High school students are learning the ups-and-downs of scuba diving as part of an innovative approach to hands on learning.

In October Berkeley Institute librarian Rick Wynn set up a "Library Aquarium Project'' to combine real world diving experience with scientific study.

Noah's Ark pet supplies donated a fully equipped 55-gallon fish tank which now stands inside the school's library entrance.

And Pic-a-Pet supplied the necessary care and maintenance equipment while Bermuda Waterworks gave ten five-gallon water bottles to collect sea water.

Mr. Wynn said he hoped to use the aquarium as a scaled-down "catch, observe and release'' system of shoreline and shallow water marine life.

Eight students from 14 to 17 years old responded to an open invitation to participate in the discounted ten-week scuba course offered by Nautilus Diving Ltd.

"It was something that I was always interested in and this was the best way I could get involved in it,'' said Kadiann Henry.

And Derek Anderson said: "I wanted to learn how to scuba dive because it's interesting and you can learn about marine life.'' Wesley Robinson, Chris Pimental, Dekha Swanston, Reken Pearman, Khalid Pitcher and Ewart Lambert are also taking part in the course and voiced a similar interest in scuba diving as their primary motivation to join the project.

Studying alongside the teenagers is Physics and Maths teacher Peter Grafe.

"I can help the kids and at the same time learn something myself,'' he said.

"I'm green so I learn with the kids.'' And qualified divers Mr. Wynn and language teacher Gerr Stones assist the group.

Every Tuesday afternoon they meet after school for both technical study and practical and instruction.

Last week they entered the water for the first time in the pool of the Hamilton Princess.

"Unfortunately, because Berkeley started late, they're going to be in the cold water,'' Ann Simms of Nautilus pointed out.

She was right. Minutes after treading water for ten minutes, one of the students left the pool shuddering: "That water is freezing cold.'' Upon completion of the course they will attain either a PADI Open Water Diver Certification card or a PADI Junior Open Water certification card.

"Of course, on completion of PADI Open Water Diver certification, the successful candidates will be able to stock and re-stock the Library aquarium with increasingly more interesting specimens as, by virtue of being trained on scuba, their access increases to deeper and less disturbed marine environments,'' explained Mr. Wynn.

The programme was developed to stimulate interest in Bermuda's marine eco-system and to encourage curiosity about the ocean as a living organism, he added.

Already, the aquarium display had caused students not involved in the scuba diving to have a heightened awareness and curiosity about the ocean world, said Mr. Wynn.

And he said he hoped the shared learning experience and aquarium stocking and re-stocking project would encourage the eight students to continue diving.

"It's really important to have that social camaraderie because it will keep them diving,'' he said.