BESS
BAHAMAS ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD SCHOLARSHIP
"Empowering the next generation of environmental leaders!"
Programme Modules
Gap Year
Summer
- 100 Day Semester at The Island School
- 4 Month Internship Placement w/ BREEF
- 6 Week Summer Term at The Island School
- Week -long Internship Placement w/ BREEF
or
Students have the option of choosing either the summer module or the gap year module
Scholarship
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Semester or Summer Term at The Island School
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Full scholarship coverage toward tuition
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Set family contribution of $500
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Round-trip flights between Nassau & Eleuthera
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Internship placement through BREEF
Eligibility Guidelines
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14-18 years old
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Bahamian citizenship or eligible for Bahamian citizenship
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Demonstrate an interest in leadership and environmental stewardship
Citizen Science & Community Engagement
BREEF engages community members in reef monitoring, beach clean‑ups, fishery regulation workshops and policy advocacy. Training is provided to fishers, divers and Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers.
Sustainable Fisheries & Policy Advocacy
BREEF advocates for science‑based fishery regulations and marine protected areas. Legislative victories include the annual closed season for Nassau grouper and coral reef protection.
BREEF created the Coral Reef Sculpture Garden to draw attention to the threats facing our coral reefs, and to drive action to protect them. BREEF has created coral nurseries at the Coral Reef Sculpture Gardens and on the Andros Great Barrier Reef. Reef Rescue joins BREEF in this effort to grow corals in nurseries and outplants them onto damaged reefs.
Coral Restoration - Sculpture Garden
BESS
The Island School and Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) have been partnering since Fall 2007 to
offer immersive programming to Bahamian students, building local and global leaders and environmental stewards through
the Bahamas Environmental Stewards Scholarship (BESS). The BESS program offers students the chance to participate in a
100-day Semester or a 6-week Summer Term at The Island School, as well as an internship placement with a conservation
centric organization based in The Bahamas. This unique work-study experience allows students to engage in environmental
and conservation research, immersion into the community, hands-on learning, leadership development, and opportunity
readiness beyond high school graduation.
