Category Archives: Uncategorized

Uncategorized

Congratulations Ben and Laura Dougherty!

We are happy to announce the arrival of Mia Grace Dougherty last night at 10:42pm. Her parents, Ben and Laura Dougherty, taught at IS from F’06-S’09 and this is their first baby. They welcome her to the family along with their dog, Siena. Laura and Ben currently live in Leadville, CO and work at the High Mountain Institute. We welcome Mia as the newest member of The Island School family!  Congrats to Laura and Ben!!!

Uncategorized

Island School and The Heroes Journey

The Island School Semester is filled with journeys. Students embark on their own, made up of the thousands of small individual journeys that happen each day here: the first run-swims, kayak trips, inner-loop explorations, settlement days. This place is blanketed with epic voyages, woven out of small journeys. In their Literature classes, students read Omeros that tells them: “in its travelling all that the sea-swift does it does in a circular pattern,” and learn about the Heroes Journey. Recently, we asked students to use this model to better understand and reflect upon their time at Island School. Today we feature these stories of of separation, initiation and return. Students consider their guides and mentors along the way, challenges, and how they have returned or will return, changed. So, as parents prepare to embark on their own epic voyages to campus for the upcoming Parent’s Weekend, enjoy these powerful stories of our own student heroes… (our apologies that not all student’s work is featured here. Many felt that their experiences were too personal to be shared in such a public venue, others, well… just have not turned them in yet).

Paul: I had been looking forward to this moment for years. It was one of the reasons that I wanted to come to The Island School in the first place. I had heard about solos many times before and it had always seemed so fun. Two days and nights by myself alone in the woods: Man versus nature with only myself to keep me company. I could build a fortress or write a novel. I had expected I would discover the meaning of life or think up the cure for a disease at the very least. The options had seemed limitless not a day before. But as I stood in the sand looking at the trees along Lighthouse Beach that I was to live in for the next two days, the reality of the situation started to sink in. I turned right and saw my companions walking far down the beach, being dropped off one by one. I searched my brain for thoughts to comfort myself, but came up empty. All I could think was that I was alone, and I was already bored of myself. I knew from those very first moments that this would be a very interesting two days. Continue reading →

Aquaponics, Cape Eleuthera Institute, CEI, research, Uncategorized

On Plastic Research Expedition with Kristal Ambrose

Cape Eleuthera Institute’s Kristal Ambrose embarked on her epic journey to of plastic research, leaving on April 24th.. From Nassau, Bahamas to Texas, USA; from Tokyo, Japan to Guam; and finally, on to Majuro, Marshall Islands, the last two weeks have been a whirlwind of exploration, opportunity, and learning for Ambrose, CEI’s Aquaponics Intern and researcher dedicated to finding solutions to plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.

“Most of what we eat, drink or use in any way comes packaged in petroleum plastic—a material designed to last forever yet used for products that we use for as little as thirty seconds then throw away,” describes Ambrose on her blog. “Plastic creates toxic pollution at every stage of its existence: manufacture, use, and disposal. This is a material that the Earth cannot digest. Every bit of plastic that has ever been created still exists, including the small amount that has been incinerated and has become toxic particulate matter. In the environment, plastic breaks down into small particles that release toxic chemicals into the environment. These particles are ingested by wildlife on land and in the ocean, contaminating the food chain from the smallest plankton to the largest whale…This trip will serve as my formal training experience to tackle the plastic pollution and marine debris issue within my country.”

In Nassau during the days before departure, Ambrose was invited to tea at the home of His Excellency Sir Arthur Foulkes, Governor General of The Bahamas. Continue reading →

Uncategorized

Island School Supports Ride for Hope

2 Comments

Saturday April 14, 2012 The Cape Eleuthera Island School supported Eleuthera’s annual Ride for Hope, which raises money for cancer caring centers and cancer treatment programs. The Cape Eleuthera Island School has been supporting and donating to the annual bicycle race benefit since the very first race was organized by Stephen Holowesko and Susan Holowesko Larson, long time friends of the school. This year, The Island School and Cape Eleuthera Institute had their highest participation in history with 23 riders from both organizaions. The group collectively rode more than 1,200 miles for the cause. John Dennis the Principle Managing director at Woodrock and Co., longtime rider and Island School alumi parent (Grace Dennis Su’10), sponsored the jerseys for the entire team. The sleek, professional and fashionable shirts were marked with the iconic Island School mutton snapper, Cape Eleuthera Foundation sea star, Cape Eleuthera Institute conch, and Deep Creek Middle School sand dollar. Though coveted by non-riders, Chris Maxey asserted “You gotta sweat to get the jersey.”

This year also marked another exciting first: it was the very first time that the entire campus has picked up and headed down island to support the even. Forty-eight students and additional faculty spent the day organizing, moving bikes, marking down participants as they crossed the finish line, and of course, cheering! One Island School student, Peter Graham, biked alongside his Potcake Cycling Club and finished with 50 miles under his tires.

[slideshow]

Enjoy the following reflection from the perspective of a student supporter and Ride for Hope volunteer Dana Colihan: Everyone thought that waking up at 6:15 for morning exercise was bad, until we had to wake up at 4:45 on Saturday morning. After a quick granola breakfast everyone hopped in the bus and we were on our way to Governor’s Harbor. We were going to support Ride For Hope, an annual bike ride for cancer awareness. Continue reading →