A science and sailing teaching programme is celebrating a successful year helping to train teachers and educate students.

Endeavour, a legacy charity of the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda, has partnered since 2015 with the Ministry of Education and US Sailing’s Reach Initiative educational programme to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths – known as Steam.

The programme aims to bring Steam education through sailing experience to public and private school students around the island during their first year of middle school.

Lessons include buoyancy, wind power and wind measurement, sailing geometry, simple machines and mechanical advantage, environmental conservation, sailing fundamentals, and Bermuda’s maritime heritage – all tied in to the Cambridge curriculum’s maths and science objectives.

The programme said 75 per cent of students had reported a boost in Steam interest for the 2021-22 academic year – with 83 per cent increasing their interest in science.

Overall, 70 per cent of middle schoolers said they were more aware of career pathways available through Steam learning.

The programme also hones skills such as communication, problem-solving and teamwork – as well as building confidence on and off the water.

Endeavour said 90 per cent of youngsters felt more confident thanks to the programme, and 95 per cent felt they had boosted their team working abilities.

Jen Guimaraes, the youth education manager for US Sailing, the national governing body for sailing in the US, said Endeavour’s adaptation of the US Sailing Reach curriculum left “a lasting impact on students”.

US Sailing’s partnership with Endeavour also delivers professional development workshops for Bermuda teachers and Endeavour instructors.

More than 100 of the island’s teachers have participated in workshops in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2022 and 4,150 middle schoolers – who took part at no cost to their families – have been through the programme.

The four teachers who took part in a full day’s training at Endeavour’s West Fort in Dockyard this September were Yakeisha Weir, a science teacher at Clearwater Middle School, and Donna Woolridge, a Clearwater educational therapist.

They were joined by Roslyn Lee, an educational therapist at Dellwood Middle School and Marlo Santiago, a functional skills teacher at Whitney Institute Middle School and a member of the Endeavour board.

Ms Santiago said experiencing the student perspective gave her an insight into how pupils would feel taking part in the programme.

Endeavour’s team members joined in the training – including young Bermudians who completed Endeavour’s maritime career springboard programme as instructor interns.

MaLahku Selassie, a 2022 Endeavour springboard graduate and Endeavour Programme instructor intern, said: “I enjoyed the practical component of the training which enhanced my understanding of what the students are learning to be able to better support their development and growth through what they learn and experience at Endeavour.”

Jennifer Pitcher, the executive director of Endeavour, said the charity was “honoured” by the continuing partnership – captured in a video available online here.

Endeavour gave special thanks to Orbis Investments, its lead founding partner. The Endeavour Middle School Programme was supported by donors Arch Capital Group Ltd., PwC Bermuda, BF&M Ltd., Oakley Capital Investment, Centennial Bermuda Foundation, Everen Limited, Chubb Charitable Foundation, Butterfield, Butterfield & Vallis, and XL Foundation.

The charity also thanked PartnerRe for supporting the US Sailing Reach Educator Course.