We started Wednesday off with a sleep-in, followed by personal chores. The group then split up. Half of us did work projects including building a picnic table, digging flower beds, and clearing the well field path. Meanwhile, SCUBA headed out to cathedral to have their third certification dive. We then rejoined for lunch before heading out to community outreach in Deep Creek.

Free time followed where students spent time preparing for midterms, catching up on sleep, or relaxing, all of us trying to get a grip on the academic stress of midterms. It was soon dinner and then back to the books for more studying.

Cam and Kat head out for overnight homestays

Thursday morning started all too early with long run for the run track and a long swim for the swim track. It was then breakfast, then off to classes for the morning. After lunch was the long math midterm – causing emotional unrest among many students. However, it was followed by an awesome art class, doing art critiques, working on our implementation projects, but more importantly making sand castles. The afternoon was filled with more classes. Thursday afternoon was busy for many, as it was spent free-diving, tweaking our science midterms, or spending time in the community helping with middle school students. Free-diving was awesome, as Dave and Steph made their way through the tunnel at Cathedral. The evening held more of the same; dinner and studying. Friday morning was either Yoga or Water Polo, depending on your east or west orientation in the dorm. Students spent the day in classes, trying desperately to finish research work and pack for their upcoming homestay that evening. As 4:15 rolled around students scrambled to remember toothbrushes and notebooks as we ran to meet the bus at 4:30. Then it was off to our homestays in Deep Creek, Green Castle, and Weymss Bight – three local settlements. Students hung out with their families, played football and games with the children, ate incredible food, and got a good night’s rest without bugs.

Laura paints faces at the DCMS - Island School Halloween Party

The next day we hung out at our houses and worked on our home stay houses lawns. We all stayed out in the communities until 5:00 and then we got picked up by the vans and came back to school to get ready for the Deep Creek Middle School – Island School joint Halloween party. We had dinner and the decorating crew headed down to the “House of Pain” and started to set up for the party. Then the Haunted “Elf-ride” actors and committee got ready for the haunted elf ride of a lifetime. All of the Deep Creak students that were at the party rode the elf (flatbed truck) to the marina and then had to run back to the party being chased by pirates and scary creatures. They even had to run from Geoff, who came from behind a boat at the marina with a chainsaw. After the party, all of the students went down to boy’s dorm beach to have a night swim. Most of the students ran into the water then back out quickly because of the cold (it’s relative), and then sat on the beach and in the common room till check in.

Sunday morning all of the students slept in except for a few who decided to wake up early for a run. After breakfast most of the students had to finish their art projects and then just relax for the morning. After lunch the students that were going on there kayak trips first set out to go diving at cathedral along with Chris, Kat, and Dave who wanted to join them for a free dive. This was the fourth dive for the students and after the dive they were officially certified. After the dive, students came back for dinner and then back to the books for study hours. We also took a brief course on how to pack for kayak trips and created our menus for the trips

Monday was also a free day for the students who were on the second kayak rotation, and the other students had to pack and get ready for their trips. The rest of the students went out for a dive after lunch and finally everyone was certified. That night we had an extra long community meeting lead by the honorable Chris and discussed important campus issues. Monday night was the last day that all of the students were here at school together for a few weeks so we made sure to spend quality time together.

Sunset over the Cut behind campus

Tuesday started off with a long run or swim and then we went to modified chores (since we only had half of the community on campus). Both the kayak trip and the down island trip left in the morning and campus became so quiet. We had our first day with our new class groups, the Groupers and the Barracudas. We miss the kayakers and wish the next kayak group luck as they head out on the water on Friday.

SHOUTOUTS:

Kat – Hey fam! I miss you. Having a blast here, the Bahamas are definitely beating school in New Hampshire right now. Hope all is well in California! Can’t wait for parent’s weekend. Bay – butterflies. Bancroft ladies – here is to winter term! Bring it on! Miss ya all. Xoxo

Dave-Hey everyone back home, life at the island school is great, having soo much fun! Can’t wait to see you on parents weekend Mom and Dad. Kate, hope you are having a lot of fun at school! Granddad hope your feeling better- can’t wait to see you when I get home! Tell everyone to write, and I can’t wait to see them.

Harwood- ::Daddy:: I can’t wait to take you bone fishing! I love you! ::Mom:: Happy Birthday (also to Sarah, Laurs, and Chris) I miss you. ::Sarah:: How’s Humpy? How’s Mr. I-have-the-IQ-of-a-brick? Oh yeah Good Luck ::Rob:: miss ya kid, don’t stop begging mom to let you come for parents weekend (beg for Chris too)::Chris:: I can’t believe your 11! ::Laura:: don’t forget to draw me a picture ::L’ville Gang::-Miss you all! Write me! GO BIG RED!! Andrew- Miss you tons, thanks for the hat.

Austin - Everyone who has supported me I miss ya’ll:: Mom+Dad Miss you guys almost as much (just kidding):: Grandma and Grandpa, thanks for all the letters:: Rory, Can’t wait to take you diving and yes your are gonna go:: Steve You know your proper decent rates, come on you are a master diver also I know Joel and Nick wont read this but tap ‘em out anyway:: To all the RMSEL peeps kep it real and have fun on crew trips :: Billy, I got more barracuda shots for you.