Happy Mother’s Day from the girl’s dorm!
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Blackbeard, the Manatee, in Boathouse Cut!
This morning we were visited by a large manatee in the Boathouse Cut! Educational Programs Lead Educator, Tiffany Gray, shared photos and information on the sighting with Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization who informed us that our manatee friend is named Blackbeard who is originally known by our US colleagues from Tampa Bay. He has been in the Bahamas since 2013 where he has spent time in Long Is, Cat Is, north Eleuthera (with another manatee “Gina”). From there he headed to Nassau in December 2014 and remained until late April when he was seen back in Spanish Wells with Gina.
Manatees are not common to The Bahamas due to the lack of fresh water so this sighting is very exciting! We hope Blackbeard sticks around for at least a few more days!
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: EMMA ALEXANDER
Name: Emma Alexander
Histories Teacher, Dean of Students
Where are you from? Cambridge, MA
Where were you before this? Cape Town, South Africa
What brought you to Eleuthera? I was specifically drawn to IS’s Histories department, which draws heavily on the discipline of Anthropology. I saw a position for Histories teacher posted and was so excited! I thought this was a great way for me, with a background in Anthropology, to get back into the world of education and working with high schoolers.
What is your favorite dining hall meal? mac & cheese!
Name one thing that not many people know about you. I was on sesame street when I was 10 years old. I was in a library song and carried books on my head.
What is your favorite word? Umbuntu– Bantu term used in South Africa roughly translating to “human kindness”
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Writer for Lonely Planet
What are your top three movies of all time? “Dog Town & Z Boys”; “Stealing Beauty” & “Dave Chapelle’s Block Party”
What songs and/or bands have you been listening to lately? D’angelo’s new album Black Messiah; Paul Simon’s Graceland and everything by The Roots!
STUDENT UPDATE: FREEDIVING
Of all the experiences I have been fortunate enough to have here, free-diving has definitely been one of the most satisfactory so far. It has been an area where I have achieved vast improvement since my start, as well as let me see so much more of the Bahamian waters and marine wildlife.
Every Wednesday and Sunday morning, if possible, I get up early to go free-diving instead of sleeping. On Wednesday that means waking up at six twenty rather than seven fifty. If it was not worth it, I would never forsake that much sleep, but it is. One of the benefits of free-diving is that many animals, such as sharks, do not like the noise that SCUBA equipment makes underwater. But in free-diving, you have no equipment, so some animals might not be as repelled as they would have if you were SCUBA diving. Whether because of this, or just out of sheer luck, I have been able to see as well swim with many amazing underwater creatures. Some of the more extraordinary examples include: a ten-foot Hammerhead Shark, an eight-foot wide Spotted Eagle Ray, a Hawksbill Sea Turtle, a Reef Shark, and much more. These amazing creatures have sparked a love of not just free-diving, but also marine life and the ocean that was not nearly as strong as before coming to the Island School.
Secondly, since my beginning of free-diving, I have been able to quickly notice my improvement. When I started, we were going out to Tunnel Rock Reef, where the water was about 35 feet deep. The first time I couldn’t even get to the bottom, then the next time I reached the bottom. After that I reached the bottom many times and was able to “chill” at the bottom for a time. Finally, after that I was able to do a swim through. While we were going to Tunnel Rock, we also went to Cathedral Reef every now and then. Cathedral is about 55 feet deep, much deeper and harder than Tunnel Rock, with an extremely long swim through. After working at it for a while, I can now reach the bottom and wait at Cathedral as well as Tunnel Rock. This large increase in my free-diving abilities has come through help of the instructors as well as pushing my limits. It feels great to be able to see yourself grow, and this theme is present in many parts of the Island School, but for me it is greatest in Free-Diving.
I am extremely grateful to have this experience, and it has been made even better with all of the work and fun of Free-Diving.
Nick Brittain
STUDENT UPDATE: BASKETBALL
Last Sunday I had the opportunity to showcase my talents along with Island School kids and individuals from Deep Creek community. My friends Triston, Gus, Jeremy, Ian, Khalil and I traveled to Deep Creek along with Pat as our overseer. After arriving we shot around the court for a little while then played a warm in game to twenty-one before we picked teams ans played 4-4 basketball. In the first game the team was Pat, Ian, Michael and I against Gus, Triston, Khalil, and Jeremy. My team and I started the game out playing good basketball and we developed a good chemistry moving forward. We jumped out ahead with a big lead and then starting playing lazy which resulting in the opposing team gaining some points. However, we closed them out pretty easy once we decided play time was over.
The sun smiled its rays down on us as sweat gently dripped from our exhausted bodies. The next team to step on the court was a challenge, but I love challenges because they give you and opportunity to become better and make others better in the process. We were up against Darrel, Rachael, Cammy, and Brendan. “Screech, screech” was the sound our exotic shoes made sliding across the rouch cemented court. The game began with Darrel’s team jumping out ahead taking advantage of mismatches and leaks that they saw in our team. It was to my surprise that Rachael could play so well, she completely took advantage of my comrade Ian as Darrel bullied Michael in the post. It was time for me to stop taking a back seat, I demanding the ball and went to work scoring multiple baskets in a row. An intense game went on and no team would break first with the scored being tied 20-20 in the long run. It was our ball and the moment was bright what will I do, pass to my partners or take it the hoop and do what I do best score? I crossed over Brendan and drove to the rim as a diversion knowing in my mind that Darrel would switch over to help because he had a point to prove that he was this superstar player and wanted to advertise it to the world. Knowing that I could still try and make the shot I gave it it to an open teamate for the shot in which they missed resulting in the opposing team grabbing the rebound and claiming possession of the ball. I played defence to the best of my ability and in the corner of my eye I could see Darrel posting up Michael and asking for the ball while he was in the post up position. The thought in the back of my head flickered that Darrel would score if he got the ball and if I left Rachel to help on defence she would automatically receive the ball and it was a high percentage she would hit the shot. Therefore, I decided to stay on my opponent desperately hoping Michael would protect our basket in which he was unsuccessful in doing and resulting in our defeat. We lost that game 20-22 and yeah it was heartbreaking but I am a great competitor and use experiences to make me a better person and basketball player in life. I shook hands with everyone and exclaimed good game for I knew I would have a next opportunity in the near future to showcase my talents and this time I’ll lead my team to victory.
Danaldo Pinder
MEET YOUR CACIQUES OF THE WEEK!!!
Name: Raynooka
Where are you from?: Chicago, IL
How did you find out about The Island School?: I go to L’ville. They have posters up in every building!
Name one thing not many people know about you: I’m a writer.
Name one thing you know about Island School that you didn’t know when you got here: That you become so close with CEI researchers
If you could meet anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be? Jane Goodall
Name: Leo
Where are you from?: Manhattan, NY
How did you find out about The Island School?: My brother applied.
Name one thing not many people know about you: My middle name is a name of a movie– Django
Name one thing you know about Island School that you didn’t know when you got here: Dish Crew…It started off rough, but now Thurs dish crew is the best.
If you could meet anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be? Patrick Star from SpongeBob
Name: Lane
Where are you from?: Duxbury, MA
How did you find out about The Island School?: I come to Eleuthera every year– Winding Bay
Name one thing not many people know about you: My real name is Sarah
Name one thing you know about Island School that you didn’t know when you got here: I didn’t know we worked with DCMS
If you could meet anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be? Ghandi
Name: Ian
Where are you from?: Hamilton, MA
How did you find out about The Island School?: So many of my family members have come here.
Name one thing not many people know about you: My initials spell out “I Am”
Name one thing you know about Island School that you didn’t know when you got here: How valuable syrup is. We have honey on pancakes.
If you could meet anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be? Thor
Name: Lucy
Where are you from?: Freeport, ME
How did you find out about The Island School?: My babysitter came in 2010, then my brother camper.
Name one thing not many people know about you: I’m a “realist”
Name one thing you know about Island School that you didn’t know when you got here: How fast girl’s dorm gets dirty after personal space.
If you could meet anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be? Beyonce
Internship Opportunity for IS Alumni
Chris Maxey’s son, Brocq Maxey works for a company in Cape Town, South Africa called Shark Explorers (http://www.sharkexplorers.com/), which offers unique shark diving and view expeditions. Their philosophy is to change peoples’ perspectives of sharks and protect them as the ocean’s ultimate predator.
Shark Explorers is currently seeking interns, specifically among Island School alumni 18 and older this summer, August 1-21. See below or click here to learn more. If you are interested, email Brocq at brocq@sharkexplorers.com.
We Did It!
WE DID IT! The results for yesterdays giving day 1 for 100 are in and we are jumping for joy! Thanks to our amazing alumni and parent supporters, we far exceeded our goal of 100 gifts and received over 235 donations yesterday, raising more than $65,000, including the $25,000 gift from the anonymous donor!!
Student Update: Turtle Research
Research classes are in full gear as students put together the results sections of their projects and start to assemble their final posters. Here’s what student Lane Kearney had to say about her Turtle project.
One by one we toss our fins and snorkels onto the Scute, a small, single engine motorboat. We all pile in and position ourselves so all 8 of our eyes are on the water. The search now begins. Green turtles are hard to spot in this creek. Underneath the still aqua water, sits an array of coral blocks. While the boat is moving, it is easy to mistake these stationary objects as sea turtles. We all keep our eyes transfixed on the oceans surface until one of us shouts, “Turtle!!” This is when the excitement begins. I double check to make sure my fins are securely on my feet. I grab my mask, and speedily put it on my face. I fling my legs over the side of the tiny boat, and wait for Annabelle’s voice. “Go!!” I use my hands to propel myself into the warm waters. As soon as I hit, my arms and legs start moving as fast as I can. There is one thing on my mind, “catch the turtle.” My arms pierce through the water as I power myself towards the turtle. The turtle is using all its might to get as far away from me as it can; I won’t give up.
He finally dips down into the water and then starts to make his way to the surface for a breath, this is my chance. I reach my arms out, and grab under his front flippers, the turtle’s strongest joint. I have him in my hands. He fusses and moves his flippers around in all directions. As he is squirming frantically in my hands, the Scute makes its way through the water to help me. Annabelle relieves me from the stressful moment by grabbing the green sea turtle out of my hands. We place him on the boat, and transfer him to the lap of another member of the research group. We ensure the turtle’s comfort by placing him gently on an orange life jacket, keeping steady hands on the front flippers. We take the measurements that we need to gather for our study. It is then time to put the little guy back where he belongs: the clear sparkling water. We all watch as he is slipped back into his environment. He happily paddles away. Another successful day in the life of the Juvenile Green Sea Turtle research group.
-Lane Kearney
1 Day, 1 Gift, 100 Life-Changing Days
Today is The Island School’s Giving Day, 1 for 100: On 1 day, 1 gift can change 100 days for an Island School student. Our goal is to get 100 gifts of any size before the end of the day today. If we reach that goal, an anonymous donor has promised to donate an additional $25,000 to the Cape Eleuthera Annual Fund. To make a gift now, visit www.capeeleuthera.org/give.