A conference for the Island's five middle schools has been set up to bring teens together in a bid to curb gang violence.

Teachers say it will allow children from different neighbourhoods to get to know each other before they get to senior school where conflicts might arise.

Clearwater principal Derek Tully said: "We will mix them up. Town with Warwick and Somerset with St. David's.

"By the time you put them in Berkeley and CedarBridge they won't be strangers, they will have met each other at this big conference."

Motivational speaker Mychal Wynn will be speaking to the 450 M3 students at the conference at the Fairmont Southampton Princess on February 19.

Students will then be split into mixed groups to talk about the issues raised and get to know each other that way, hopes Mr. Tully, who is president of the Bermuda Middle Schools Association.

Mr. Tully said: "So they can't say 'I don't know this person, I don't like this person'. We want to reduce that problem which exists in high school.

"The fracas on Front Street in Hamilton on New Year's morning involving many youth, as young as 14, should arrest the attention of the entire community."

He said students at middle school came in as children but left as teenagers - and at 13 years plus some of them were on the periphery of gang violence.

Mr. Tully said: "This is unique for them, we are bringing in a dynamic speaker.

"We are trying to give them a vision for the future, without a picture you can't chart the way ahead."

Asked if students would be excited by the idea of a conference he said: "It might be small but what is everyone else doing?

"We are trying to smooth the transition to middle school. This is our contribution."

Sandys Middle School principal Melvin Bassett said a dance would be enjoyed by the students during the all-day conference. Each student will also get a copy of Mr. Wynn's book 'Follow Your Dream'.

Workshops will focus on youth violence, drugs and gangs. Teens will also get a session briefing them on transferring to senior school.

Mr. Tully said he was hoping if the conference was successful, and sponsors Marketplace and BTC were willing, a repeat conference could be arranged just before the children went to high school.

Teachers will also attend a session by Mr. Wynn on encouraging students.

Mr. Tully added that the example of footballer Shaun Goater showed that youngsters could achieve their goals if they stuck at it.

He said: "Shaun was an ordinary kid, he kept plugging away. He want to Rotherham, which is an industrial town in northern England with miserable weather.

"He trained in the rain and the mud, he didn't moan about wanting to come home. He stuck to it and ended up scoring two goals against Manchester United, one of the best teams in the world.

"Now he is known everywhere he goes in England. Everyone recognises him."