Six local teachers are headed to the annual National Science Teacher's Association Convention in Orlando in April.

The trip is the major part of The Bermuda Schools Science Enrichment Programme (BSSEP), about to begin its second year.

At the beginning of 1999 the Texaco Foundation awarded an annual grant of $32,500 to the Bermuda Biological Station for Research (BBSR) to supply science enrichment to Bermuda's public schools.

The grant is made possible through Texaco's Bermuda subsidiary, Heddington Insurance, and is scheduled to run for two years.

The six local teachers chosen to attend the science convention will receive full or partial funding.

The convention annually draws several thousand participants from all over the Western Hemisphere and is the year's biggest event in the science education field.

In return for their funding, teachers agree to: Help provide workshops for BBSR's part in the Bermuda Union of Teacher's Professional development day in November; Undertake to assist and share their resources and ideas with at least one other teacher on theirs staff for the coming year; and Give a presentation based on what they have learned through BSSEP at one of their subject teacher's meetings.

The BSSEP scheme was developed by BBSR's Education Officer Helle Patterson, with the assistance of the Department of Education's Joseph Ratteray and the approval of Chief Education Officer Dr. Joseph Christopher.

The services provided by BSSEP fall into two categories, Student Services and Professional Development for Teachers.

Beneficiaries of BESSP have been uniformly enthusiastic about the programme and rated its suitability and the assistance of the BBSR guides as excellent.

Acnita Cross, whose Southampton Glebe Primary school class visited Nonsuch Island, wrote: "I would strongly recommend this field trip to other teachers because it gives students the opportunity to see for themselves what Bermuda must have been like in early times. It increases their awareness of nature and reinforces the importance of conservation and protection of the Island's flora and fauna.'' Delia Trott of Whitney Institute attended the week-long Bermuda Ecology Course ansd said: "Now my knowledge of Bermuda's natural history and various ecosystems has been greatly advanced. With this deeper knowledge I can discuss these topics with my pupils with far greater confidence and enthusiasm. I now know where to go, what to do, how to do it.'' Elizabeth Adderley attended the National Marine Educators Association Annual Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. A teacher at Gilbert Insitute, Ms Adderley said that by attending the conference she: Made valuable contacts with other individuals who are teaching the same subject matter; Obtained resources to use in the classroom as well as to share with local teachers; and Received hands-on experience investigating marine science.