With three weeks left in CONCHtribution, the competition continues to escalate.  Class participations are climbing higher, and many classes are within reach of the 60% participation mark.  Don’t forget that donors from classes who reach that mark will not only receive a FREE Island School alumni t-shirt, but will also get a $1,000 bonus from the Head Giving Challenge.  And those ambitious classes that reach 75% participation levels, will receive $5,000 toward their final CONCHtribution!

There is still plenty of time to give online, and don’t forget that a donation of any amount gets your class one step closer to a plaque on the golden conch!

I wrote this piece and read it to the F10 students at their Island School graduation this last Tuesday December 7th. I post this so that they may remember my message and be reminded to take this incredible opportunity and use it to give back to give back to the world.

If I could choose a single message to leave you with today it is this: You are blessed.

YOU.

You were given this glorious opportunity. A sea swift appeared one day in your life, a messenger beckoning you here. The stars aligned, the winds changed course.  One day this chance flew your way. Perhaps it was a friend recently returned from Island School, perhaps it was your dad, last winter, sitting by the fire, telling you about this school you should look into. Perhaps as the sea swift came into view you saw the magnitude of its shadow and you were scared. You were scared to go away, scared for something new, scared to be left alone for 48 hours. Alone, just you, alone. But you came anyway. Or, perhaps you wrestled and wrangled and called the swift into your life: “Come here! Right now! I am ready!” Perhaps The Island School was just your kind of adventure. And you came, because of course you would come to a place like this.

No matter how you arrived here: frightened and trembling or beaming with confidence and passion, you came. 

And you are so lucky that you did.

This place is a blessing.

Do not forget that you are blessed. YOU.  Continue reading →

As The Fall 2010 semester comes to a close, we are reminded about the pressures our students face on returning from Island School. The new documentary “Race to Nowhere” describes the overwhelming focus on standardized testing and measuring achievement in ways that don’t help students grow. The March 25-26th 2011 Education Conference on Eleuthera is celebrating the achievements of teachers and students at schools, focusing on the goal of growing future leaders.

Read articles about the Cape Eleuthera Foundation’s grantees and activities in the Fall edition of the CEF E-news.

We’ve got an exciting new CONCHtribution incentive for our alumni classes!  Thanks to a leadership gift from alumni John (F99) and Chuck (F01) Head, classes who receive 60% participation will receive an extra $1,000 toward their total CONCHtribution.  Any class that reaches 75% participation will receive an extra $5,000 toward their CONCHtribution!  With a little less than a month left in the competition, many of the classes are within reach of these goals.  Help your class get an extra boost– click here to give now!

Check out where your class stands as of today… Continue reading →

Sports

by Joniquer Munnings, Grade 9

I was raised by softball

strike one

Make you wanna throw the bat down

strike two

Tell the 3rd ball to come out of the park

kinda sports.

I was raised by basketball

teammates pass the ball to you

you miss

get the rebound hit a 3 pointer

“Wow Wow!”

that’s the kind of sports.

I was raised by track

running around 3 ½ times

tired, sweat draining down my face

come to the finish line in second

going home with a silver medal

“yaa” that’s the kind of sport.

I was raised by sports

and the person who made me accomplish all these sports

that Mr. Choquette kinda sports.

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By Lissa Eidelman and the Bike to Teach Tour Team

It was 7:30 AM last Monday, when CEI staff convened outside of the Devos Bicycle Center.  Instead of conducting research and running the Institute, this group would spend the week biking to teach across the island.  Our research and sustainability initiatives are only as powerful as the communities they reach.   CEI staff wanted to get the word out about the work we do on the Cape. Continue reading →

Monday the 22nd Deep Creek Middle School  hosted its annual Basketball Jamboree. Island School and DCMS students celebrated a semester of Community Outreach and buddy friendships with a basketball tournament, volleyball, conch fritters, music, and fun. Games starred players of different age groups and schools, and culminated with a faculty vs. student show-down.  And although the faculty dominated the final game, students were still in good spirits as our community bonded over some healthy competition.

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