THE Bermuda Sloop Foundation told a luncheon yesterday attended by Governor Sir Richard Gozney, Premier Ewart Brown, Education Minister Randy Horton and a number of top business leaders that the Spirit of Bermuda has sailed more than 12,000 miles in the past two years.

Since the 2006 launch of the 118-foot vessel, 425 middle school students and 125 senior school teens have taken part in a planned "experiential voyages" of five to 17 days.

The ship has sailed 35 coastal voyages, and 15 overseas trips to rack up more than 12,000 miles sailed, the luncheon heard.

Within one year of its launch, the Spirit was awarded the best Sail Training Programme by the American Sail Training Association and the vessel's Captain Chris Blake was named the Sail Trainer of the Year by Sail Training International (STI). And to top off the year, the Spirit of Bermuda won the 360-mile Prince Edward Island (PEI) Race last month taking home a $40,000 prize.

In 2009, the ship is scheduled to visit four countries, including the Azores, Spain, the United States and Canada as part of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge in celebration of Bermuda's 400th anniversary.

Bermuda Sloop Foundation chairman Alan Burland described the Spirit, a replication of a traditional Bermudian schooner built locally between 1810 and 1840, as an "operating community" that was built with traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and design.

The main goal of the operating community is to offer a floating classroom for expeditionary learning, a model that is based on the American version of Outward Bound that involves "students in learning through rigorous academic content and service to the community, which are embedded in learning expeditions."

According to Mr. Burland, over the past two years that the Spirit has been operational, teachers have reported an increase of motivation among students who have participated in an expedition. Students have also reported an increase of self-confidence, which is one of the benefits the Bermuda Sloop Foundation hopes for children and teenagers to gain aboard the ship.

Mr. Burland said expeditionary learning helps to "transform student behaviour" through valuing their contribution aboard the ship, increasing students' sense of belonging to a collective project, students gaining pride in their work, bridging the divide between races and socio-economic groups and well as developing a sense of teamwork amongst participants.

Sir Richard, who also spoke at the luncheon, said he believes there are four or five progammes in Bermuda geared towards teenagers, including the Spirit of Bermuda, the Mirrors programme, after-school sports initiatives and other positive activities that have really made a difference in the lives of students.

He added that he has "seen no better use of funding" to "help teenagers see their way through challenges that are seen in the paper every day."

For more information about the Spirit of Bermuda and its learning expeditions, visit www.bermudasloop.org.