Taking advantage of current opportunities will pave the way for more in the future.

That was the message Bermuda's beauty queen, Joanne Darrell, shared with students at William Davis School in Cambridge, Ontario, during a recent visit.

Ms Darrell -- a former Warwick Academy and Bermuda College graduate who is studying social sciences at the University of Guelph in Ontario -- has spoken at local schools such as Warwick Academy and Purvis Primary.

But it was the first such engagement for her in Canada.

And, she told The Royal Gazette , the experience was so meaningful, she would not hesitate to do it again.

"It was great,'' the 21-year-old Miss Bermuda said about the school visit last Wednesday where she spoke with 25 students between the ages of ten and 14.

"It was what they call an enrichment class,'' she explained. "They are there according to their academic ability. The children were so enthusiastic. They wanted to learn all about Bermuda.

"They asked everything from was I afraid to fly over the Bermuda triangle to whether Bermuda had a socialist government.

"And they were pretty impressed by the fact that we did not pay taxes.'' Stressing that she wanted to hear from the children, rather than just "lecturing at them'', she said: "I wanted them to talk and they did.

"They were very receptive. We were talking about the good things in life and why smoking and drugs ruin it.

"I stressed to them that they had three universities in their region that they could attend. I told them they could take advantage of what they had now by gearing their class choices toward what they want to do.

"It went so well that they did not want to let me leave. I spoke to them for one hour and 15 minutes.'' She added that Canadian columnist Walter Gowling, who accompanied her to the school, shared with the students an article he had written about Bermuda. He described it as the cleanest place he had ever seen.

"It was such a good experience,'' she said of the school visit, "I would accept another invitation.'' But Ms Darrell said she was most interested in speaking at Bermuda's first senior school, CedarBridge Academy.

"I really want to speak at CedarBridge because it's new and there are so many doubts about it,'' Ms Darrell said. "However, I'm very impressed with the facilities and I believe if the students take advantage of what is offered there, they can be whatever to they choose to be.'' Ms Darrell described her life since winning the crown last December as exciting.

"It's been a whirlwind so far between school and various engagements,'' she said. "I'm enjoying it.'' She has been helping the Bermuda Department of Tourism's Canadian office and is due to make six personal appearances with a Canadian clothing company.