The Tribune

DISNEY has been giving Bahamian youngsters the chance to dip their toe into the maritime industry this summer.

Nearly 50 youngsters between the ages of 10 and 13 spent their summer exploring the possibilities marine and maritime sciences can offer. For two weeks, LJM Maritime Academy (LJMMA) hosted its Maritime Summer Camp, sponsored by Disney Cruise Line. The program guided participants through marine conservation, maritime knowledge, fire prevention and safety, as well as bends and hitches.

Dr Brenda Cleare, president of LJMMA, said: “LJM Maritime Academy’s Maritime Summer Camp is filled with maritime bliss. Children are exposed to nautical and survival skills, navigation and engine simulations among other related topics.”

“One of our main goals at LJMMA is to grow the number of qualified Bahamian seafarers and experts in the maritime business. We are incredibly grateful to Disney for their ongoing support. Their sponsorship allows us to introduce more students to maritime careers such as, port management, marine pilot and master mariner. Many of our enrolled students became aware of, and interested in, a maritime career after attending one of our summer camps.”

Disney Cruise Line sponsored the camp as part of its ‘Wishes Set Sail’ campaign focused on empowering local youth in celebration of the Disney Wish’s inaugural season.

“At Disney Cruise Line, we are dedicated to inspiring the next generation of maritime professionals,” said Joey Gaskins, Disney Cruise Line regional public affairs director of The Bahamas. “We were happy to once again support this year’s summer camp programme and play a part in introducing young minds to the exciting world of possibilities available to them in the maritime industry.”

Disney Cruise Line has previously partnered with LJMMA to sponsor summer camps and introduce a scholarship programme for female cadets aspiring to become ship captains and shipboard leaders. Those scholarships include tuition to a three-year programme – two years of study at the academy and one year of service aboard a Disney ship.

Most of the summer camp was held on the LJMMA Maritime Cay campus at Arawak Cay. It has a full mission ship maneuvering simulator, officer of the watch training simulator, steering simulator, full mission liquid cargo handling simulator, full mission fire fighting simulator, marine engineering workshops and a library, among other features.

Jaiden Jones, a 12-year-old participant, said the camp made him look at becoming not just a pilot but a marine pilot, and spoke with excitement about the field trip to Nassau Cruise Port.

11-year-old Jai’Aa Adderley said: “I learned a lot that I probably wouldn’t in school and also made new friends. I loved going on boats, exploring the waters, seeing how interesting the ocean is and all that a maritime career has to offer.”

One of the camp’s facilitators, Kenrick Russell, said the camp was a full circle moment. “As a former student, the fact that I could inspire and motivate those even younger than me was amazing. I was in my element and able to introduce nearly 50 camp participants to a maritime world I also once knew nothing about,” he said.

Kenrick received a scholarship to attend Caribbean Maritime University in Jamaica to study marine engineering following his academic journey at LJMMA.