Island School, Staff Spotlight

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: OLIVIA GELL

Name: Olivia Gell

Where are you from? New York

Where were you before this? I was studying at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

What brought you to The Island School? A passion for Literature and belief in the impact of experiential education. When I learned about this school I had an immediate desire to become a part of this community composed of individuals with a hunger to both inspire and be inspired by others, as well as grow, be adventurous and expand creativity.

What is your favorite dining hall meal? Soup!

Name one thing that not many people know about you: One of my biggest pet peeves is bad hugs

What is your favorite word? It is a Spanish word- we still need one to capture this moment in English: “Sobremesa”- That moment once a delicious meal shared by wonderful company is finished but the conversation is still flowing endlessly.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Editing is a somewhat similar field, but also Psychology.

What are your top three movies of all time? Caddy Shack, Good Will Hunting & The Kids Are Alright

What songs and/or bands have you been listening to lately? Nujabes, Miles Bonny, Susan Tedeschi, Maxwell– all over the spectrum, I know.

Island School, Student Update

Student Update: Swim Track

This coming Sunday and Monday, students will put their training to the test and take on the half marathon and super swim. Student Ella Fishman took a moment to reflect on her upcoming swim:

Students dive into the water.
Students dive into the water.

Before coming to the Island School, I was a terrible swimmer. I didn’t really know how to do any strokes, and I was pretty sure I would drown in the super swim. Despite this, I chose to go with swim track. I knew I probably wouldn’t get another opportunity to work out in the ocean every morning, and also I wouldn’t get hot and sweaty in the water. After learning how to do freestyle, and the correct way to breathe, I began to enjoy swimming. The day when the current pushed against me so that I wasn’t moving at all was hard—but swimming back being carried by the current was great. Running to Triangle Cut is still challenging, but getting in the water and swimming a lap and realizing you had a shorter time than the last time makes up for it. So there are ups and downs. I’m still not a very good swimmer. But I’m actually kind of looking forward to the 4 mile swim—and I’m confident that I won’t drown now!

-Ella Fishman

Beth, Ellie and Lily are all smiles after a recent run swim.
Beth, Ellie and Lily are all smiles after a recent run swim.
Alumni, Alumni Spotlight

Island School Alumni Class Notes 2015

Our Island School alumni have gone on to do some incredible things since their time with us on Eleuthera. Read below to hear about what some of them are up to now! To submit your own class note, email alumni@islandschool.org.

SPRING 1999

Class Agent: Joshua Lichtman

FALL 1999

Class Agent: Lee Taylor

SPRING 2000

Class Agent: Monique Johnson

Monique Johnson is training for the Spartan Sprint race in a few weeks. It’s an obstacle course race that involves 5+ kilometers and 15+ obstacles.  It’s the closest thing to an Island School run, bike, swim morning workout. Monique says to all her S’00′ers changing the world one day at a time… keep up the good work and she hopes you are enjoying the liberty of life wherever you are in the world! 

FALL 2000

Class Agent: Richard Woodhull

SPRING 2001

Class Agent: Nina Kumar

FALL 2001

Class Agent: Mary Coleman Farrell

Meg Bunn will be starting an executive MBA program at UVA’s Darden School of Business this coming fall. She met up with Mary Coleman Farrell in NYC in May. Mary Coleman Farrell recently moved to Richmond, VA with her husband and two children. 

SPRING 2002 Continue reading →

Alumni, Events, News

Boys Hope Girls Hope Recognizes Island School’s Chris Maxey with Distinguished Global Service Award

Simi Sonubi (F'14) introduces Chris Maxey who received the Distinguished Global Service Award from BHGHNY.
Simi Sonubi (F’14) introduces Chris Maxey who received the Distinguished Global Service Award from BHGHNY.

On May 7th, 2015, over a record breaking crowd of 875 people gathered at Cipriani Wall Street for Boys Hope Girls Hope New York’s (BHGHNY) annual Vision of Hope Awards Dinner. Introduced by Fall 2014 Island School alumna and current BHGHNY student, Simi Sonubi, Island School Founder, Chris Maxey was honored for the incredible work he has done through The Island School’s City Bridge Program.

BHGHNY Maxey Award Speech

Maxey has created an international platform where year after year students and professionals from all over the world live and work hand in hand with locals to build a green community that focuses on marine and ecology studies, sustainable development initiatives, and  “fosters the development of responsible, caring, global citizens”. The Distinguished Global Service Award was inaugurated in 2012. The past three recipients are Barbara Chase, Former Head of School of Phillips Andover Academy, Charles Deacon, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions of Georgetown University and Bradford Gioia, Headmaster of Montgomery Bell Academy.

Also honored was Doug Kimmelman, Founder and CEO of Energy Capital Partners with the Vision of Hope Award. Super Bowl-winning New York Giants Hall of Famer Michael Strahan received this year’s Wellington T. Mara Award. In addition, BHGHNY student Adrian Roque-Silvas received the Mary Lanning Service Leadership Award.  Also in attendance was distinguished guest John Mara, the co-owner of the New York Giants.

The strong relationship between The Island School and BHGHNY continues with two students attending the semester program next academic year with full scholarships.

About Boys Hope Girls Hope New York

Founded in 1979, BHGHNY aims to serve low-income-first-generation-college-bound-students who are most in need and who have the demonstrated ability to excel in a demanding academic setting.  As the region’s only urban boarding program, BHGHNY is at the vanguard of youth development and its overall efficacy and approach continue to set new standards in student services and support. Over the years, our scholars have enjoyed high school retention/graduation and college placement rates of over 85% and hundreds of our graduates have gone on to enjoy productive lives as contributing members of their communities.

Island School, Student Update

Student Update: Community Outreach

Gus and his buddy hard at work while JJ and Stephen look on.
JJ, Stephen, Gus and DCMS student Cristian hard at work during Community Outreach.

At the beginning of the semester, each Island School student is paired up with a ‘buddy’ from Deep Creek Middle School. Every Thursday at precisely 1:10 we meet at the flag pole and prepare to travel to DCMS to help them work on their final projects. There are a variety of projects ranging from AIDs and HIV awareness, to self-image for girls. Each group is a team of 6, three Deep Creek Middle School students (9th, 8th, and 7th graders) and their three Island School buddies.

This past Tuesday was no ordinary Community Outreach. Our group piled into a van and headed over to Tarpum Bay primary school for our drug awareness event led by Patron, a 9th grader at DCMS. Our group of 6 stood up in front of a class of 6th graders for the culminating event. We performed a short skit to educate about peer pressure and drug use. After the skit, Patron asked the kids questions about what they had just learned. It turns out we had left the questions we prepared at the school so we all had to wing it and come up with questions on the spot. The kids were eager to participate and with each question, around 10 hands shot up. After we exhausted the questions, Patron took the kids to the basketball court to show them the safe and fun alternative to drug use. We played three different basketball games which lasted around an hour and a half. Towards the end we got to take a break and cupcakes, lollipops, and lemonade were handed out. The kids were very excited to be outside, and it turned into a family event where cars stopped to watch and siblings came to join us. Although it veered a little from the drug education, overall everyone had a great time and Patron was so proud of how well his big event came together.

The group came back to the school with a sugar high and exceeded expectations. We had missed advisory time but it was well worth it. Our class had turned into an adventure and our buddies had become our close friends.

-Colleen McGuinness

Colleen and her DCMS buddy are all smiles.
Colleen and her DCMS buddy Kenvado pose for a picture at the end of Community Outreach.
Island School, Student Update

Student Update: Fishing

Research fun day: a highly anticipated day by all groups, everyone trying to out do the other. Our schedule was set, leave at 1:15 and stay out on the water until 7:15, fishing and trawling with a little snorkeling mixed in. With dinner and snack in abundance, bait and lures, and life jackets for all we set out into the Sound for a day of fishing and fun. The fist highlight of the day came when 5 minutes out of the dock an eagle ray jumped out of the water right in front of our boat. This set the tone for the next 6 hours- complete and utter awesomeness. Another hour of trolling with no luck was quickly forgotten when 2 pilot whales were sighted off the right side of the boat. The chase was on, but soon it wasn’t us being chased, both whales turned right at the boat and in moments were 10 feet away. Spirits high we set out and soon after the whale episode two Mahi hit the line simultaneously and Jeremy and Delphine landed them both. Cooler stocked we continued toward the evening sun at 7 knots, and feasted on sandwiches, GORP and cassava chips. More pilot whales appeared in front of us, and then a few behind us, and another to the left, and soon all around the boat was a school of 20 pilot whales feeding. The moment was short lived however because the sought after sound of the line being pulled whizzed by and a 4ft silky shark soon joined us on the boat, before we let it go. A patch of seaweed ripe for snorkeling appeared and a few of our team took the opportunity for a dip, only to get the opportunity to see a 5 ft Galapagos shark. Quickly back on the boat and a nice sunset ride home close what was a particularly memorable Island School evening.

-Ethan Pierce

Dakota, Ali and Ethan on the boat.
Dakota, Ali and Ethan on the boat.
Island School, Student Update

Student Update: Kayak

Arielle and Nelle dressed and ready for K4.
Arielle and Nelle dressed and ready for K4.

After seeing the first two kayak groups return from their 8-day kayak adventure a different skin tone and their hair a couple shades blonder, I was hopeful for the day I would come back, looking as beautiful as they did. However, on the third day of kayak, K4 quickly realized that we would not have the same, sunny experience.

The day started out daunting with our leaders of the day informing the group that we had a long, twelve-mile paddle ahead of us. We needed to get so far because the following day’s forecast was not as good for kayaking.   So we put on our life jackets and spray skirts and launched our kayaks. The weather was dark, but fine until the last mile of paddling. Out of no where, the rain fell like a sheet.

As we pushed through the water and weather, we kept a tight pod and chanted a tribal song that then turned into yelling, then screaming. It was hilarious, magical, and miserable all at the same time. I noticed a huge grin across my face, as well as maybe a few tears.

When we finally made it to the beach, we were so ready to relax from our hard day of kayaking. The beach in front of us awed us. It looked like a different island, something more tropical and mountainous. Once we hauled up our kayaks, we all ran into the massive turquoise waves and body surfed in the rain. I couldn’t believe where I was, the warmth of the waves that surrounded me, and the amazing friends that tumbled with me through the water. It was crazy and exhilarating and an experience I will remember forever.

-Nelle Cabot

Khalil paddles into the rain.
Khalil paddles into the rain.
Island School, Staff Spotlight

Staff Spotlight: Mik Cooper

mik_cooper

Name: Mik Cooper

Where are you from? New York City

Where were you before this? Directly before arriving on Eleuthera I was in New York City but before that I was at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.

What brought you to The Island School? I was a student here in the Fall of 2007 and then returned in June of 2011 to work at CEI for the summer. After graduating from college I returned to the Cape once again to work for the Communications Department and Alumni Relations as well as serve as an Island School faculty member. It’s been great being back here and working for the organization in a professional capacity.

What is your favorite dining hall meal? Easy: french toast and bacon. Though I’m a big fan of breakfast in general.

Name one thing that not many people know about you: I’m absolutely terrified of flying but have been taking lessons to try and get over it. I used to love to fly but for whatever reason as I got older, I got increasingly more terrified. So now I’m trying to understand how planes work and through that hopefully become a less nervous flyer.

What is your favorite word? That’s tough, I’d have to say it’s a tie between “bogus” and “whacky”

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? My closet dream is to one day be a writer for SNL or any funny show like Broad City really.

What are your top three movies of all time? Almost Famous, Forrest Gump, and My Cousin Vinny
What songs and/or bands have you been listening to lately? I’ve been listening to KC & The Sunshine Band a lot lately but also MisterWives and Chance the Rapper. Random but hey.

Island School, Student Update

Student Update: IS Hunger Games

Delphine and Patrick show off their impressive Hunger Games costumes.
Delphine and Patrick show off their impressive Hunger Games costumes.

It’s 6:00am. Usually, we sleep until 6:20, but this morning is different. Today we are playing The Hunger Games for morning exercise. Girls Dorm is filled with palpable energy as everyone scrambles to find their costumes and prepare for the ultimate morning. The 53 of us arrive early to 6:30 circle, eager to commence.  We have prepared extensively for this day—mastermind planning, strategizing, making alliances, enemies…

The words “may the odds be ever in your favor” are spoken and before I have time to react to what is going on, everyone around me sprints to the cornucopia filled with precious weapons consisting of wet socks and water guns. This is where the weak are killed off and the remaining are left to find shelter…

Never take your eyes off the playing field. Do you play offense and attack? Or defense and hide? You are never safe. Be aggressive, but don’t make yourself too vulnerable. Trust your allies, but never take your eyes off of them—never give them your weapons. This is a selfish game…. don’t forget that. Ever.

When the final round comes around and there are only a few teams left, you know it is time to attack. If you are going to die, you need to go down fighting your hardest. Leave everything on the playing field and, may the odds be ever in your favor…

-Ali Boutros

Island School, Student Update

Student Update: The Saddle

The Saddle, a snorkeling spot near campus, is a popular destination for exploration time. Here’s a report from student Crawford Patton about his recent visits.

Crawford takes a photo of himself at The Saddle.
Crawford takes a photo of himself at The Saddle.

This week I was trying to stay focused on getting in the water every day during exploration for the hopes I might see something really cool. I figured if I spent enough time in one place I was bound to see something awesome. So I went to the saddle every day for about an hour. I was doing my normal round and just happened to look over my back shoulder and saw a large nurse shark cruising right next to me. I was ecstatic, but it was almost as if he could sense my energy and took off, but not before I could get a picture with him.

-Crawford Patton