The Island School Summer Term is an abbreviated, 30-day intensive version of the Fall / Spring semester program. Through a rigorous course of study that includes field work in local ecosystems, explorations of local settlements and the socioeconomic impacts of development, and dynamic interaction with campus' sustainable systems, Summer Term students grapple with how communities – on an island in The Bahamas and beyond – can live most sustainably. The Summer Term curriculum invites students to think about resources upon which we rely:
- How do we protect fragile ecosystems?
- How can we harness natural sources of energy?
- Where does our food come from?
- Where does our fresh water come from?
- How much does all of this cost?
Students will be introduced to marine research at the Cape Eleuthera Institute, engaging in studies crucial to understanding our planet's ocean ecosystems. Every participant will leave with a greater understanding of, and admiration for the world around them, inspired to make their home community more sustainable. Many students will earn a high school science credit in Human Ecology. Students will be asked to complete written and oral assessments related to their nightly reading, field research and class discussions. At the same time, students will be actively involved – both physically and intellectually – in their learning experience. Educational opportunities during the day range from surveying mangrove creeks to exploring the land surrounding campus and learning about local plants and using them in their next meal to studying coral reef ecosystems while SCUBA diving in Marine Ecology class.
Students’ routine includes the same physical challenge that Island School semester students embrace: five mornings each week of training for a culminating endurance event of running and swimming, the famed, 'Monster Run-Swim.' Additionally, Summer Term students will venture out in kayaks and experience a 24-hour solo in order to reflect on their learning on Eleuthera.