All posts by teamcomm

Uncategorized

Urban School Leaders Visit Island School

Earlier this week, a number of urban school leaders visited The Island School to get to know our campus, as well as brainstorm ways to provide this type of transformative experience for their students. Brad Zervas, current Executive Director of Boys Hope Girls Hope (BHGH), and past Executive Director of Boys’ Club of NYC, Malick Fall, Principal at BHGH, and David Banks, Founder and Director of Eagle Academy, who has started 5 public schools for boys in and around NYC and most recently in Newark, NJ, were all in attendance.

These leaders are focused on the critical challenge facing young men around the planet, many of whom are growing up without fathers. In collaboration with the International Boys’ Schools Coalition, The Island School is working to help develop a summer leadership expedition to bring young men from schools around the globe. Zervas recognized years ago that Island School place and philosophy helps forge leaders through authentic physical and emotional challenges. Mallik and David took the initiating plunge off High Rock and after their visit are strong believers that the Cape is a good place to launch this new initiative.

Deep Creek Middle School

DCMS Presentations of Learning a Success!

_Y1A1650DCMS students showed off their final School without Walls (SWW) projects last Thursday evening during Presentations of Learning (POL) at the DCMS campus, marking the end of a seven-week experiential learning unit. The opening ceremony was held before students’ families, friends, teachers, and mentors on the basketball court at 5 p.m. Representatives from each grade level gave guests a brief overview of projects before the two-hour open house began.

_Y1A1737

“Presentations of learning were very exciting because of the support from the community and family and friends,” said Grade 9 student Patrick Johnson. During SWW students go into the community to gain hands-on experience with the social and environmental aspects unique to South Eleuthera. Students and teachers alike dive full throttle into the kind of place-based curriculum that CEF is known for.

“I liked SWW because it was a once in a lifetime experience,” said Grade 7 student Charleston Darling. “Other schools don’t really let you do stuff like that.” Grade 7 students studied marine ecology, taking several trips into the field to tag turtles with CEI researchers, snorkel among fish of all kinds at Cape Eleuthera, and camp in the Exuma Cays with Captain Ron, Chris Maxey, and Grade 7 SWW teachers Odette Pretty and Meghan Maloney. Students ultimately produced a nonfiction report about a local marine habitat and organism.

_Y1A1806Grade 8 students were immersed in the study of plastic pollution in The Bahamas and the world at large, hoping to find and implement viable local interventions with the help of CEI plastic pollution researcher Kristal Ambrose and Grade 8 SWW teachers Angela Schatz and Emma Sparrow. POL guests were treated to students’ persuasive anti-plastic seminars.

Grade 9 students learned firsthand that a more equitable and just society requires taking action. Teachers Will Simmons and Jaclyn Jones paired each student with a social or environmental activist in the South Eleuthera community to hone in on an injustice and craft a project proposal to be carried out during the forthcoming Community Outreach class.

_Y1A1890

The presentations were well-attended and an air of celebration was undoubtedly in the air. “I’m constantly impressed with the level of work our students put forth during Presentations of Learning,” said Grade 8 SWW teacher Emma Sparrow.

Deep Creek Middle School, News

TK Foundation Visits Campus

On Wednesday, February 19, we were pleased to host Mr. Arthur Croady and Mrs. Esther Blair from the TK Foundation on campus. The TK Foundation is our largest Bahamian supporter and helps makes the great work we do at DCMS and with the BESS program possible. Their day-long visit featured tours of campus sustainable systems, class visits to DCMS and discussions with researchers and educators about their experiences and future outreach programs.

_Y1A1262

20140219_115401

20140219_113916

Educational Programs

New York Harbor School Visits The Island School

2 Comments

Last week the New York Harbor School, located in the heart of New York Habor, visited The Island School for their 6th consecutive year.  Each year NYHS sends a group of students with instructors Joe Gessert and Liv Dillon to participate in a week of intense SCUBA training.  In addition to the two instructors, NYHS sends down a student Dive Master and student Dive Master in-training to help organize and help out with dives.

Ron instructing NYHS student how to drive & navigate the Cobia
Captian Ron instructing NYHS student how to drive & navigate the Cobia

Over the course of the week, all of the visiting 10th and 11th grade students completed their PADI Advanced Open Water SCUBA certification, participated in daily morning excercise, and explored Eleuthera.  With over 20 group dives led by Ron Knight, the director of waterfront and SCUBA operations, the group collectively logged over 300 dives!  These consisted of both shallow water reef dives and deep water dives of the wall of the Exuma Sound, as well as navigation and several night dives.

Amongst their favorites, one that stood out for many of the students (and was often requested!) was diving The Cape Eleuthera Institute’s offshore aquaculture cage, also known as “The Cage”.  The Cage is a massive underwater structure located a mile off the coast of Eleuthera at a depth of about 80ft.  When diving The Cage one is transported to a surreal underwater landscape, which includes what looks like a giant space ship to the west and the 3000 ft depth of the Exuma sound to the east!  With the opportunity to see various species of sharks, schools of horse-eyed jacks, and a massive grouper that is known to reside below the cage, it’s no wonder The Cage was a favorite dive for many of the students!

The Cage

Another notable dive was Hole in the Wall, a deep dive along the wall of the Exuma Sound.  This dive includes a swim-through of a bus sized tunnel that starts on top of the reefs at 70 ft and exits along the wall of the Exuma Sound at 100 ft looking out into the 3000 ft blue abyss.   You can check out a quick timelapse of their dive at Hole in the Wall on our Instagram!  NYHS finished their week with a trip “down island” snorkeling at the Green Castle Blue hole where they spotted a school of eagle rays!

The New York Harbor School and the Island School have a strong history of partnership with the facilitation of thier annual diving program at The Island School and NYHS sending students to the Island School Semester Program.  Here’s to many more years!

Below is a photo essay of NYHS’s last dives at The Cage and Hole in the Wall:

(Photographs by Will Strathmann)

Flippers, masks, and BCDs -all set up before breakfast waiting in the boathouse
Flippers, masks, and BCDs all set up before breakfast in the boathouse
NYHS students entering the boathouse before a morning dive
NYHS students entering the boathouse before a morning dive
NYHS students kitting up
NYHS students kitting up
Full tanks waiting to board the Cobia
Full tanks waiting to board the Cobia
Instructors Joe and Liv planning a dive
Instructors Joe and Liv planning a dive
NYHS students on the Cobia
NYHS students on the Cobia
Giant stride entry off the Cobia
Giant stride entry off the back of the Cobia
Let's go diving!
Let’s go diving!
The Cage
The Cage
NYHS students standing on the outer rim of the cage
NYHS students standing on the outer rim of the cage
School of horse-eyed jacks under the cage
School of horse-eyed jacks under the cage
Swimming along the patch reefs west of The Cage
Swimming along the patch reefs west of The Cage
Students helping each other back on the Cobia before another dive
Students helping each other back on the Cobia before another dive
All smiles after their last dive at The Cage
All smiles after their last dive at The Cage
Unloading empty tanks off the Cobia
Unloading empty tanks off the Cobia
These kids sure use a lot of air!
These kids sure use a lot of air!
Captain Ron giving a pre-dive run-through of Hole in the Wall
Captain Ron giving a pre-dive run-through of Hole in the Wall
NYHS students "skydiving" down into the entry of Hole in the Wall
NYHS students “skydiving” down into the entry of Hole in the Wall
Looking out into the 3000 ft deep Exuma Sound after exiting Hole in the Wall
Looking out into the 3000 ft deep Exuma Sound after exiting Hole in the Wall
Swimming along the wall of the Exuma sound at a maximum dive depth of 110 ft
Swimming along the wall of the Exuma Sound at a maximum dive depth of 110 ft
Five minute safety stop after the dive
Five minute safety stop after the dive
A common scene on the Cobia after a long day of diving
A common scene on the Cobia after a long day of diving

We Hope to see you next year!

Alumni, Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight: Jean Fernando (Su’13)

Last summer, the African Leadership Academy (ALA) sent a student to The Island School Summer Term, Jean Fernando. ALA is a member of our City Bride Program, which connects inner city schools to The Island School and gives them the chance to step out into a whole new world. City Bridge was born out of The Island School’s dedication to expanding our program’s reach and making it available to anyone who wants to apply. Our partnership with the African Leadership Academy is particularly special because it is our first City Bridge connection outside of the US or Bahamas.

We recently received an update from Jean who is so inspired by his learnings and experiences at The Island School, that collaborated with four ALA peers to create a fully functioning organic farm that produces vegetables for the community. Check out the video on their project:

Deep Creek Middle School, Events, News

DCMS and ELC Students Compete in Jr. Junkanoo

3 Comments

Hours of practice and hard work paid off for Deep Creek Middle School students last Saturday night at The 2014 Eleuthera Jr. Junkanoo held in Governors Harbour.  Accompanying DCMS for the first time, the pre-schoolers at The Island School’s Early Learning Center joined in the annual competition, leading the group down the new Queen’s Highway route.  The group took home top prize in the Junior High category finishing with 948 points.  Congratulations team!

Below is a photo essay highlighting their journey:

(Photographs by Erik Kruthoff and Will Strathman)

A late night pasting session at DCMS
Mr. Will Simmons, a teacher at DCMS, served as leader of the group

 

A DCMS student pastes a head piece
Members of the entire Island School Community lent a hand in preparing for the event.
DCMS students teaching the ELC pre-schoolers the proper steps.
Practicing in front of school
Practicing at The Island School.
Cowbells and drums. The signature sound of Junkanoo
For many of the ELC students, this was their first Junkanoo rush.
A student tries his hand at the trumpet.
Dancers practicing.

 

After-school drum practice.
A student dancer showing off his moves.
A volunteer pastes a shoulder piece.
Adding the preschoolers to the group made for some laughs.
Assembling the group on the day of the competition.
Mr. Simmons making last-minute preparations.
DCMS dancers pose for a group shot.
Drums are warmed up next to a bonfire.
DCMS drummer crew.
A male dancer shows off his costume.
Ready to go.
The Early Learning Center students lead the way, showcasing the school’s core values: Exploration, Individuality, Creativity, Growth, and Imagination.
The DCMS Banner “The Future Leaders of the Bahamas” with their core values: Responsible Citizenship, Leadership, and Academic Growth.
Lead dancers with the banner.
DCMS dancers.
DCMS Core Values “Graduates”
“Prime Ministers of The Bahamas” piece.
A colorful shoulder piece.
DCMS brass section.
Trumpet player in the brass section.
DCMS Trombone player.
“School of First Choice” shoulder piece.
Dancers with cowbells and scrapers.

 

DCMS Drummers.

 

Drummers beat out the unrelenting sound of Junkanoo.
DCMS & ELC took home top place for the Junior High category, finishing with 948 points.