The Bahamas

During this program, students will have the opportunity to travel to the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas for seven days. They will travel to Cape Eleuthera, where they will spend a week investigating the island’s varied habitats alongside The Island School educators. Students will also get the chance to work closely with researchers from The Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI), while living mindful of their environmental impact. They will immerse themselves in place-based education, marine ecology, and sustainable living.

The island of Eleuthera is known for its white sand beaches, its unspoiled natural landscape, and its history as the founding island of The Bahamas. Students will experience wonder and a sense of place as they explore the coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangroves accessible from campus. Alongside researchers at CEI, for one day students will have the chance to participate in ongoing research efforts to conserve the species these habitats support. This could involve encounters with sea turtles, lionfish, stingrays, or maybe even sharks in their natural environment. The connection between developing a strong sense of place and taking action to protect that place will be a key focus of this program. The Island School campus honors its research efforts by maintaining an ethos of sustainability. Throughout the program, students are asked to be mindful of their environmental impact while guests at the school by minimizing waste, reducing electricity use, and conserving water. Students will leave the program with a deeper understanding of the complexity of marine ecology and sustainability—and a stronger commitment to exploring what living well in a place means to them.