Monthly Archives: December 2012
Island School Visits Nightingale-Bamford
Director of Admissions, Sharon Jarboe visited Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City this week to present to prospective Island School applicants and also had the opportunity to meet up with some of our beloved alumnae: Caroline Schoen (S’11), Dana Colihan (S’12), and Sasha Whittle (F’10)! Great to see you girls!
The Island School and CEI on Local TV Station; Minister Supports Renewable Energy
During his visit to The Island School last weekend at the Research Symposium, the minister of the environment showed his support for our commitment to renewable energy and the environment!
Eleutheros
The Human Ecology, Histories, and Literature Departments have collaborated on a series ongoing personal reflective essays called Eleutheros. Each week students are asked to write a reflective essay that demonstrates their understanding of the themes from their coursework and effectively links these themes to their unique thoughts and experiences. For each essay, students are asked to answer a new interdisciplinary prompt which inspires an integrated reflection on class learning. Our final essay asked students look at their academic semesters holistically and consider the value of their learning. In the coming week, look forward to some articulate examples of how our students have deeply and personally engage with this essential question. The prompt: So What? Why does what you have learned in your classes matter?
by Chris Foote
So what? It is hard to say when I’m still learning so much about this world and my self. When first considering what to write on for this assignment, I was at a loss for words. Then, as I looked out onto the pristine, blue ocean, the last line left Ashley’s mouth and lingered in the air: “When he left the beach the sea was going on” (Walcott, 325). This triggered something deep in my mind, and I thought of all I have learned here. First, I thought of the complexity of the life underneath the monotonous waves on the surface and its surfaces; then, of how that life is threatened by fisheries today. I thought of Tito’s dilemma, the Mexican Fisherman who we learned about from Brady, and understood how he was conflicted between his family and the sea; of Hector’s burial, the swift, the sea-almonds; of the empty Spanish bottle landing on Cotton Bay after a long journey at sea. And at that moment, I realized: I am invested in my education. Continue reading
Student Update December 4, 2012
This past semester, we’ve learned so much. From learning how to read Omeros to learning how to make bush tea from Joseph, we have gained so much knowledge. And yesterday, we had the task demonstrating all of that knowledge within 15 minutes. There was no set format for the demonstration, and so it was amazing to see the creative ways that other students came up with to show what they’v learned. Students made movies, monologues, tours of campus to show what they have learned this semester. One student’s that I especially liked read parts of her journal in certain parts of the semester to show the challenges she faced and how she overcame it. Many of these demonstrations were also emotional, especially because they marked the end of our semester. But I, for the most part, have managed to save the tears for the last day. For my Demonstration of Learning, I took my advisory up to the second floor deck of the faculty offices to reminisce about how far we had come. That same deck was where our advisory first came together in our initial “who am I?” presentations. Now, after three months, it was interesting to see how much we’ve changed, developed, and bonded together.
My time here has been a life-changing experience, Continue reading
Their Heroic Journeys
Last week, students were asked to undertake another in a series of epic challenges at The Island School. The Literature Department assigned students to write a story of their Island School experience through the form of the traditional Heroes Journey. Even more difficult, they were made to do it in the very specific stanza and rhyme form in which Derek Walcott’s Omeros was written (the primary text for their course). In the truly triumphant tradition of our students here, they persevered and were able to articulate beautifully written poetic expressions of the knowledge that is gained through the journey.
Enjoy this example written by James Boyce, describing the epic experience of free-diving with Maxey as his epic guide:
Free diving through Cathedral
The conch horn blows as a calling to free diving.
The sun is just emerging from the blue ocean.
I don’t want to wake up and have trouble finding
the motivation to move. I feel a notion.
The thought that my time here is limited comes to
me and I decide to put my day to motion Continue reading
Student Update December 3, 2012
Last Saturday was a very big day for all of us. It was the day where all of the research and work that we had done in the past three months culminated to a big Research Symposium. During the Research Symposium, each research group gave presentations about 
their research, booths, and posters. This was a little different from the presentations we did during Parent’s Weekend because we were presenting all of our work to people who could look at our results and make change in the Bahamas, and in the world. The Bahamian Minister of Environment attended the symposium as well as Friends of the Environment, BREEF, and many other NGOs. To see these people listen to and think critically about our research made me appreciate and feel proud of all of the work we accomplished these past few months. Continue reading
January 5th Boston Reunion Schedule!
DCMS Grade 9 Learn to Scuba Dive
In SCUBA, I have learned and experienced a lot. I have come to love and enjoy the fun of SCUBA diving. SCUBA has become one of my favorite hobbies. I love the feeling of getting into the water with my classmates and exploring the underwater world of The Bahamas.
My instructors Captain Ron Knight, Karen Knight and Mrs. Walker make diving fun. The Deep Creek Middle School offers us Ninth Graders the opportunities to not only learn to such an interesting subject, but to become certified divers. We also learn about the physics of SCUBA in Science class. All of the equipment is provided by The Island School. Captain Ron and Karen Knight are really great instructors. It has been fun learning from the best. SCUBA diving is a big opportunity for all to explore the underwater world. I’m looking forward to becoming a certified diver.
By: Shaquille Carey
Maxey Celebrates a Monumental Research Symposium
Dear Proud Parents,
We circled up at noon; I was moved to tell your children in the more intimate moment of our small circle how proud I am of the good work that has been accomplished. Yesterday after the research presentations we gathered in Hallig House to listen to key note speakers share impressions. Eric Carey, Executive Director of the Bahamas National Trust, is big in stature and huge in spirit and brutally honest; he was “blown away” by the work. Eric mentioned specifically the turtle project at Half Sound and the conch research as monumental and pioneering efforts that will encourage (he used the word force) the government to enact laws to protect and conserve these vital habitats and endangered species. As a boy growing up in Tarpum Bay he confirmed the story retold by the research team, ” when I was young we would go to Sandy Cay and load our boat with 100s of conch that sat dry at low tied and if you go back now you can not find a single conch.”
Next to speak, Mr. Sandy Mactaggart, Chancellor Emeritus University of Alberta. Sandy has dedicated his full and extremely successful life to save beautiful places; he realized that the work here by young scientists proved beyond a doubt that education as it continues to exist is tragically flawed. He then shared a story; I encourage you to read the link, http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/x874.html . Your children are producers of knowledge, they have stretched to ask and answer new questions and they are well tested and confident — watch out world!
Last to speak was the Honorable Kenred Dorsett, Minister of the Environment, Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Continue reading