The Bank of Bermuda has taken Sandys Secondary School under its wing as part of its ongoing community relations initiative. The plan to adopt the school for the academic year 1995/96 came about in an effort to enable students to have a better understanding of the various careers available in banking. The aim is to give them more information about what is required to enter, and make progress in, the corporate world. Director of Human Resources at the Bank of Bermuda Mr. Mark Perreault said the reason the bank adopted Sandys Secondary was because "we felt that given their distance from the corporate community they were not able to get the variety of attention from the business community. "And principal Melvin Bassett, guidance counsellors and teachers were so receptive and enthusiastic when they were first approached we felt it would be a success because of the high level of commitment from both parties.'' Initially, bank personnel will visit Sandys Secondary and give fourth and fifth years students a brief overview of the bank's structure and functions. This will be followed by tours of the bank during which groups of students will be escorted through the various areas.

The students will be given detailed explanations of the function of each area, the kinds of career opportunities available and the educational and experience requirements of staff working in those areas. All students will then be asked to record their areas of interest.

Additional information and exposure will then be provided through a work shadowing programme and day release opportunities. The day release students will be permitted to spend one day a week for the entire academic year working at a junior level in an area of interest.

"The bank has reserved five summer employment positions for Sandys Secondary students and it is anticipated that some of the day release and work shadowing students will have proved themselves so useful that the sponsoring departments will wish to retain their services for the summer months,'' said a press release.

It added that in addition to sponsoring the students, the bank's International Banking School would provide the school's guidance counsellors with information on the bank's core business. Meanwhile, the bank's investment division would provide presentations to the school's Parent-Teacher Association covering financial planning and investing for college education.

Mr. Perreault added: "Today's high school students represent the future of Bermuda. It is up to all of us, both personally and corporately, to help the students enter the business world and climb the corporate ladder.

"The bank is delighted to be able to make a meaningful contribution towards this objective.'' Mr Bassett said the Sandys Secondary School family was excited and extremely pleased to have been selected by the Bank of Bermuda to participate in a school adoption programme.

"This project will offer our young people many opportunities to gain a greater appreciation of what takes place in the world of banking and in the business community generally,'' said the principal.

He added: "The exposure would also provide students and counsellors access to extensive career information in addition to providing opportunities for positive interaction between students and bank staff.'' Mr. Bassett said the school was grateful for the opportunity and wished to commend the Bank of Bermuda for its vision and tangible commitment to making the all-important partnership between the business community and the schools a reality.

Mr. Perreault added that the bank would be adopting other schools and was challenging other corporations and business on the Island to do so also.

"We are throwing out a challenge to other corporations on the Island to look at what the bank is doing so they can model it. If every industry decided to adopt a school the schools would be inundated with access to the corporate community.'' ADOPTED SCHOOL -- Sandys Secondary School was officially adopted by the Bank of Bermuda this week as part of the bank's community relations initiative.

Pictured entertaining students and teachers at a special assembly is Bob D.

Lion.