My name is Perez Sands. I was chosen to do a speech about the seventh grade Summer Bridge program at Deep Creek Middle School. Summer Bridge was great and I wish it was a yearly thing. We had a great time and it was the experience of a lifetime. We did all types of things such as going in the sea and learning about our community. We also learned the six expectations of a nurturing community that we have to show at school. Continue reading
by Caciques Lincoln and Zeke
Today is a day of remembrance. We look back upon the tragedy that was September 11, 2001. We appreciate all that we have, and feel sorrow for those that have lost. We also look back on what we as a group have left at home, whether it be family, friends, or any other matter that we care about. However, we didn’t just look back today. We also looked forward. On this day full of freedom and exploration we look towards this upcoming semester. We think about what will undoubtedly be a unique semester, Continue reading
Greetings everyone,
My name is Madison Philipp. I am the first student on blog chores and will fulfilling this role for the next two weeks. What I will be doing is looking over the Cacique Updates, giving feedback and answering questions the students have about writing. I volunteered for this job because I love to write. Having to find the words to describe what we do here and I really enjoy trying to make others understand what is going through our minds. I hope that I can help to convey to you readers out there, what we are experiencing here, the feelings of your children or friends and let you know how much everyone is enjoying their selves here. Have a wonderful day!
by Cacique Tyler Courville
A bead of sweat slipped from my nose plopped onto the mat below me. My arms trembled and my breathing was shallow and labored. My ears were filled with the grunts and gasps from those around me and the calm voice of our instructor Brady: “If this isn’t enought of a challenge you can also lift your feet above your head.” I twisted towards the front of the room and my eyes widened. Brady had somehow manuvered herself into a flawless headstand. Her breathing was measured, her eyes were closed, she seemed almost…comfortable. My eyes narrowed, my arms tensed and I began to lift my feet off the mat. Continue reading
by Cacique Grace Fowler
We made our way down the mooring line slowly, hand over hand, until we reached the sea floor fifty-five feet below. Curious fish swam at a safe distance as we explored the reef. Spend just two minutes hovering at over one spot, and you will see hundreds of different fish and reef plants. Colorful sea fans and anemones waving in the current. Bold purple, red, and yellow fish. Cleaner shrimp courageously standing inside a grouper’s mouth and thousands of tiny minnows swimming in unison. Frilly anemones that close themselves in a split second when touched and coral polyps reaching out to collect particles. Reefs are a never-ending I Spy book, no matter how much time you spend, there is always more to discover. Continue reading
This past summer, five students from Deep Creek Middle School earned scholarships to camp in the U.S. Keniesha Pinder, grade 8, shares her favorite things from Camp Wavus in Maine:
1. 6 day canoe trip
2. Kayaking (I learned that when you are alone and tired you have to keep going)
3. The different theme days like Carnival Day
4. Bull riding!!!!
5. Going on the pottery wheel
6. Shooting rifles
7. Cooking classes
8. Hiking into the wilderness
9. Sailing
10. Ropes courses
Thank you to all the staff and Island School families who acted as homestays and chaperones on the kids’ journeys to and from Eleuthera: Christian Henry, Hannah Twombly (IS SP’11), Bronthe McGarrah (IS SP’11), Ashley Anderson and Odette Pretty.
by Cacique Jane Drinkard
Today was one of the longest days we’ve had here. It was a big day for all of us; Kayak groups 3 and 4 left for their 3-day kayak adventure and the rest of us broke off into our scuba groups to start scuba week. It also marked my weekaversary here at the island school (woohoo!) Many of us had never been scuba diving before so some of us were kind of anxious to get into the water. Maxey talked to us last night about how the underwater world makes up 98% of our earth yet we’ve hardly explored any of it’s depths. He lowered his voice and in front of a magnificent projected photograph of the earth he informed us that tomorrow we would all be “aquanauts,” which is the equivalent to underwater astronauts. After our morning exercise of psychos and swimming with our fins we embarked on our scuba journey. Continue reading
by Caciques Carter and Griffen
Three shrill notes from the irate alarm clock permeate through the room of 12 sleeping boys. Brendan slaps down the source of this rude interruption and slowly the 12 of us roll out of bed, preparing for our first run, a 4.25 jog through the lush wilderness. Despite fighting new temperatures, unreal humidity, and foreign surroundings, we all returned with smiles of accomplishment and a new-found pride. After brief chores and breakfast, we said our goodbyes to our friends who had spent their morning preparing for the 3-day kayak trip around south Eleuthera; we would stay behind, to spend that time learning how to scuba dive.
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by Cacique Emily Peters
The bright blue waters of the little Island School Marina cove lapped over the wooden beams holding up the dock. My partner and I had our feet dangling over the edge of bright sunlit dock; watching the little fish swim around in large groups. We were waiting- waiting for directions on how to make the next knot we were learning. Today one of the things we learned how to tie various knots, knots for keeping boats to the docks, knots for a strong hold, and knots that could be used for anything. Through the hole, you make a loop; the “bunny” comes out of the hole, around the “tree,” back through the hole, and then pull tight. Our beloved scuba instructors kept saying, “Practice makes Permanent.” Continue reading
by Caciques Tori Suslovitch and Ihna Mangundayao
Today, our class was split in the same groups that we were yesterday; one half stayed on campus for a Harkness seminar while the other took a boat to a nearby sandbar for an introduction to math class. Students in the seminar discussed the book The Rediscovery of North America, practicing the new class system in which students lead their own class discussions. On the sandbar, students received geology lessons from Chris Maxey regarding the sand in the Bahamas and applied some geometrical and algebraic concepts to solve questions concerning the distance to the horizon based on their location. The students also saw a stingray, countless sand dollars, and several different types of conch during a quick snorkel. The environment is truly becoming a part of our classroom: we used the sand as our chalkboard and instead of reading about concepts in books, we get the chance to see them first hand. Continue reading