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A Star-Studded Welcome

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At sunrise exercise this morning I had dipped my head down into the bright underwater sky.  Little Jellyfish everywhere.  New to the island, I perked my head up, alarmed.  Treading water slightly quicker, I asked David whether the little creatures dotting the water below us were of any concern.

“They just sting a little,” he replied.

“They’re like the mosquitoes of the sea.”

They have a mosquito for everywhere here, I think to myself.

Later that day, I can chart the mosquito bites, from ankle to knee: from “Orion’s Belt of Irritation” to “The Southern Cross of Misery”  There is “Scratchy Major” and also “Scratchy Minor.” I sit at my new desk, in my new office, in my new home, at Continue reading →

Alumni, Events

Island School Visits the Big Apple

On Saturday The Island School’s Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) took a tour of the New York Harbor School (NYHS), a maritime themed public school located on Governor’s Island near Manhattan.  The AAB took the quick ferry from Manhattan and explored NYHS’s beautiful, historic building.  NYHS just recently moved from Brooklyn to their dream campus on Governor’s Island.  Sharon Jacker, community coordinator for NYHS, showed off the school’s aquaponics, composting, and aquaculture systems (sound familiar??) and explained the school’s program in detail.  The NYHS is an amazing school, and we encourage everyone to check out their website to hear more about the work they are doing.

After the tour, the AAB headed back to Manhattan to Ulysses Folkhouse for a happy hour with other Island School alumni.  It was great catching up with our NYC-area alumni, and we hope to do another event in Manhattan this fall!

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Island School Welcomes Harlem Children’s Zone

Justin Lewis and Chris Maxey teach students about a nurse shark at Boy's Dorm Beach on Day one

On Sunday The Island School welcomed students from Promise Academy and the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) to campus for a week-long experience. Twenty-three high school students and seven mentors made the trip from New York City to Cape Eleuthera to learn how to swim, SCUBA dive, and kayak.  The students will also learn about the various systems and research going at The Island School and CEI. Here is an update from Wednesday’s HCZ caciques Brandie and Tyriek.

Cacique Update- August 11, 2010

Today I overcame my fears and started swimming in the water. At first I was scared Continue reading →

Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight– Liza Morse F09!

Liza and a fellow volunteer stand on a porch they built while participating in the Appalachia Service Project

This summer Liza Morse (F09) headed to Appalachia to work with the Appalachia Service Project.  Liza sent out letters in the spring asking for support for her trip; Liza’s group needed to raise $10,000 in order to go and to buy all the supplies they would need.

According to Liza’s mom:

“Thanks to the help of the Fall 09 Island School community, she raised more money than anyone in her group….AND, she seemed to be well prepared for doing difficult work outside in the extreme heat with lots of bugs around.  Every morning she ran with several of the volunteers before they all went off to their various work sites. It reminded her of Island School morning runs except it was NOT flat and Maxey wasn’t there egging them on.”

Great job, Liza!

Cacique Update

Cacique Update- July 23, 2010

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Students after their last SCUBA dive

For morning exercise today we had our last SCUBA dive of the summer term :(. After loading the boats, splitting into groups and buddy checking our gear, Edd (the SCUBA instructor) took us to Tunnel Rock, a cool spot we had visited during SCUBA certification. We each lined up single-file to swim through the narrow reef tunnel, careful not to touch the delicate coral surrounding us. The dive Continue reading →

Cape Eleuthera Institute

Interning at Cape Eleuthera Institute

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We are interning in Flats Ecology research at the Cape Eleuthera Institute and learning so much about the effects of global climate change on many flats species such as, Queen and Milk conch, Checkered pufferfish, Blue crabs, Lobster, Schoolmaster snapper, and soon to come Cobia and Bonefish. We are often in the field perfecting our methods of capture and we assist in designing and constructing experiments to run tests on these various species. For example, we are testing the metabolic rates of most of these marine organisms in a respirometer. Working in the wet lab we’re exposed to the other research projects that are also going on with Aquaponics, Aquaculture, and Shark research. With Flats research, everyday is a new challenge providing the best experiential learning environment.

-Lauren and Tori

Editors Note: Interested in interning at Cape Eleuthera Institute?  Applications are accepted year round for internships in the following fields: open ocean aquaculture, aquaponics, permaculture, and outdoor education.  To find out more information or to submit an application, click here.