laying out his future plans.

Kevin Pilgrim received the first Thomas S. Watson Jr. Vision Award from the internationally-known writer whose name it bears.

Kevin, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Pilgrim, beat some 70 other students who participated in the essay-writing contest set up earlier this year by Mr.

Watson, who is an American storyteller, former accountant and trade advisor to the Bush administration.

The students were asked to write what they would like to be in 20 years and how they would get there.

In his essay, Kevin made it clear that he planned to be chief engineer at Bermuda Electric Light Company some day and he described how he would work hard toward that goal.

"I graduated from Berkeley,'' he wrote. "I started at Belco. Over the summer I had shown initiative and enthusiasm so Belco offered to put me on a one-year engineering programme.

"I would spend six months in Bermuda learning the basics of engineering along with a course at Bermuda College.

"For the last six months I would go abroad to England -- all expenses paid -- to get into the nitty-gritty of engineering. Plus, I would receive a weekly wage.

"After I completed the programme I went off to Morgan State University to do a four-year college programme on electrical engineering.'' Kevin told The Royal Gazette that he had always enjoyed "working with electricity and creating things''. But he said his inspiration in writing the essay had come from Belco's chief engineer Mr. Gregory Swan.

Mr. Watson, who flew in from Washington with his publicist Ms Ayanna Najuma of Zenith International, said he was impressed with the way Kevin and two honourable mention winners -- Derennkia Emery and Suzette Kerr -- were able to visualise their future.

"It speaks well for the education they are getting at Berkeley,'' he said.

"To have potential is one thing. To be able to actualise it is another.'' Mr. Watson, who takes motivational messages to millions around the world, said he was impressed with the students, but particularly with the care and leadership shown by Berkeley's principal Mrs. Michelle Gabisi and staff.

BRIGHT VISION -- Berkeley Institute student Kevin Pilgrim shows off the Thomas S. Watson Jr. Vision Award which he received this week.