By Tucker B

The early morning sun beat down on Emmanuel’s back as he struggled to start the outboard motor on his small fishing boat. The weathered Boston Whaler was older than he was, but it had taken the years better than he had. The satisfying roar of the battered Yamaha engine brought him down to his seat on the gunwale with a smile. With a gentle twist of the throttle, the prow of the boat lifted clear of the water and he aimed it toward the mouth of the bay. The small metal craft bounded over the calm ocean, sending light jets of spray back on its wake. He relaxed in his seat and let the warm Continue reading →

Shoes are an important, but underrated, piece of daily Island School attire.  They shape your preparedness for any situation that comes your way – and at The Island School, that situation could be anything.  It’s not surprising that one may feel confused, if not overwhelmed, when choosing appropriate footwear in the morning.  Flip flops?  Sandals with ankle support?  Run-swims?  Swim-swims?  Run-runs?

What would Fritter do?  Sleep on it.  You’ll figure it out.

As always, “Fritter Sleeping Places” will be updated weekly for your visual enjoyment and personal enlightenment.  Can’t wait a week?  Sorry.  Fritter is asleep somewhere and is not currently accepting messages.  Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Fritter, whose only concern is with the time of dinner.

While parents and alumni can attest to the power of the experience and transformation that being away from home for 3 months can have, sometimes it still seems like a new idea to school administrators, teachers, and colleges.  Why have they not heard of Semester Schools?  Since students have to work hard to convince their school and teachers that going away is more than a “vacation” from school, the group of academic semester programs banded together to help families take the leap, and spread the word.  What’s going on with that?
 
Well, from the beginning, when the Island School started in 1999, we adopted the traditions and lessons of other established semester programs that had been the pioneers of taking high school students out of their comfort zone of school and into a community experience.  We still share a belief in how important it is to get support for students who want to do this kind of thing, so we decided to speak up!  Check out the new website at www.semesterschools.net  We hope you’ll help us innovate and improve: tell us your story of how you busted through walls and overcame obstacles to make your semester at The Island School possible!  You can make a difference for those who come behind you – even just reassuring them that it’s hard and takes effort would make their path easier.

In the reading of The Omnivores Dilemma, I learned things about the food I eat that I never would have thought of. I’ve never sat down at Applebee’s, looking at the menu wondered “where is my food coming from?” I’ve never even thought to question it. I never questioned the chicken and steak I buy at Costco. It’s just from Costco right? Through this reading, I realized my Continue reading →

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Students, upon returning  to Island School campus last Sunday after  a weekend spent living with local Bahamian families, hosted their homestay families for a delicious dinner and community celebration.

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For the past month we have been catching juvenile lemon sharks in specific mangrove creeks around South Eleuthera. We do this to determine the relative abundance of sharks in each creek and gather data that will help raise awareness of the current threatening situation these sharks face today.  In many islands of the Bahamas, mangrove creeks have been dredged during coastal development for things like sandy beaches and seaside resorts. It is our hope that by collecting data Continue reading →

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqiD7ioN9Uk

Remo is dedicated to education for sustainable development. He designed the Human Ecology course offered at The Island School based on educational theories related to critical pedagogy and experiential learning.  Remo also acts as the Dean of Faculty and coordinates the Teaching Fellows Program. He received his Masters Degree in Education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University and worked as a public school teacher at School of the Future in lower Manhattan – a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools.  Other prior experiences include his work as a Peace Corps permaculture volunteer and program coordinator in Panama as well as a “green” builder on Cape Cod. Remo grew up in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Oregon, and studied geology during a semester abroad program in Iceland. He enjoys swimming and surfing and is an avid promoter of reading.