Starting in 2007, DCMS teacher Will Simmons has held a summer camp for kids from North Eleuthera in his native Harbour Island. The camp, called Space to Create, is a non profit summer day camp for the youth of Harbour Island, Eleuthera. It joined forces with The Cape Eleuthera Institute to initiate Space 2 Explore, a program based around marine ecology and conservation. This comprehensive youth development program aims to enhance the academic, artistic and character development of young people on Harbour Island.

Students this summer explored diverse marine habitats under the guidance of Cape Eleuthera Institute researcher Kristal Ambrose and DCMS teacher Carola Walker in partnership with divemaster Shawn Springer. Students’ eyes were opened as they learned to identify countless organisms in the habitats they explored and also grasped the importance of these threatened ecosystems. These activities were not only academically enriching but helped students to build character as they faced their fears and accomplished things they never thought possible. This learning experience is highly relevant as Harbour Island is experiencing the pressures of rapid development. It is important that the next generation understands the role of conservation in sustainable development.

Check out some photos from a snorkeling trip here. On Saturday there was a final presentation where the campers had the opportunity to share with the community everything they had learned during their time at camp.

Congratulations to Will and the rest of his staff on another successful summer! To learn more about Space to Create, visit the camp’s Facebook page.