COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Frequent interaction with residents of local communities is an essential element of the educational and personal investment students make while at The Island School. The Community Outreach Program is designed to develop relationships between Island School students and the larger community of South Eleuthera. 

Each semester, The Island School collaborates closely with the Deep Creek Primary School and the Deep Creek Middle School, and each Island School student is paired with a Bahamian student (grades 3-8).  Each grade has a semester-long project, and partners meet each Wednesday to work on the project.  Recent projects have included marine exploration, memoir writing, creating poetry anthologies, permaculture, computer skills, Bahamian history, outdoor exploration, and kayaking.  Beyond the semester long project, Island School students also work with their partners on homework tutoring and literacy skills.  The Island School students also meet weekly with faculty and peers for a community outreach class to explore issues such as cross-cultural teaching, literacy skills, and mentoring strategies.

In addition, twice a semester students stay with their community outreach host families to get more of an intimate look at Bahamian life.  You can read about this experience by clicking here.

The culmination of the semester is The Island School Community Outreach Fair where students present their work to an audience of scientists, educators, and families. The Community Outreach program has been well received as a valuable integration of The Island School experience with the local communities of South Eleuthera.  Partners often build lasting relationships that continue beyond the semester and after graduation.