future of the Island's children has been revived, organisers of Saturday's middle school conference said yesterday.

President of the Middle School Association Mr. Dale Butler said "people were overwhelmed'' by American guest speaker Dr. Crystal Kuykendall's message.

And he said: "We're anticipating that people will be spurred on. They definitely left feeling encouraged''.

Dr. Kuykendall, who is an education expert, author, and lawyer, urged parents and teachers to work together and encourage all children -- no matter what their race, gender, creed, socio-economic or educational background -- to use their strengths to excel.

Bermuda National PTA president Mrs. Marian Askia and Amalgamated Bermuda Union of Teachers president Ms Joann Davis both agreed that Dr. Kuykendall's audience was inspired by what they heard.

"As I left the conference I was accosted by several parents who said they really enjoyed the conference and felt they needed to do something,'' Mrs.

Askia said.

The conference, which was organised by Bermuda's Middle School Association, National PTA, ABUT, and Association of School Principals, was aimed at boosting a "waning'' public interest in middle school plans which were postponed by Government.

And yesterday Mrs. Askia said: "It seems to have done the job, to motivate parents. Parents and teachers are saying let's get our act together again and do it for our children. Parents are rubbing their hands together saying what next.'' Mrs. Askia said the joint committee which organised the conference will meet next Wednesday to discuss its next move.

"We don't want to lose that enthusiasm,'' she said, adding that she will share information from Dr. Kuykendall's book "From Rage to Hope...Strategies for Reclaiming Black and Hispanic Students'' with parents at the National PTA's monthly meeting on May 18.

DR. Crystal Kuykendall.