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Reflections from The Maine School of Science and Mathematics

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Students from The Maine School of Science and Mathematics departed this morning, having completed two weeks of research and experiential learning here at The Island School and Cape Eleuthera Institute. During their time on Eleuthera, they worked closely with CEI researchers, while learning about the importance of conserving resources, exploring the surrounding tropical ecosystem, and discovering some of the many hidden treasures of the island. They reflect on their experiences:

“One of the main goals for coming here was to conduct research meaningful to the place in which we were living. We were divided into two groups for our program-long projects, one collecting data on the diet of invasive lionfish via dissection and analysis of stomach contents. This group dissected over 100 lionfish and went free diving among the coral reefs to see them alive and swimming. The other group worked diligently to find the maximum temperature at which certain species of fish can Continue reading →

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Final Thoughts from The Canterbury School

Students from The Canterbury School of St. Petersburg, Florida have had a week to unwind since their time on Eleuthera, and it is without doubt that they have continued to think critically about the world around them and our part in making the planet a better place. It is our hope that they will continue to be stewards of the earth through research, education, and conservation, and that they might serve as a launching pad for sustainable practices in their own community. We wish them well as they embark on their second semester of school and will welcome them back whenever they get the chance!

To read a first-hand account of Canterbury’s adventure in The Bahamas, please click here.

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Alumni

And The Winner of CONCHtribution 2011 Is…

…click here to find out!

As a collective alumni community, we reached 33% participation and raised over $110,000! Way to go! While we did not meet our goal of 45% overall participation, we did see much improvement from last year’s CONCHtribution campaign. 2010 recorded 32% participation, or 294 alums, raising $103,000. This year, 368 alums donated, which is over 70 more than 2010! We also raised $7,000 more than we did last year! Thank you to all who “Donated Once and Gave Back Twice!” We appreciate your support of The Island School.

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Winter Admissions Receptions

Looking for something outside the classroom? Join us for our Winter Admissions Receptions!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
6-8pm

The Maroni Home
220 Clyde Street
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Wednesday, January 25, 2012
6-8pm

The Florio Home
129 East 95th Street
New York, NY 10128

Tuesday, January 31, 2012
6-8pm

The Koch Home
28299 Old Country Club Road
Easton, MD 21601

*Alumni–if you join us, please bring a friend who is interested in The Island School!

RSVP to Hannah Mauck at hannahmauck@islandschool.org

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The Island That Never Sleeps

There is no rest for the weary on Cape Eleuthera as Island School and CEI staff geared up for the arrival of visiting high school and college programs on the first of the new year. Throughout the past week, dorms have been readied and Johnny Bread has been prepared for five academic groups eager to see the world in which they live through new and exciting lenses.

-The Canterbury School of St. Petersburg, Florida spent last week on its own mini-Island School adventure, complete with a run to High Rock, a Down Island excursion, and even a half-day kayak expedition! Students were oriented to their surroundings through natural history lessons, daily snorkeling, and a trip out to the sand bar to learn all about Ooids.

-The Maine School of Science and Mathematics is nearing the end of its first week in which students have been teamed up with CEI researchers working on both the bonefish and lionfish populations here in Eleuthera. Continue reading →

Alumni

Alums Who “Donate Once and Give Back Twice”

As CONCHtribution 2011 comes to a close, we’d like to highlight a few alums who have not only donated to the Cape Eleuthera Foundation Annual Fund, but took that act of giving a step further by making a difference in their community. Here are a few alums who have “Donate Once and Give Back Twice”:

Madeline Hansen (S’07) is helping to build and organize a winter solar greenhouse on her college campus, College of Saint Benedict, in central Minnesota so students can have an opportunity to learn while growing food for the campus cafeteria. So far they have secured the majority of funding and have created all the building plans. Now, they’re just waiting for spring to come to tie up loose ends and start building! Good luck, Madeline!

Tom Weaver (F’06) and his friend have been running a bike co-op at Colorado College. They were granted some money from the school, with which they bought all the major equipment one would find in a bike shop. The co-op is open a few hours every week and Tom and his friend teach CC students and Colorado Springs community members how to fix their own bikes. All the bike mechanics at the co-op are volunteers. Tom says, “Our philosophy includes how fun it is to ride a bike around town, the convenience a bike provides to run nearby errands, the exercise benefits, and the very low carbon impact in the grand scheme of things.” Great work, Tom!

Brit Hastings (S’06) participated in a service day Continue reading →

News

Welcome New Head of Island School, John Schatz!

The Island School is proud to announce a new head of school starting in the 2012-13 school year! After an extensive 18-month search, John Schatz has been hired to be the next Head of School. John has a long history with The Island School semester program. He joined a pioneer teaching team back in the fall of 2001 as a mathematics teacher. Outside the classroom John was head of the boys’ dormitory, sea kayaking guide, research advisor for a number of different projects and in his final year he ran the daily program as Dean of the School. John is remembered well as the teacher/mentor who was always there to challenge and at the same time support the community.

After four years of committed service to The Island School, John went on to receive his Masters in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College and taught at several private schools. Continue reading →

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Farming for the Future

On a beautiful Eleuthera afternoon there was a small gathering in the fields of corn at Apple Hole Farm to celebrate a big partnership between Edrin Symonette and Cape Eleuthera Island School. Among those gathered was long time Cape Eleuthera Island School mentor, Mr. Philip Miller, currently Undersecretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources. The partnership includes an initial investment of $5,000 by Cape Eleuthera Island School and is a celebration of the cooperation already in place that brings fresh locally grown meat from the fields of Apple Hole Farm to the dining tables at The Island School. Josh Shultz, CEIS Agriculture Manager, and Emery Long (F’04), Sustainable Chef at The Island School, have been working closely with Mr. Symonette to bring fresh, local, healthy foods to the table. Perhaps more importantly, the partnership will continue to educate future leaders in The Bahamas and students from around the world about the importance of reviving local agriculture and supporting local farmers wherever one lives. Continue reading →

Cape Eleuthera Institute, CEI

The SeaStation Has a Brand New Net!

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After a year and a half of trial and error CEI’s aquaculture cage has been refitted with shark resistant netting! Last Wednesday the aquaculture team, along with help from the majority of CEI, successfully installed this newly developed netting. Sharks biting holes in the netting has been the greatest hurdle that the aquaculture program has come across while trying to demonstrate the feasibility of aquaculture in The Bahamas. Previous growouts have failed due to escapements through holes that sharks had bit in the netting. The new netting was donated by the life materials company, DSM and the net manufacturing company, Net Systems. This is the first time this type of netting has ever been used on a SeaStation and the first test run will begin in February when 5,000 cobia will be stocked in the offshore pen. This will be the third time fish have been stocked in the offshore cage and fingers crossed, the first time the netting will be shark resistant.

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