Dellwood Middle School
Why I Would Like To Sail Around The World

Shakinah Richardson 13 years M3

I feel trapped on a small island. I need to see the world. Being here in Bermuda means I’m limited to do only certain things, but to see the world!! It’s like a dream come true. To go places I’ve never been, see things I’ve never seen. Do unimaginable things you can only dream about. Oh, the wonders are just amazing. Too beautiful to tell. Too extraordinary to believe without seeing. All the different foods we can sample, different cultures we can explore. And that way I can Ace Social Studies, Ha ha!

Oh, to be free. To do and see things I dream. All the opportunity. All the magic of feeling free. Like a bird that has been locked up for years and was just set free. To breathe air from a different atmosphere to soothe my suffocating lungs. To free my aching soul which longs for freedom. All I dream, all I want, all I desire. Waiting there for me to reach out.

It’s a shame my dreams don’t come true. I need adventure and mystery. I need more than this. Much more than this. Something different. Time calls for change. And I’m all for it. All I have to do is believe.

Bermuda Christian Academy

Alesha Page 11 years M1

Why do I think that Alan Paris’s Participation in Around Alone Solo Campaign is Important and Significant for a Young Bermudian Like Me

Mr. Paris is a thirty-seven year old gentleman. He is married and has a son named Tucker. He is a Bermudian who was born in 1964 and lives in St. George. He started sailing at Camp Junior at the age of nine. He has undertaken many solo challenges. He has more than twenty-five years of experience.

Mr. Paris’s participation in Around alone Solo Campaign is important to me because it tells me that Bermuda can compete on an international level. It also tells me that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to even if I live in Bermuda. If I wanted to race or do gymnastics in a different country I wouldn’t be discouraged because of Mr. Paris’s participation in this race. It tells me I can do anything I desire.

Mr. Paris is being very courageous by sailing around the world by himself. He must have lots of endurance and determination. I know Mr. Paris can do this because of all of his training. His success will teach others like me that with determination we can finish what we begin.

I wish that Mr. Paris will finish in a good position that it puts him and Bermuda in the Guinness Book of World Records. I also hope that he will be okay out there by himself. I know he is doing something good for a young Bermudian like my. He is a real role model.

Bermuda Christian Academy

Aarin Berkeley 13 years M3

Around Bermuda with “Mr. Alan Paris”

Mr. Alan Paris is a thirty seven year old Bermudian. He has a wife named Becky and a son named Tucker. He resides in St. George’s.

Mr. Paris began to sail at the age of nine years old. During the time he was nine, he sailed a 12-foot cadet boat. Mr. Paris has sailed many ocean trips; therefore he is a very experienced sailor.

Mr. Paris made me think of myself when I was ten years old. I began to sail at White’s Island. I’ve been sailing for the past three years. Last year, I was in the Intermediate Class. Before that, I was in the beginner Optimus. The class I will be in this summer is the J-Y 15 Class, which is a boat that is 14 feet long and holds up to three people. The boat that I will be sailing has about a four foot rudder and I think a six foot dagger board. It also has two sails.

I know a little bit about sailing so I would love to sail around Bermuda with Mr. Paris. I love to sail. Sailing with Mr. Paris would be an honour. I would check on the controls and I would also have some questions for him. I would ask, “How will you be able to sleep?” “Will you be able to hike?” “What will you do if you are caught in a storm?”

I wish Mr. Paris a safe journey!

Clearwater Middle School

Andrea Francis 11 years M1

What contribution do I think Alan Paris’ participation in “Around Alone Solo Campaign” will do for Bermuda

Alan Paris’ contribution can be a very special occasion. By Alan taking part in this campaign it may have an affect on the people in his life such as his family and friends.

Alan may be the loved child which may not want to be lost. Alan is playing a very big part in his life. He may have had a dream of sailing solo on his own as a young boy. By this Alan would be fulfilling a dream as a young boy. While Alan is on this campaign it will hive him a lot of time to think of what he is doing, how it will affect his life for every and think about why he is doing it, and how he will accomplish it.

Alan’s participation in this campaign can help Bermuda in many many ways. It will allow Bermuda to have many more tourists who have come to see Alan as he leaves to go on this campaign. It will allow Alan to be known and for people to know Bermuda. Alan’s contribution to this campaign will help him and allow him to do his best and have courage.

His contribution means that he has to give it his all. Young children now may want to become sailor s just like Alan. By that I mean he may be influencing them to do their best and to keep on trying!!

Clearwater Middle School

Marcus Weeks 11 years M1


What contribution do I think Alan Paris’ participation in “Around Alone solo campaign” will do for Bermuda

I would love the opportunity to sail around Bermuda with Alan Paris. Not only would it be a learning experience, I feel it would be a lot of fun.

Travelling around Bermuda with Mr. Paris would allow me to use the skills that I was taught during the Whites Island sailing program.

During the Whites Island program I learned the different parts of the boat. I know the difference between an Opti, JY and a Laser. I got to sail the Opti and an JY. I had the opportunity to sail by myself in the Opti. The Opti is only sailed by one person and JY is a team effort. In the JY, someone has to conrol the main sail, the jib and the steering rod.

Sailing with Mr. Paris would allow me to see otehre aspects of the island that you can’t see on land, like special fauna and unique species of fish.

Mr. Paris is attempting to accomplish an amazing act. I would like the opportunity to learn from him and apply what I have learned.
Bermuda Institute

Haley Fox 10 years P5

Why I Would Like To Sail Around Bermuda With Alan Paris?

Dear Mr. Alan Paris,

I am ten years old, I am named Haley and my favorite color is Blue. I would like to sail with you around the island particularly because I love the ocean, and I would like to see around Bermuda. Although I don’t go sailing much, I like to sail when I can. I find it very fun and very, very, relaxing. This is probably the only chance I will get to see you and to talk to you about what you do. To see the fish and to sail all the way around Bermuda would be a great experience for a child like me. To learn about Bermuda’s reefs and how it looks, and to learn about the ocean will be exciting. Mr. Paris, I really would like it very much to sail around Bermuda with you. It is a very, very generous and kind of you to let a person, but not just any person, but a child go with you around Bermuda. I am looking forward to see parts of Bermuda that I have never seen before. I can look at Bermuda from another point of view. I can see the beauty of Bermuda’s beautiful, and wonderful waters. I hope you can pick me to sail around Bermuda with you. I’m very happy you are fulfilling your goals. I also hope you have fun on your journey around the world. I wish you lots and lots of LUCK!

Your sailing partner,
Haley Fox

Bermuda Institute

Jamila Weeks 9 years P5

Why I Would Like To Sail Around Bermuda With Alan Paris?

I would like to sail with Mr. Alan Paris around Bermuda because I would be the first in my family to go around the island without my parents. I also want to go because I would see exciting creatures that I have never seen before. I will also learn more things about these creatures and the sea. I learn about sailing and how to sail. I think I would learn more about Bermuda its reefs and things that live in the reefs. While out on the water I will learn the different waters around Bermuda and where the beautiful beaches are that I have never been to. I would also like to go so I can tell my family all about it, especially my Uncle Walter and Papa Quinton where to fish and where not to fish. I also want to come so I can relax and be away from my annoying little sisters Maliha and Ayanna. I also would like to go so that I can meet new people from other schools. I hope my friends Connie, Jayde, Jessica, Charda, and Rochelle meet me there is I get chosen. I also want to go so I can learn to do different kinds of knots. I hope I can see a shark. I would probably play games with my friends by naming some fish and taking test. I really, really, really hope I get chosen.

Elliott Primary

Chikira Smith P5

Why I Want to go sailing with Mr. Paris

I would like to go sailing with Mr. Paris to learn about how to sail. I want to experience how it would feel to be the first person to sail around the world and I would like to learn about what different things you can do on the boat.

Even though the boat looks so small out in the deep I think it is cool to go sailing on a sail boat instead of a cabin cruiser. I really want to learn about the oceans and the currents. I want to know how it feels to sail through the currents.

Next, I would like to see the corals and the fish. Then, I would like to catch the fish so we can study them and see what they look like in the inside.

Then, I would like to talk about your state of art boat. I hear your state of art boat is called BTC

I want to also talk about how you made up the name for your boat and why you chose it. Do you really like the name for your boat?

Finally, I just hope to be chosen because even if I don’t win I know I still tried my best.

Elliott Primary

Jahvon Thomas P5


Dear Alan Paris,

When I heard about this trip I was so excited because since I was five and now I am nine I wanted to go sailing. My family does not have a boat so if I could go sailing with you that would be a dream come true. I want to thank you for being so brave and to be the first Bermudian to be in this scary event and I want to wish you good luck. And as little information about you that I have I can still tell that you are a nice man. So that’s why I want to go sailing with you and if I don’t win I will just have to wait.

I tried to draw your boat I hope you like it.

Your fan,
Jahvon Thomas

Sandys Secondary Middle School

Dane Benjamin 11 years M1

Alan Paris Around Alone Solo Campaign

I would enjoy sailing around Bermuda with Alan Paris just to get the attention that he is getting from all of his supporters.

I am interested in meeting him because I know that he has lots of courage to do what he is doing. There are so many questions that I would like to ask him about navigating and his decision to do it alone.

It is such an honorable opportunity participating in this international event with so many foreign countries and meeting so many interesting and challenging people. He has really proven to everyone that a small island like Bermuda is still on the map, and meeting people from all over the world may and could bring lots of tourist trade to our island in future years. It could also bring lots of international business to our island.

We have lots of people in Bermuda who are very talented and are afraid to show it. It took someone as courageous as Mr. Paris to take this journey. We can guarantee that when he finishes his solo journey he would have inspired many thousands of children and adults, including myself, to go out and challenge and also believe in ourselves. I often wonder how he feels being in those lonely unpredictable seas on his own?

We have an encouraging and lovely teacher named Mrs. Dean, at our school who has been discussing some very important details and facts about Mr. Paris’s journey around the world that has encouraged us to write this essay.

We will continue to pray for Mr. Paris’s safe and very successful journey. Our thoughts, prayers and support are also with his family and friends who patiently wait for his safe return.

Sandys Secondary Middle School

Ashleigh Cassell 11 years M1

Why I would like to sail around Bermuda with Alan Paris

I would like to sail around Bermuda with Alan Paris because I have never sailed in a yacht before. I have been on the ferry, but never to sail on the outskirts of Bermuda. I think it would be an exciting expedition and I know I will learn a lot from this expert sailor. If I went I would ask Mr. Paris these two questions: what made you decide to go sailing around the world? Are you the first Bermudian to decide to do this?

When I meet Mr. Paris I would be very excited to see him. I think Mr. Paris is very daring to circumnavigate the world. I also would think that Alan Paris would be a little lonely at sea. So I would suggest that he take a scrap book to keep a diary of every day and also to write down all the different species of wild life he sees. Also he should take a multi-band radio so he can listen to different radio stations from around the world, and maybe a television. He should definitely take a satellite phone so he can talk to anybody when he gets homesick. A laptop computer will also be good so people around the world can see the progress he is making as well as to write e-mails to everyone. I think what Mr. Paris is doing will affect Bermuda’s tourism, thus attracting tourists to find out about Mr. Paris’ home. When I grow up I would like to say when I was eleven years old I met a man named Alan Paris and I won a contest to sail around Bermuda with him.

Spice Valley Middle School

Steven Almeida

Why I think that Bermudian Alan Paris’s participating in the “Around the World 2002 campaign” is important or significant to a young Bermudian like me?

Well, I think that a person such as Alan Paris who is a very courageous man will be like Martin Luther King Jr. He shows all Bermudians and myself that if you have a dream “no matter how deep the river” of “no matter how high the mountain” try and try again. Well this career can be very significant to me because he will always be one person I look up to. My life involves many sports and I love to sail long distances. Alan Paris would be the man who would make me the man I am inside. I feel that people like Alan Paris should be noted for having a significant dream and being able to fulfill their childhood dreams.

Alan Paris is so courageous because he will have to leave his wife and one year daughter. Well, I think he suspects already what can happen out on the sea. If I had to trust a person he would be Alan Paris because if a person is brave enough to leave his daughter and wife then I can trust him with my life.

Another reason is that he is sailing all around the world with no-one to talk to, just miles and miles of clear blue water. If I was to win that would be a life experience to sail all around Bermuda in a day.

Thank you for taking time out from your busy schedule to read my essay.

Spice Valley Middle School

Lamar Richardson

Why Would I Like To Sail Around The World With Alan Paris?

I would like to sail around the world with Alan Paris because it would be a great experience for me. I could learn a lot of stuff. I don’t know how to rig and de-rig those big boats. He could teach me what to do if something goes wrong when we are at sea. He could even teach me what to say on the radio. I could learn about the different pieces of equipment we need and also the safety and survival kits. All of this would make up my great experience. I could also learn more about the waters and sailing than I do now.

If I sailed around the world with him, he could teach me how to be a first mate. It would also be good for me to get away from everybody. I would have to have extreme patience. Twenty- eight thousand miles is a long distance and it would take a very long time, probably 7-8 months. If I could sail around the world with Alan Paris he would then have somebody to talk to in person instead of on a radio or on a computer. It has to be scary for Alan to sail all by himself for 7-8 months. It would be my first time sailing in such a big boat but I could handle it. I would miss my family dearly.

I would like to sail around the world with Alan Paris because then I would be able to say I sailed around this whole world in a 50’ sailboat. At least I could say we (Alan Paris and Lamar Richardson) were the first Bermudian sailors to sail around the world. If I liked it I would not hesitate to go again in four years.

Just about a year ago I knew nothing about sailing but now I know how to sail after having taken part in a sailing programme. Sailing with Alan Paris would be an exciting adventure because sailing is a year round sport. I would be out on the sea in all types of weather conditions and visiting and experiencing different countries/cultures while sailing, a sport I am beginning to love. All I can say to Alan Paris is Good Luck and have Fun!

Bermuda High School

Meghan Diel 9 years P5

Learn Around the World Essay

I really really would like to sail in Bermuda waters with Alan Paris because I love sailing and it would be a great experience to go out sailing with someone who is going to sail around the world on his very own. It would be very exciting to meet the sailor
Alan Paris and to talk to him and to ask him questions. It will be cool to ride the waves on the same boat, BTC Velocity, that is going around the world.

It is important to a young person like myself because it proves that it doesn’t matter if Bermuda is small, a Bermudian can still go off and do big things. Also since Alan is the first Bermudian to do this important race it will draw attention to Bermuda because lots of people in different countries will be watching the race on TV or listening to it on the radio.

It will be fun to learn about his boat and his stops at the different countries and to hear about the different things he sees in the water. I want to hear about the storms and the high winds and the enormous waves. I would love to hear about the dolphins and whales if he sees any.

Bermuda High School

Eleanor Gardner 10 years P6

I think Alan Paris will educate Bermudians about life at sea by sailing around the world. This will be a difficuly goal for hm to accomplish, since he has to leave his wife and child at home. His voyage will benefit Bermuda because people worldwide will say, “Wow! He is a really good sailor…and he is just from a little island.” Bermudian children will be thinking about him and will become his larger family by sending e-mails and asking questions. We will be able to learn a lot through his experiences.

I would really like to go on his boat because I sail Optimists and they are hard to control even though they are small, only the size of bathtubs. I would like to see how he could control this big boat all by himself.

I think he is very brave to sail a boat all alone for almost half a year. I do not think I could do it but his trip will help us all to believe that we should try to do even the most difficult tasks.

West Pembroke Primary

Jasmine Trott 9 years P5

Studying the coral reefs around Bermuda with Captain Paris would be really interesting, and finding a shipwreck would be very exciting.

Learning how to read a compass would be helpful, especially if I were given the golden opportunity to sail on his boat. As I am a Brownie, reading a compass would come in very useful there as well.

I know on board his boat Captain Paris will be using many types of instruments. It would certainly be great to see all this technology in action. How will Capatin Paris communicate with my school?

Captain Paris is a very brave man to sail single-handed around the world. What if a shard comes right up to his boat, will he be afraid. I think that I would be, but most probably fascinated at the same time.

What kinds of things do people do while sailing on a boat? What kinds or things do people take with them to eat on a boat, when they’re going on a long journey like this? Maybe we will catch a few fish for dinner!

I wonder if I’ll have the opportunity to have all my questions answered….I wonder?

West Pembroke Primary

Chaundre Burgess 9 years P5


I Chaundre Burgess, would be honoured to win this competition. It would be incredible to see some sea animals. If it was a warm sunny day and the sea was calm, I hope to see a shark with teeth as large as a market, boy that would be cool. I want to see a huge whale as big as a bus and the whale should be black and the spout on top of its giant head would let out water that could over flow a room, that would be neat.

If I were on the boat I would want Mr. Paris to take me swimming and we would have a swell time, I would ask Mr. Paris questions like why he wants to enter the Aroudn The World All Alone Contest. I would also like to see some cool tools that he will be using on the boat, I’d like to poke with them but not ness anything up. I would ask Mr. Paris what places he would like to visit on his journey. I would tell him that I want to visit France and I would ask him if he would stop there.

I really, really want to see his boat even if I don’t get picked. I have never been around Bermuda but I will someday, if not with you, maybe with someone else. Being with Mr. Paris would make my day and I don’t want to go down there to get away from school, but to meet an incredible person. I would also talk to Mr. Paris and maybe see parts of Bermuda I have never seen before. Mr. Paris I hope for sure you read this.

It would be a treat to sail around Bermuda. I could learn a lot from Mr. Paris. Maybe I would see a sea animal I have never seen before, or maybe I’d see an animal that’s blue and has a dog’s face, or maybe I’d see a purple crab on a rock. There is so much I would like to see if I Chaundre Burgess was picked to go on Alan Paris boat.

Mr. Paris I wish you all the luck in the world and when you go on your journey, may God be with you.

Purvis Primary School

Arrington Smith 9 years P5


Water Rat

I love the water! Maybe because I was born in the summer! I look forward to being in and around water all year long. My mom says because Bermuda is surrounded by water we should take full advantage. One of my favourite things to do is fishing. Sometimes I go fishing on my godpa’s boat “Over Here II”. I started swimming lessons when I was just twenty four months old. Now I have a lot of badges and certificates because I go Aqua mania every summer. When scuba diving was offered to the After School Program at my school Purvis Primary, my Mom signed me up and I was able to qualify as an official PADI bubble maker. Each summer I also enjoy participating in the Aqua Camps held at the Aquarium. This summer we had already planned for me to take sailing lessons so to sail with Alan Paris around our beautiful island would be exciting. I am very comfortable in aand around water. I often go sailing on Nightwings with my friend Chantel and her Dad. He has given my some pointers about sailing. Chantel and I like to handle the ropes. When we are on board we have fun trying to recognize the places we are sailing by. I have never been around the entire island on a boat so it would be a wonderful game to see how many places I Could recognize. I would enjoy talking with Mr. Paris while we sailed. I really want to know why he wants to make this journey, especially by himself.

Purvis Primary School

Alexis Stovell 8 years P5

Get Involved and Participate

I think Alan Paris’ participation in “Around Alone Solo Campaign” is important to a young Bermudian like me because it can encourage me to participate in more things than usual. I love to participate in games, fun events, parties, and lots of other things, even if I don’t do well at them, I still try to join in and do my best. I believe Mr. Paris’s participation alone will also motivate children who don’t participate in anything, or to try different things. It is always better to try something and fail at trying than to never try anything because you never know what you can do until you try.

Mr. Alan Paris’ participation will have a big effect on Bermuda! I think it show that some Bermudians will participate in a lot of big things, although our island is so small. Alan Paris is doing a hood job participating in this wonderful event! I think that Alan Paris should get the whole island’s rounds of applause for doing such great thing! He wil get people who don’t know where Bermuda is, to look on their map and find us. It will also get people to find out more about Bermuda.

I would like to sail around Bermuda with Alan Paris to get the experience of what it was like for him sailing around the world. It would be very interesting to live on a boat.

Harrington Sound Primary

Malcolm Smith 10 years P5

Why would I like to sail around Bermuda with Alan Paris? I would like to sail around Bermuda with Alan Paris because there are some parts of Bermuda I have not yet been around. It would be a good experience to tell to my family and friends. Why do I think that Alan Paris’s participation in “Around the World Solo campaign” is important or significant for a young immigrant like me?

This is my first, and maybe my last time, that I will get to experience living in a foreign country. And it’s with good luck that that country is Bermuda, paradise on Earth. I would like to learn as much about Bermuda as I possibly could, and a trip around the island with Alan Paris would be a memory that AI would have for my entire life. While the “BUEI” is showing me hundreds of fascinating things about life underneath the sea, I would like to learn more about undersea life. What contribution do I think Alan Paris’s participation in “Around the World Solo Campaign” will do for Bermuda? I think Alan Paris’s “Around Alone Solo Campaign” will be good for Bermuda and will be good for everything and all people.

Harrington Sound Primary

Avarie Graham 9 years P5


Why I Would Like To Sail Around Bermuda With Alan Paris

I would like to be able to sail around Bermuda with Alan Paris because AI think that it would give me a good opportunity to learn more about the Island.

By sailing around the Island, I would be able to learn more about how Bermuda was formed and to see how beautiful it really is. I would be able to appreciate it more from the water than on land.

Bermuda is surrounded by shipwrecks and reefs and I think that we would be able to enjoy ir more from the boat.

I would also like to learn how to sail and operate a boat like the “BTC Velocity”. By sailing with Mr. Paris, I would be able to ask him what kinds of marine creatures he’s seen and how he feels about sailing alone around the world.

I think that Mr. Paris’ participation in the “Around Alone Solo Campaign” is important for a young Bermudian like me because he would be representing Bermuda and making people around the world more aware of our Island, our culture and heritage.

At the same time, he would be teaching us about the different countries he would be visiting and the different cultures he sees as he sails around the world.

This would be my chance to participate in a world record event. The children that are taking part in this campaign should be glad to participate in this exciting adventure. This is something I had never thought of doing so I think that I will enjoy myself very much.

This would be a great opportunity for me to have lots of fun, meet lots of different people and learn more about my Island and the world.

I hope that Mr. Paris wins for Bermuda but even if he doesn’t, I know that he would learn a lot about the world and have lots of fun.