Tag Archives: Deep Creek Middle School

Three DCMS Students Earn Scholarships to US Boarding Schools

July 30, 2013 teamcomm

Every year, a number of Deep Creek Middle School students get the opportunity to apply to boarding schools in the US through our Boarding School Placement Program. This program continues to serve students in their quest for continuing the progressive education received at DCMS. The school has sent 28 of its graduates to boarding schools since the inception of its Boarding School Program. This fall, we proudly sent three graduates to the United States for boarding school earning $74,000 in scholarships.

Three students from the class of 2013 have earned $100,000 for their education at U.S. high schools next year. With each student we send abroad, we are bridging the gap between The Bahamas and the US and are working to establish global citizens that will help ensure a viable and sustainable future worldwide and in The Bahamas.

Breanna Leary of Rock Sound will be attending The George School in Newtown, PA.

Shawnea Neeily will be attending the Darrow School in New Lebanon, NY.

DCMS End of Year Student Awards 2013

July 25, 2013 teamcomm

The faculty, staff and families of DCMS would like to congratulate the following students for exceptional performance during their second semester. These students are examples amongst their peers. They have exhibit true qualities of future leaders in our community and The Bahamas. Congratulations!!

SAND DOLLAR AWARD: Keniesha Pinder (Tarpum Bay)

The Sand Dollar Award is presented to the ninth grade student with the highest cumulative grade point average (3.72) during their time at DCMS. Keniesha’s diligence, perseverance and passion for learning has enabled her to rise to the top and will guarantee future success.

FOUNDER’S AWARD: Lance Pelecanos (Tarpum Bay)

The Founder’s Award recognizes the ninth grade student who best exemplifies the core values of the school: academic growth, responsible citizenship, and leadership. This award goes to Lance Pelecanos who has experienced exceptional personal and academic growth by taking full advantage of the opportunities offered at the school. He has demonstrated responsible citizenship through outstanding leadership within the school community in the classroom, in extracurricular activities and on the field. In addition, he is a role model for young people in the larger community. Lance was unanimously selected by the teachers and principal.

Alumni, Deep Creek Middle School

IS Alumni Parents Host DCMS Alumna Attending US Boarding School

May 30, 2013 teamcomm

DCMS appreciates the help of our Island School alumni families who look out for our students when they are stateside attending boarding school. DCMS alumna, Curchara Taylor, recently graduated from Garrison Forrest School in Baltimore, Maryland. Curchara couldn’t have done it without her Maryland Mom, Susan Naeny, Island School parent of Rob (F’01) and Stuart (F’04). Susan was a great support for Curchara, hosting her on long weekends and cheering at her softball games. In fact, Susan recently hosted a birthday party for Curchara at the Naeny’s home:

Hosting DCMS alumni while they are away from home on class trips, summer camp, at boarding school or college is a great way to stay in touch with Eleuthera. If you are interested in being a home-stay family, please contact Dr. Joanna Paul at joannapaul@islandschool.org.

Deep Creek Middle School, Events

Community Outreach Cancer Plastic Awareness Night

May 22, 2013 teamcomm

Last Saturday, May 18, Island School and Deep Creek Middle School students put together a cancer plastic awareness night. This picture shows the Deep Creek student leaders and their teachers that helped coordinate the event.

From left to right we have Kristal, Shawnea, Breanna, and Mr. Simmons. The night was a big success and raised money to help the cause.

This picture shows the students in the plastic awareness group presenting their project. They are from left to right: Tyrin, Matt, Peter C, Kylisa, Jack, and Garric. They presented their project and showed the harmful effects of plastic on both people and the world. Both the cancer group and the plastic group prepared amazing videos to demonstrate the goals of their project. Excellent work by both groups! At the event, Continue reading →

Deep Creek Middle School

DCMS Students Head to Camp this Summer!

May 16, 2013 teamcomm

IS alumnus Tom McDonough (S’08) was a counselor to DCMS student Lance Pelecanos at Camp Dudley in Summer 2012.

Every summer, a few lucky Deep Creek Middle School students have the opportunity to attend summer camp in the states and Canada. This year, students will spend the summer at Camp Chewonki in Wiscasset, Maine and Camp Deerwood in Holderness, New Hampshire.

Part of what makes these experiences possible for the DCMS kids is help from Island School alumni families. If you are interested in helping or finding out more about our summer camp program, please email alumni@islandschool.org.

Deep Creek Middle School

Class Boat Ride with Ms. Alison Derrick on Layla

May 15, 2013 teamcomm 1 Comment

by Ashley Mackey, Dashae Clarke, and Trevonya Pinder (Grade 7)

Our class received the least number of yellow cards than any other DCMS class, and we were able to go on a boat ride! At Deep Creek Middle School, you get yellow cards for doing something bad like forgetting homework or being out of uniform. We were the best class of the quarter and Ms. Paul says we are the best class in the history of DCMS!

The boat that belonged to Ms. Allison, was a big and bronze goldfish. It was named Layla, and moved very fast. The name Layla came from a song that Ms. Allison’s husband liked. There was a chair inside, a TV, and four bedrooms. The captain was up on top and he had a GPS so he wouldn’t get lost. We were also able to look at how deep the water was by using the instruments, and we were able to see how they use the boat to fish. It was nothing like we expected. It was much better! It was an adventure! We were excited! Ashton caught a big yellow-fin grouper! At the end, the boat drove to the cape and we went back to school. We hope that we will have a chance to go again sometime.

Deep Creek Middle School

DCMS Early Act Service Club Cleans Ocean Hole Park for Earth Day

May 13, 2013 teamcomm

The Early Act students of DCMS have committed to doing a community clean-up in each of the settlements in South Eleuthera. Last weekend, the group did an extra special cleaning of The Ocean Hole Park in honor of Earth Day. The park, famous for its blue hole, was having a fair that evening. Students cleaned the paths and bushes of trash before realizing that there was a lot of floating debris in the actual blue hole. Not to be deterred, seven students jumped in fully clothed and recovered 2 bags of Styrofoam, miscellaneous plastic bags, a sinking kayak and chunks of wood!

Deep Creek Middle School

DCMS Brings Home Gold!

April 30, 2013 teamcomm

Deep Creek Middle School has a long history of being a track and field legend. Although small, DCMS students earn more medals on average than competitor schools. This year was no different at the All-Eleuthera Track and Field Meet. Our talented team of 12 students took home 21 medals:

Keniesha Pinder – Gold in 400m, Gold in 200m, Silver in 100m
Destinee Outten – Gold in Shot Put, Silver in Long Jump,
Khristian Outten –Silver in 4x100m, Bronze in 1500m, Bronze in discuss
Elgin Gibson – Gold in 800m, Gold in High Jump, Silver in 4x100m, Bronze in 400m
Ashton Symonette – Gold in Shot Put
Petron Knowles – Silver in Shot Put
Tyler Leary – Gold in 200m, Gold in Discus, Silver in Shot Put, Silver in 4x100m, Silver in 100m
Shanice Symonette – Bronze in 100m
Cameron Thompson – Silver in 4x100m

Four of these students made it to the National Track and Field Meet and two received medals:

Destinee Outten – Gold Medal in Shot Put
Elgin Gibson – Silver Medal in 800m

Many DCMS alums are currently at school in the US and also collecting the wins. Congratulations to Anna McCartney (DCMS ’10, Wilbraham and Monson ’14), Treshae Clarke (DCMS ’11, Wilbraham and Monson ’15), Benjamin Williams (DCMS ’10, Pennington ’14), and Lionel Johnson (DCMS ’11, Woodberry Forest ’15). Benjamin currently holds the Class B high jump record in the state of New Jersey. Keep your eye out on all these students in future years.

Deep Creek Middle School

Lacrosse, Not Just for New England & Maryland!

April 24, 2013 teamcomm

On a cold and rainy day in Eleuthera, the DCMS PE teacher decided to teach the students of Deep Creek Middle School a little cold New England sport called lacrosse. The first hurdle was the spelling of the sport, but students are giggling with delight as they practice holding the sticks and gain throwing skills. Thanks to Island School alum, Elliot Wellenbach (F’11) who donated the equipment to the students after running the first Eleutheran Lacrosse Camp last summer. Elliot and his sister Lilly will return to Eleuthera this August to continue to build upon the students’ skills.

Deep Creek Middle School

DCMS 8th Graders go to Boston

April 22, 2013 teamcomm

During their trip to Boston, 10 DCMS students from the 8th grade got to take part in many new and exciting experiences. The class participates in a school exchange every year. Grade 8 students alternate visits between The Brookwood School in Gloucester and Burgundy Farms Day Country School in Alexandria, VA. These schools then come to Eleuthera to complete the exchange. Below, Ms. Emma Sparrow (Social Studies and PE teacher) gives her account of the trip:

When we first arrived students met up with their buddies from The Brookwood School in Beverly Farms, MA. Instantly, the students got to chatting about themselves and the things they were interested in while sharing a pizza dinner at the school. Parents soon arrived and the students went home to meet their new families for the week and finally get some rest after a long travel day. The next day was business as usual and the students got to sit in on English and History classes, got learn how to play instruments during music class and even got to explore the “science gym.”

That afternoon, the DCMS students headed to the Science Museum to stay the night. Activities here included a planetarium show, which was a group favourite and an IMAX movie about Jane Goodall and her work with chimpanzees. Students got to explore all the exhibits, make models and sleep next to a full triceratops fossil. The teachers and students fell asleep thinking, “What if things really do come alive in the museum at night?”

On Friday, we headed back to class at Brookwood where we spent the afternoon in the science gym building structures and learning about the Brookwood’s beekeeping project. The next morning it was off to the Farm School in Athol, MA. Once everyone got their warm gear on it was off to chores. Everyone was up for the challenge Students helped do everything on the farm: from cutting wood to walking, feeding and cleaning up after different animals and of course helping the kitchen prepare our meals. The food was outstanding; especially the wood stove pizza, with almost all of the ingredients coming right from the farm. This was the one place the students also saw snow for the first time, wasting no time before making snowballs and having fun.

The remainder of the trip was spent exploring the Boston area with homestay families on Patriot’s Day. Although many students went to see the Boston Marathon, everyone was safe. Our last outing of the trip was visiting a local boarding school to see what may be in store for some of our students next year. We want to extend a huge thank you to all the staff from our various adventures for their excellent job and another huge thank you to the Brookwood School and families for opening their school and homes to us. We wouldn’t have been able to make this trip what it was without you and can’t wait to welcome you to South Eleuthera soon!