Category Archives: Alumni

Write An Article for Your Local Paper

November 21, 2014 teamcomm

13602057634_b2e27b5936_k — Catherine Argyrople (S’14)

One of the best ways for alumni to help us spread the word about The Island School during their transition back home is to write an article on their experience and submit it to their local paper. Not only will it help attract the next round of Island School applicants and students, but it also can act as the perfect avenue for alumni to share their experience with others, without having to retell the same stories and answer the same questions over and over. It can be difficult for alumni to articulate how powerful and transformative their semester-long journey was once they return home. Putting it in writing and sharing it with the local community is a great way to help ease the transition home, while spreading awareness about the program.

Spring 2014 alumna, Catherine Argyrople did just that. Her recent article on her experience was published her local newspaper in Weston, MA. You can read the article here!

Alumni

Friends and Family Discount Extended at Cape Eleuthera Marina & Resort

November 5, 2014 teamcomm

Ever think of coming back to Eleuthera and doing some exploring? Well, we are making it easy for you with this Do It Yourself Down Island Trip (DIY-DIT) guide. Check out the sites, eat some local food and relive the down island trip you took as a student. To make the trip a little sweeter, don’t forget to check out the great deals at the Cape Eleuthera Marina & Resort for Island School alumni and alumni families, especially now that the Friends and Family discount has been extended through the end of the 2015 calendar year! Be sure to drop by campus and say hello as you set out on your DIT!

You can download a copy of the map here: DIT map.

Alumni

Island School in Hanover, NH

October 29, 2014 teamcomm

On Monday, The Island School travelled to Hanover, New Hampshire to visit with alumni and interested families. The Lubrano family (Amelia, Summer 2014) hosted a wonderful evening for alumni and interested students to gather and share stories. Amelia (Su’14) was joined by Sam Hastings (F’12) and Elsa Davis (F’13) to answer questions and describe their experience at The Island School. We would like to extend a huge thank you to Allegra and Steve Lubrano for welcoming The Island School family into their home!

Amelia (Su'14), Elsa (F'13) and Sam (F'12) are doing a great job serving as admissions ambassadors at Hanover High School! — Amelia (Su’14), Elsa (F’13) and Sam (F’12) are doing a great job serving as admissions ambassadors at Hanover High School!

The next reception for The Island School will be in Freeport, Maine on November 19th. Please RSVP with Taylor Hoffman at taylorhoffman@islandschool.org if you are able to make it!

Alumni

Next Generation of Island School Students

October 28, 2014 teamcomm

Fall 1999 Island School alumna, Elizabeth Besser Novak sent us a photo of her son, Brigham, dressed up in his Halloween costume–a scuba diver! Only about 15 more years until he can apply to The Island School–and 10 more until he can be officially scuba certified!

Are you wearing an Island School-inspired costume this Halloween? Send a pic to alumni@islandschool.org and we will share it on our blog!

Alumni

IS Faculty Do Their 2,014 Pushups

October 27, 2014 teamcomm

The Fall 2014 students posed the week-long CONCHtribution Push Up Challenge to the alumni during the week of October 12. If 70 alumni made a donation to CONCHtribution, the annual alumni giving campaign, in a single week, then the faculty would have to do a collective 2,014 push ups. At the end of the week, 75 alumni had donated which meant it was time for the faculty to drop and give the students (and alumni!) 2,014 push ups!

Alumni, Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight: Will Cembalest (S’14)!

October 27, 2014 teamcomm

It is a difficult decision to choose to stray from the typical high school path and attend The Island School for a semester. It is especially difficult when you are a top-performing athlete, like Will Cembalest (S’14). Will is a highly competitive squash player and although taking 4 months off of playing the sport may be seen by some as a disadvantage, Will would argue quite the opposite. In fact, he attributed his time at The Island School, and specifically training for the half marathon, to his recent success at a high-level squash tournament last week.

Will Cembalest, S'14 (right) and his coach (left) — Will Cembalest, S’14 (right) and his coach (left)

“I think that taking time off really helped me a lot because it improved my fitness and helped me become mentally tougher,” Cembalest said. “Training for that half marathon is hard work not only physically, but mentally as well. Ultimately, I feel that it’s the biggest reason why I’m playing so well right now.”

Before going to the Island School Will was generally ranked in the top 30-40 in his age group. After using the mental and physical skills he took away from The Island School, Will improved his training and his ability to focus during tough competitions. Will is now ranked #9 in the country for boys under 17–his highest ranking ever.

Congratulations, Will! We’re rooting for you as you continue to climb to the top of the squash rankings!

Alumni, Events

Third Annual Have One On Us Night!

October 24, 2014 teamcomm

We held our third annual Have One One Us Night for alumni last night in three cities across the U.S.: Boston, Denver, and New York City. It was a great opportunity for our alumni to reconnect with friends and also meet other Island School alumni from different semesters. Thank you to all who came out, especially our hosts, Kate Gibson Carey (F’04) in NYC and Drew Fink (F’05) and Nick Del Vecchio (F’02) in Denver!

Denver Have One On Us: Nick Del Vecchio (F'02), Eric Verdier (S'09), Natalie Triedman (S'07), Steph Solomont (S'07), Drew Fink (F'05), Louise Shiverick (F'10), Colton Coughlin (F'05) — Denver Have One On Us: Friend of Eric Verdier, Nick Del Vecchio (F’02), Eric Verdier (S’09), Natalie Triedman (S’07), Steph Solomont (S’07), Drew Fink (F’05), Louise Shiverick (F’10), Colton Coughlin (F’05)

NYC Group! Back: Kit Norris (S'08), Carina Fish (F'07), Henry Towbin (F'07), Chris Kachadoorian (F'08), John DiLoreto (F'08), Patrick DiLoreto (F'04), Mary Assini (S'00); front: Halle Biggar (S'08), Sarah Kistner (S'09), Morgan Tarrant (S'07) — NYC Group! Back: Kit Norris (S’08), Carina Fish (F’07), Henry Towbin (F’07), Chris Kachadoorian (F’08), John DiLoreto (F’08), Patrick DiLoreto (F’04), Mary Assini (S’00); front: Halle Biggar (S’08), Sarah Kistner (S’09), Morgan Tarrant (S’07)

Alumni, Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight: Krissy Taft (S’09)!

October 22, 2014 teamcomm

Krissy Taft, a Spring 2009 Island School alumna, is in her final semester at Middlebury College and has been very focused on senior thesis, which concerns the efficient use of the solar panels located in Middlebury’s own solar panel field. We got in touch with Krissy to hear more about her impressive project and how she is truly being a leader effecting change.

“I am a physics major, and I’ve added my own focus in environmental studies. One of my favorite physics professors has been in charge of getting our field of solar panels working. I’m really interested in renewable energy, so I asked him if I could work with him this fall. One of the biggest issues with solar panels, second to their high cost, is that they are not very efficient at converting solar energy into electricity, so my professor and past students have been working to make our panels as efficient as possible.

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Our system has a capacity of 140kW and consists of 34 solar trackers located in a field right behind our science center. Solar trackers can pivot around their posts, as well as adjust the angle of the solar panel. This allows us to point the panels exactly where we want to. On really sunny days, our computer system tells the panels to point directly where the sun is because that alignment allows them convert solar radiation into electricity most efficiently. Past physics theses have focused on this task of alignment on really sunny days. My project is actually looking at how our solar panels perform on cloudy days. When it is cloudy, light from the sun is scattered everywhere instead of coming down in direct rays. Our panels still point to where the sun is on cloudy days, but this might not be the most efficient alignment due to the fact that almost all the light coming from the sun is scattered at different angles.

My goal is to use data we’ve been collecting over the past two years to figure out how we should align our panels on cloudy days so that they operate with the highest efficiency. Hopefully whatever I find can be incorporated into the algorithms that tell our panels what to do every day!”

Congratulations to Krissy on her final semester at Middlebury and best of luck completing your senior thesis!

If you have an alumni spotlight story to share with The Island School, email alumni@islandschool.org.

Alumni, Events

Taking the Princeton, NJ Admissions Reception Outdoors!

October 21, 2014 teamcomm

On Sunday night, nearly 50 interested students and families gathered at the home of Pat Wynne and Lou Valente (Jake S’10 and Cole S’14) in Princeton, New Jersey. Although our conversations were around warm and sunny Eleuthera, we took advantage of a beautiful, brisk, fall night and gathered outside to hear from Chris Maxey and Peter Zdrojewski. Cole Valente and Mackenzie Howe (both from Spring 2014) also shared their own experiences about The Island School.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to the Valente family who opened their home to The Island School and all our alumni who were able to answer questions for interested families.

Maxey with Princeton-area alumni: Cole Valente (S'14), Mackenzie Howe (S'14), Maxey, Sophie Ochs (F'13), Duncan MacGregor (F'13), Nick Pibl (Su'14) — Maxey with Princeton-area alumni: Cole Valente (S’14), Mackenzie Howe (S’14), Maxey, Sophie Ochs (F’13), Duncan MacGregor (F’13), Nick Pibl (Su’14)

Our next reception will be in Hanover, NH on Monday, October 27th. Please email Taylor Hoffman,taylorhoffman@islandschool.org, if you will be able to make it!

Alumni, Events

Great Turn Out at NYC Reception

October 16, 2014 teamcomm

Last night, despite the rain, prospective students and their families made their way to the amazing home of Bentley Meeker (parent, Jensen Meeker Su’14) in New York City to learn more about The Island School.

Our all-star alumni, Jensen Meeker (Su’14), Kaven Marte (Su’14), and Evan Wood (S’11) answered questions and shared memories from their individual experiences at The Island School. There was lots of excitement among the interested students, especially the ones who are the first students to apply to IS from their high school.

NYC Reception — IS alumni answering questions for the interested students and families.

We want to extend a huge thank you to Bentley and Jensen for hosting us last night! On Sunday, October 19 we will be in Princeton, NJ for another admissions reception. For information on that reception or to RSVP, email taylorhoffman@islandschool.org.