Small island states, the effects of climate change, and environmental protection are the focus of the 2009 essay contest organized by the Inter-American Developmental Bank (IDB) and the Bahamas National Trust (BNT).

All students are asked to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both organizations, by writing an essay about the impact of climate change on the environment and the economy.

The theme is ?Environmental sustainability and conservation in The Bahamas: A Vision for the future.?

With the support of the Ministry of Education, the contest runs to November 20.

?As we are both celebrating our 50th anniversary this year, we have joined forces given the nature of our work in sustainability and natural resource conservation,? said Roscoe Spencer, IDB Representative for The Bahamas.

The BNT operates twenty-five national parks throughout The Bahamas, four of which are in New Providence. It also offers educational programs about the ecosystems. ?Our national parks are the subject of many educational programs,? said Portia Sweeting, BNT Director of Education. ?National park visitations and school presentations deliver the conservation message to 1,000 young people each year.

?We are consulting with the Ministry of Education and they are revising their curriculum to include information and activities surrounding the effects of climate change on small island states.? By convincing all students from primary school to senior high to make protecting the environment a priority now, the Department of Education hopes to embed in them an awareness they will take seriously as adults.

?The Ministry of Education supports the BNT and IDB essay competition because through it the high school students will develop a more heightened awareness of the importance of the environment,? said Lionel Sands, Director of Education.

?Environmental studies are a part of the curriculum now. ?Then they will understand how to protect the environment and how to use it so we don?t lose it. We are trying to illicit their response through the research they would have been participating in.

?Once we obtain their response, then we know what their position is with respect to that particular topic. That is why we are happy they determined to do this. ?The topic selected is a timely one due to the challenge to protect our environment in the face of modernity, with a need to create more employment for our people.

?The students responses will show they also have a stake in this and will determine their position on this important topic.? Junior high winners will receive a laptop computer and iPODs. Senior high winners will receive a Mac computer and iPODs. A desk-top computer is in store for the winning school.