Category Archives: Uncategorized

Alumni, Uncategorized

Middlebury Solar Decathalon Team Finishes Fourth!

Congratulations to Katie Romanov (F’05) and the rest of Team Middlebury College for their impressive finish in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathalon 2011!

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Solar Decathlon is a biennial competition that challenges twenty collegiate teams from around the world to design and build net zero energy houses that are attractive, affordable and entirely solar-powered. Team Middlebury College’s entry, Self-Reliance, received 1st place in three of the ten decathlon contests: communications, home entertainment and market appeal.

As the first undergraduate liberal arts team ever to make it into the finals on their own, Team Middlebury College is extremely proud to have performed as a top contender amongst teams from technical architecture and engineering institutions. Right before the final results announcement in West Potomac Park on Saturday Oct. 1st, the team’s Communications Coordinator Katie Romanov ’11 commented, “If we could finish in the top five, and be the little engine that could, we’d be thrilled!”

 

Read the full press release here!

CEI, research, Uncategorized

F’11 First Lionfish Research Update

By Maddy Philipp and Katie Harpin

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Greetings from the Lionfish Research team! We are now three weeks into the program and have already learned so much. The purpose of our study is to look at how grouper and currents affect the distribution of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) found around Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas. So far we have gone on two mock dives. Unfortunately our second one got cut short due to an unexpected thunderstorm. We have also learned how to identify grouper and take the total length of fish from a distance underwater. For one of our classes, we took a trip to CEI and learned how to dissect a lionfish. From the dissection we could see what the lionfish had eaten. We also learned that lionfish can expand their stomachs up to 30 times its normal size. For another class we became scientist for a day and learned the correct structure for scientific papers. We have 3 research classes a week and two of those usually involve fieldwork. Although the readings may be strenuous, the lionfish team is excited to have the opportunity to work alongside biologists and helping to further the worlds knowledge on lionfish.

Uncategorized

Salutations to the Sunday

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My alarm sounded. Confused, I turned it off and rolled over. Today is Sunday, the one day at The Island School when students and faculty alike take advantage of sleeping in. I was content nuzzling back into my pillows until I remembered: today was the day Griffin had asked me, or maybe convinced me, to lead yoga at the sandbar. I left my house in the dark noticing the silence of campus, the brilliance of the stars in the morning sky. Stepping into the boathouse I made out the silhouettes of students sitting with lifejackets as promised: 6:10 am and ready to go. We groggily filled two boats and headed out as the first glimpses of daylight shone through the clouds in the distance. The water was quiet, each movement of our boat breaking the steady silence of the sea. The pale pink of a sunrise reflected on the glassy surface as we all came to life. [slideshow] Continue reading →

CEI, research, Uncategorized

Need Support for November Shark Expedition!

Attention alumni! Edd Brooks, shark project manager, is in need of some support on his upcoming shark expedition and is looking to The Island School alumni network for help. November 6-18, Edd and his team will be in Little San Salvador to recreate shark surveys that were conducted in the late 1970s. Their goal is to identify any shifts in the diversity and abundance of sharks in the last 30 years. If you are interested in applying to join this expedition or have any other questions, please contact Edd at eddbrooks@islandschool.org by October 14th. Continue reading →

Uncategorized

Stories Beneath the Waves

In the beginning, there was artwork. From the artwork, came stories. Yes…yes, we are indeed talking about marine ecology. No joke.  Marine ecology is NOT just about diving and pretty fishes.  God help us if it was.  Sticking with the cross-disciplinary approach at The Island School, students incorporate themes from other departments, holding them close as they descend beneath the waves. Beautiful dives abound throughout the Cape, yet the beauty is never truly ‘seen’ until one’s attention is focused. This is where the intricate detail is. This is where the nuances come alive. This is where life begins. This is where ecology happens. Continue reading →

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Eleutheros – An Inter-Disciplinary Reflection

This year, the Human Ecology, Histories, and Literature Departments have collaborated on a series ongoing assignments. Each week students are asked to write a reflective essay that demonstrates their understanding of the themes from their coursework and effectively links these themes to their unique thoughts and experiences.  Enjoy reading how our students have deeply and personally engage with essential questions, important to their course of study at The Island School…

This Weeks Prompt:  Within the context of your experience at The Island School so far, especially in Literature, Histories and Human Ecology how have you begun to see your own paradigm and worldview challenged or changed?

“Gingersnap” by Grace Fowler

Gingersnap is the perfect example of a paradigm. Orange and very temperamental, Gingersnap fits the common stereotype of a “sassy ging.” He bites, claws, mauls and sneaks. He terrorizes lizards and tries to steal food from people’s plates. I’ve heard some students say he is the most hated cat at The Island School, and have even seen him be hurled off the dining hall deck by the scruff of his neck. However, spend enough time with him or pick him up when he’s not busy hunting lizards, and he’s the sweetest cat. Countless times he’s crawled onto my stomach and began purring loudly. He’s curious and smart. Once you get past the incessant biting, he’s a gem.

A paradigm is a system of understanding. Often in this world, people are defined by their paradigms. Their judgments, beliefs and biases determine who their friends are, what they like, and what they do. To see the big picture, you must understand it. You must talk to people and experience what they experience to understand their culture and beliefs. Continue reading →

CEI, Uncategorized

Carlton University Field Course Videos

Every winter for the past few years, the Cape Eleuthera Institute has hosted biologist Nigel Waltho and a group of students from Carlton University in Ottawa, Ontario for a two-week dive-intensive field course. During their stay, the students develop individual projects on coral disease, reef health, fish communities, etc. At the conclusion of the course, they must put prepare and present a final report. Nigel has recently uploaded a number of videos from their time in Eleuthera. Check out all their videos here!

Deep Creek Middle School, Uncategorized

Caribbean Boarding School Fair Pre-Conference in Eleuthera

Deep Creek Middle School in conjunction with The Island School is hosting boarding school admissions officers in Eleuthera in November. It is a great opportunity for schools to get to know some of the local students who may be considering continuing their education in the U.S. for high school. As part of their time in Eleuthera, admissions officers would conduct a school fair, observe classes, and tour The Island School. It is a great opportunity for sending schools to spend some time at Deep Creek Middle School, as well as some time on The Island School campus. Please click here for more information.

Uncategorized

New Cacique Update Blog Editor!

Show don’t tell. Three words simple words that make the world of difference in writing, three words that have been branded into my writing by my teachers atExeter. I didn’t like it at first, it took longer, and at times would go horribly wrong but they have made a huge difference in my abilities as a writer. As the new cacique blog editor, I would like to help incorporate that simple phrase into the upcoming blog posts. My name is Tyler Courville. I grew up in a small town in St. Ignatius, MT until my freshman year when I was accepted into Phillips Exeter Academy. One year after my first departure from home I got a plane again only this time I was headed in a completely different direction, The Bahamas. The Island School has changed my perception on sustainability and my outlook on culture and life. I am excited to work with the Caciques this fall.