Monday was a day full of Demonstrations of Learning (DOLs), a chance for all 49 of us to reflect and demonstrate what we have learned and taken from this semester. We speak in front of invited guests around campus and then answer any following questions. A chance for us to be honest with ourselves, the last 100 days, and the people that transformed it. It is filmed by our advisory and will be sent off to our sending schools. Mine was scheduled at 9:40 in the floating gazebo. I was anxious and shaky. Unsure of how my words will translate to others, I prepared a speech and simply recited it to the group. I used a slideshow of my photography from the semester to display my artistic vision and quite honestly distract the audience from my words. My observations, statements, and emotions began to pool as I became more and more in touch with the words I was reciting. Continue reading
Yearly Archives: 2012
Daily Update June 1, 2012
Like many things at Island School, advisory time is coming to an end. Thursday evening my advisory including some of our extended advisory went out for a final meal. On the car ride back to campus one of my peers turned to the van and said, “ It started with conch and ended with conch.” The whole van bursted into a eruption of laughter, as I sat there puzzled questioning why my meal of choice was so humorous. They reminded me of our first advisory time when we biked to a beach near campus and moments into the afternoon my foot was punctured by a conch and painting the beach brick red. These new faces came to my rescue without hesitation. I am honestly unsure I knew each of their names at the time but there is no doubt they would be my crutch to the finish line. Beth my advisor has been more than supportive during my variable emotional experience here at The Island School. Continue reading
Pacific Ridge School’s First Few Days at The Island School
The past two days have been primarily taken up with learning about and surveying green sea turtles in the local sounds and creeks. We began yesterday with a mini-class taught by Lucie, a researcher at CEI completing a baseline survey on turtle populations in South Eleuthera. We learned that there are 5 different species in the area–Green, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, Leatherback and Hawksbill–though some are more abundant than others. All of the species are protected under international treaties, though very little is known about their populations, migratory habits, etc.
After learning about the turtles and how Lucie conducts her studies, we headed out to Jack’s Bay to do our first survey. We hiked in to the beach and got picked up to go out to the seagrass beds where the turtles usually hang out. Spotting turtles requires two people to stand on the bow deck of the boat and look in the seagrass for turtles. It is not an easy job, but once we all saw one turtle, it was much easier to spot them. We saw a few from the boat (and we were all really excited!), but when we got in to snorkel with them, they had all disappeared! We were a little bummed to miss swimming with the turtles, but Lucie assured us that the next day would be even better at Half Sound.
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Today (Tuesday), we woke up and completed a run-swim for our morning exercise. Continue reading
Daily Update May 31, 2012
Finals week is passing by in a blur. We spent our Wednesday morning in research final oral assessment. In the beginning of the semester my research advisors Aaron and Alicia would play the daunting question game. I would often get frustrated when it seemed that just about every question I asked them was turned right around and it was required that I work through it in pieces. Although this tactic left me often impatient and boiling over time I could see a new development in my way of thinking. I had no Google, no effortless way out. Now it seems that nothing is more rewarding than answering my own puzzling questions, to know that I withhold the knowledge I never knew was present. When our final oral assessment rolled around I knew that the hard work that I have put into molding my intellectual approach to think critically had prepared me for this day. Continue reading
Maxey in the Classroom at DCMS
Chris Maxey has been teaching grade 9 math at DCMS for the past 6 weeks. He is balancing the needs of preparing for a government exam with the best practices of using math as a language to analyze and communicate about interesting questions in our world. Here he is pictured working through statistics problems about a mango farmer under the mango tree.
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Skylar Miller (S’03) Leads Lionfish Education and Outreach in The Bahamas
When Island School alum Skylar Miller (S’03) returned to Eleuthera in the summer of 
2010, she was looking for an opportunity that bridged her passion for teaching concepts of marine biology with field-based research. “When I heard the Cape Eleuthera Institute’s mission of ‘Research, Education, and Outreach’ I thought: That’s perfect. That’s exactly what I want to do,” Miller reflected. She has since become a pioneer for that mission. Her collaborative work has resulted in the creation of CEI’s Lionfish Research and Education Program, in partnership with the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) and Simon Fraser University (SFU).
The scope of her work is expanding into the future, with many exciting opportunities to forge new partnerships and extend lionfish programming throughout the Caribbean. “Lionfish invasion is a regional issue,” she described. “There are lots of countries similar to The Bahamas’ situation, politically, economically, socially. We need to consider how we can learn from one another. Looking at communication and how we can share ideas is going to be important as we move forward, as we figure out a solution to the lionfish problem.”
This fall, Miller will begin graduate work at the University of the West Indies, Barbados. Continue reading
Daily Update May 29, 2012
Monday was our final day of a few of our courses for the semester. In literature class we shared our Hero’s Journey Poems, based on an IslandSchoolpersonal journey in the style of the poetic voice of Derek Walcott author of Omeros. Each student seemed hesitant to stand up at the podium, but someone had to go. When it came to my turn my heart started to race and my voice became us easy, but I got up there. I spoke of whole new world filled with guidance, consumed with challenges overwhelmed with goals, and facing the brink of return. It was my Island School, my passion about the transformation and confidence I have gained here guided my poetic voice. It seemed that each student that wearily waddled up to that podium left with passion and closure. Verbally you can share you vision, emotions, and passion truthfully and clearly. This realization will give me the confidence I need to embrace my future with faith that I can succeed come transitioning home.
“Grains” by Mattie McAlpin
It was silent. Nerves were racing in every limb.
No one spoke; perhaps they didn’t know what to say.
We dove in as one and now just a knee high swim. Continue reading
Community Outreach Event on Haitian Bahamian Relations A Great Success!
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Over the course of the semester we have worked closely with Deep Creek Middle School to help improve problems facing the community here on Eleuthera. Our group assisted Moesha Leary’s project on Haitian Bahamian relations in attempts to combat the discrimination of Haitians in The Bahamas. Moesha, her DCMS peers, and their Island School Community Outreach buddies planned an event to educate the community about Haitians’ culture and to celebrate the similarities and differences between Haiti and The Bahamas. The event was a success and had a great turn out. Many people were inspired by what they saw and heard there. They left with a new perspective of the Haitian community in The Bahamas. The documentary “Can You See Us?” which chronicles the struggles of young Haitian Bahamians and the discussion that followed the film were among the highlights of the night. The evening had a fiery ending as both the Bahamian and the Haitians gave performances specific to their cultures including a fire show. It united the beauty of the two cultures and brought people together. You can read more about the event in an article in The Eleutheran newspaper here.
- Kira, Kyle, Will, Moesha, & Dana
Daily Update May 28, 2012
It was an eventful weekend across campus, it was time for our final athletic events! I spent the evening before the half marathon staring up at the girls dorm ceiling and downing as much water as my body could take, questioning if I could make it all the way. We were up and awake, well kind of awake, at5:10Saturday morning it was pitch black except a few van headlights and lights from the classrooms peering out into the darkness. I was feeling awfully nervous, wondering if I could even see the road ahead of me. Before I knew it we were off, there was no going back now I just had to go for it. There was help along the way every few miles I had cheerful, beaming, encouraging friends of mine with kind words and a Gatorade in hand. I felt my confidence rise as I traveled along the winding route. It was their support and my running partner Annie that kept me going. I refused to walk, I refused to stop, I ran and I ran.
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With three miles to go I doubted my abilities, Continue reading
Jack Burnham (F08) Receives Grant to Write About Asteroid Mining
IS alumnus, Jack Burnham (F08) was recently featured on 60 Minutes for the interesting work he has been doing throughout this past year. Right after completing his senior year at Northfield Mount Hermon, Jack received a Peter Thiel Fellowship, which is a grant that has allowed him to write about mining asteroids, in place of pursuing the traditional college route. You can watch the entire clip on Jack, and other Peter Thiel fellows, here! Congratulations, Jack!