A YORK student is to spend several months in the depths of the Central American rainforest as part of an exciting conservation project.

Gianna Chadwick, 18, from Huntington Road, has been asked to take part in a major group expedition to Belize with the International Scientific Support Trust (ISST), leaving in January.

The expedition lasts for five months, and consists of a two-month conservation project in the rainforests of Belize, a one-month intensive Spanish language course in Guatemala and a two-month teaching project in a primary school, also in Belize.

Gianna, a former Huntington School pupil, has a deferred entry place at Oxford to read Human Sciences, starting in October. But she will be using her gap year as positively as possible.

She said: "When I was making a decision about my gap year, I wanted to do something that would be of benefit not just to myself, but that would contribute something of real value to another community.

"Here I have the opportunity to make a difference to the people and wildlife of one of the world's poorest and most naturally diverse countries.

"I'm going to use the expedition to qualify for most of the sections of the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award, which I would complete on my return to York, for example by continuing with my Spanish and volunteering within the community.

"On a personal level, I believe I will return from my time in Central America much better prepared for my university course. It will give me the chance to learn a new language and experience life in a very different culture."

Gianna has already raised most of the £3,500 needed to take part in the expedition by working over the summer but she still has to fundraise for equipment and is keen for local companies to sponsor her.

Updated: 10:49 Thursday, December 13, 2001