentist Jewel Landy.

Paget Primary School students were also invited to see how various professionals use maths in their jobs. They could see for example a chef, a photographer, an accountant, a dressmaker, an architect and a tiler and interact with these individuals by asking questions.

"I am happy that today is Meaningful Math Day because I did not know how to be an accountant, so now this is one of the jobs I can take. There are many ways maths can be helpful to me but the reason that I like math's most is that my mother is proud of me,'' said student Husayn Muhammad.