“Ah The Sleep-In” – A Cacique Update Poem by Evan and Ami

Long anticipated

We lift up our heads and roll over

Far from our minds is harkness

Waking instead from dreams of our Island School dog, Rover. (Sorry Lucky, it rhymed better)

Instead of darkness

We arise to sun, less caution to use as we walk down the stairs

Those who have forgotten to turn off their 6 am alarms are shunned…

(Sleep-ins are no joking matter)

For a few hours at least

Until we must all face each other

Standing hands at our sides

We proudly sing with one another (Slightly off key) Continue reading →

By Caciques Jessica and Brett

At the beginning of the first academic week we all ran two miles to high rock and symbolically jumped into the semester.  It was a difficult run for many, and also a challenge jumping off the cliff.  Today we ran there for the second time.  After only two weeks a lot of improvement has been made.  We could see that it wasn’t as difficult to run two miles as it had been for some when we did it before.  As we made it to high rock the sun was just rising.  We lined up to jump in.  Those who were nervous the first time, were confident today.  The people here for the education conference did morning exercise with us.  Some of them were nervous about jumping, like we had been just weeks ago, but the students modeled that our fears can be overcome. Continue reading →

“How to Affect Positive Change”

By Caciques Aldis and Katie J.

This afternoon, we all had the opportunity to lean from the wide variety of guests assembled on our campus. Island School students mingled with university professors, while Deep Creek Middle School conversed casually with the United States Ambassador to The Bahamas. Our campus became a slightly chaotic home to an Leadership in Education Conference. Directly after lunch, we all met in the boathouse where Chris Maxey set the tone for the next few days. Each and every one of us had made a conscious effort to be here in order to learn from advocates, teachers, and students of all kinds reaching towards the common goal of sustainability and student empowerment. Continue reading →

Editor’s note: My apologies.  Occasionally blogs slip through the radar and a missing blog update goes unnoticed, for days, maybe even weeks.  So, I bring you this better-late-than-never Cacique Update from March 11th. Enjoy.

by Caciques Austin and Izza

The Island School Community was reunited again today after a three day separation while half the students were on their Kayak trip.   Their return to campus was full of excitement and anticipation, as their three day absence seemed to last a week.  Many came back calling Island School home, while the students that remained on campus welcomed them back as family. Continue reading →

“Our Potential”

By Caciques Nick M and Hannah J

The ability to accept others can truly test just how well a community has grown together. As our small population grows into a larger foundation, we understand how to accept people into our way of life. Our horizons have been widened as we experience the dedication to The Island School cause that exists outside our small community. Talking to Kearney, an Island School alumnae from Lawrenceville (S.10), about how she has translated her Island School education into her daily and academic life at home, our perspective of the numerous applications of our ideas from The Island School made us realize our potential. With the arrival of new faces and ideas for the Educational Leadership Conference this weekend, Continue reading →

“Above and Below Water”

by Cacques Ellie Cutchin and Jack Kempner

With Peter leading the way, my Marine Ecology class cautiously entered a tunnel that lead from one side of the large patch reef, Cathedral Rock, to the other. I was amazed at all of the unique organisms that were tucked away within the cracks. There were red squirrelfish with their gaping eyes, delicate purple and yellow fairy basslets, and dark, living coral all around. I loved seeing how, around the outside of the tunnel, there were fish swimming freely everywhere, while the ones in the tunnel were tucked away in little pockets of the coral. The immense beauty of where I entered caused me to forget about the claustrophobic thoughts of the encompassing rock, and explore the new perspective. As I flipped over face-up, I was astonished to see the bubbles from my own air float up and form into silvery film, trapped above me on the rock. Continue reading →

“The First Run-Track”

by Caciques Damian and Elizabeth

The sun had just risen and more than half of the students were participating in the dynamic warm up that involved strenuous lunges, rapid leg lifts, and constant laps around the campus. This morning would be the first of our vigorous training that would soon lead to a half-marathon run at the end of the semester. After a quick jog over to the marina, our buddy sprint relay began. Still half asleep, the first group of buddies slowly but surely lined up on the “Big” bridge ready to sprint to the “Little” bridge and back. The first group took off! Continue reading →

“Good Morning!”

By Caciques Eliza Hazen and Tony VanGessel

Waking up this morning was one of the hardest things I have done as a student here at The Island School. As Cacique I had to wake up at 6:15, which is ten minutes earlier than usual; we typically have to arrive at morning circle at 630, but this morning, I had to raise the flag at 6:20. As you can tell, there is not a lot of preparation that goes into arriving at morning circle, especially in the boys dorm. Eight different alarms go off at around 6:20, someone inevitably yells “shut that thing off”, and no one gets out of bed until 5 minutes after that. Then they rush out of bed, throw some shorts and a shirt on and run out to circle to avoid doing pushups.

Now I did not want to get up this morning, the wind was blowing incredibly hard, and it was extremely cold (65 degrees). Continue reading →