Royal DSM N.V. Donates $70,000 to CEI Sustainable Aquaculture Program
Royal DSM N.V. presented the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) with a cheque for $70,000 to further research for offshore aquaculture. DSM and CEI are collaborating to demonstrate that raising fish in an offshore cage within The Bahamas and other warm-water locales is possible and can be done with assured success and in a sustainable manner. This support demonstrates DSM’s commitment to sustainability and feeding the world’s poplulation. DSM Dyneema and CEI have been working in partnership since 2009 to find improved predation controls for warm water aquaculture. Although netting with Dyneema® is already being used, all parties felt the need to improve existing solutions. These funds, in conjunction with in-kind donations from NET Systems, Inc. of Bainbridge Island, WA are being used to design and test new ultra abrasion resistant netting materials that will be used to manufacture enhanced shark-resistant fish cages. This is the first corporate sponsorship CEI has received. CEI promotes conservation of tropical and coastal ecosystems throughout The Bahamas and greater Caribbean by facilitating research, supporting education of all levels, and promoting outreach to enhance the conservation awareness of local communities. For more information, read the full press release here.
The Island School Summer Term Returns in 2011 with Old Friends
In late June 2010 twenty pioneer students arrived at The Island School to launch the first Summer Term. In addition to Island School faculty the program was staffed by Island School college-age alumni excited to get back on the Cape and help mentor and act as advisors, kayak guides and project team leaders. "It felt like the early days of The Island School with a small team, all in every day, all going the same direction,” Maxey shares as he helped set the tone early in the journey for SCUBA training. The first Summer Term was a huge success allowing significant time for research and exploration. At the end of the semester students presented their work out in the community at the Rock Sound Mission sharing solutions ranging from hard science collected tagging sharks to systems problem-solving managing waste streams. The culminating triathlon proved to everyone that in true Island School fashion hard work pays off. Clear evidence of the impact of Summer Term came when seven of the 20 pioneers traveled to Washington, DC for the annual all-- semester reunion. We are proud to include Summer Term graduates in our growing alumni community.
This summer numbers will increase to 30 students and the legendary John Schatz is returning to support David Miller and another super strong team of Island School college alumni who are eager to help run Summer Term 2011. In addition we have expanded the program's length to five weeks. Make sure you check out the blog this summer and keep track of the action.
Cape Eleuthera Institute Announces Aaron Shultz as new Director
The Cape Eleuthera Institute is pleased to announce that Aaron Shultz will be taking on a new role as Director of the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI). Aaron arrived as a graduate student in 2005 just as CEI opened the Wege Center for Sustainable Fisheries. As he worked towards his masters at the University of Illinois he took a lead role in building the Flats Ecology and Conservation Program. In addition to managing the overall research program at CEI, Aaron has also single handedly managed the start of our educational programs and more recently coordinated the efforts of The Island School research curriculum. Aaron has held every possible position at CEI and understands clearly the opportunity to balance a diverse range of partnerships. Congratulations Aaron!
Deep Creek Middle School Celebrates Boarding School Acceptances
The Deep Creek Middle School (DCMS) is thrilled to announce that five students have been accepted to attend boarding schools in the U.S. beginning in the 2011-2012 school year. The students are Benjamin Williams of Palmetto Point (The Pennington School, NJ), Kristen Rolle of Deep Creek (The Lawrenceville School, NJ), Megan Sweeting of Green Castle (Perkiomen, PA), Anna McCartney of Tarpum Bay (Wilbraham and Monson Academy, MA), and Aliece Goodman of Tarpum Bay (Lawrence Academy, MA). These students join 19 other DCMS graduates who have gone on to study at U.S. boarding schools in the school's ten-year history.
Scholarship and aid packages total nearly one million dollars over four years for the students. At $230,000 per year, this is the highest amount of aid ever given in one year to DCMS graduates. “Each year, we have to fundraise $230,000 to run the school. So it is nice to see that the investment that others have made in the past is continuing to be invested in these students. It shows how valuable our DCMS graduates are worldwide,” said Dr. Joanna Paul, Principal. Since 2002, DCMS graduates have received $2.25 million dollars in scholarship for secondary education.
"I am extremely proud of Megan and the other students for their achievements. This represents a great opportunity for these students to further their education and will open doors for their continued successes down the road," remarked parent Bernadette Sweeting of Green Castle.
CEI to Host Earthwatch Institute Expeditions
CEI is partnering with the Earthwatch Institute on research projects led by Dr. Alastair Harborne from the University of Exeter. Founded in 1971, Earthwatch supports scientific field research by offering volunteers the opportunity to join research teams around the world. Dr. Harborne will lead three separate groups of Earthwatch volunteers in the first year of a three year project studying both coral reef and mangrove ecosystems around Cape Eleuthera. The ultimate goal of this research is to better inform marine reserve management policies in The Bahamas. Volunteers will investigate the relationship between the two ecosystems, the life histories and behavior of key species, and assess impact of climate change, over-fishing and coastal development on the health of coastal systems. They will be snorkeling and using various methods to identify fish, measure a range of physical and biological properties of the habitats, and assess movement between sites. Earthwatch representatives visited CEI in March to assess the facilities, risk management, and ability to host an external group. The existing infrastructure of a research field station combined with our educational facility provides an ideal environment for Earthwatch programs. If you are interested in joining this expedition, visit the Earthwatch website here for expedition specifics or click here for a broader overview of the organization.
Gap Year Program – Applications Accepted Through July 1st
The Gap Year Program at the Cape Eleuthera Institute is an intensive 8-week program focused on leadership, ecology, research, and sustainable development. Students who have graduated from high school or are enrolled in college will join us from September 12 to November 7 for hands-on involvement with innovative projects that teach people to live more responsibly.Gap Year students will think about our impact on the environment: where does our food come from, how do we get fresh water, how do we protect fragile ecosystems, and how can we harness natural sources of energy? The program will commence with Open Water SCUBA training and certification, and introductions to individual research programs and sustainable systems. Students will embark on sea kayaking and down-island adventures before focusing intently on a self-designed independent project.
This program will allow students to gain skills in SCUBA diving (option to acquire Advanced and Rescue certification), boat maintenance and captaining, sustainable farming and permaculture, animal husbandry, project design and hands-on scientific research. Gap Year students will leave Eleuthera with the knowledge and skills to make their home community more sustainable.
Applications for CEI’s Gap Year Program are due by July 1st. Find more information on the website.
Deep Creek Middle School and Island School Students Partner on Community Initiatives
This spring the close collaboration between The Island School and Deep Creek Middle School (DCMS) has resulted in a powerful community outreach program that is making huge strides in South Eleuthera. The Island School and DCMS students are working together to develop and implement community initiatives and education programs. Projects range from environmental awareness to implementing a recycling program in South Eleuthera. Every Monday Island School and DCMS students come together to work on their projects. The community outreach program is an opportunity for students to put the DCMS’s core values of responsible citizenship, academic growth and leadership into action.
Partnering with The Island School, DCMS students are implementing Grade 9 student-designed projects developed during the Field Trip Series in January and February 2011. For their 6-week Field Trip Series, Grade 9 students became activists, identifying an issue in the community that they wanted to address. After researching student activism and current issues in their communities, they partnered with a community mentor to design a project that would address the issue. In the final Presentations of Learning, during the DCMS 10-Year Anniversary celebration in February, students showcased their work and the audience voted on the projects they found most compelling. The top six projects are the current community outreach initiatives. These projects include restoring a historic building in Deep Creek to make a community center, raising money for medical equipment for South Eleuthera, planning a motivational speaker series to keep young men from dropping out of school, fundraising for the Green Castle Community Center, organizing a forum for young women to discuss the prevention of teenage pregnancy, and organizing a series of events at the new Tarpum Bay Center for Arts and Culture.