The Magazine of Lyford Cay International School by Sweet Olive Co.

The Magazine of Lyford Cay International School Volume 1 - Issue 1 Spring 2015

10 18

CONTENT

ISSUE 1

03 A CONCRETE IMPACT

Local heritage site engages students through work of teachers & Bahamas Reef Environmental Education Foundation

06 BEYOND TECHNOLOGY

Embracing opportunities to build essential skills

08 LCIS FOOTBALL FEST 2015 HIGHLIGHTS 10 WE COMIN’

Junior Junkanoo brings Bahamian culture to life at LCIS

12 WHEN SUCCESS MEANS FAILURE

When was the last time you failed?

16 AN EXAMINATION OF VAT IMPLEMENTATION IN ST. LUCIA

One student’s analysis of VAT in St. Lucia

18 MINDORFF FAMILY VALUES

A Family Portrait of IB Experiences at LCIS

22 YOUNG MAN & THE SEA

Memories of an LCIS student

24 ALUMNI NOTES: AN INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN BENTE 26 ALUMNI AROUND THE WORLD

STORY OF THE TITLE

Pendragon is a traditional Welsh title meaning “chief dragon.” The name is associated with several historical kings including Uther Pendragon, the father of King Arthur. The title carried great weight in the Middle Ages and still today conveys leadership and achievement. PenDragon is a portmanteau of the words “pen” and “dragon.” The pen symbolizes writing, literature and knowledge and the dragon symbolizes the spirit of LCIS through its mascot. May the PenDragon long herald the spirit and ideals of Lyford Cay International School and its students.

PRINCIPAL

Stacey Bobo

EDITORS-IN CHIEF Joanna Paul Andrew Ridall

CONTRIBUTORS

Nathaniel Adams Charles Allan, Grade 9 Luigi Charles, Grade 12 Helene DeJong Rebecca Massey Paloma Pratt, Grade 10 Gillian Watson Eric Wiberg, Alumni

PHOTOGRAPHY

Cover photograph by Eddy Raphael Additional photos by Erik Kruthoff, Scharad Lightbourne, LCIS staff, students and alumni

DESIGN

Sweet Olive Co.

PRINTING

We take our commitment to the environment very seriously and spent a great deal of time searching for a printing company with sustainable practices. PenDragon is printed on chlorine-free paper. While trees are a renewable resource, the dioxin used to bleach paper lasts forever. The vegetable-based ink is both gentle on the environment and produces bright, high-quality images. We chose a water-based aqueous coating to protect our magazine’s content without any harmful volatile organic compounds. PenDragon was delivered in biodegradable packaging instead of petroleum-based foam and plastic.

PenDragon is published annually for Lyford Cay International School families and friends. The contents of this magazine are accurate to the best of our knowledge. If you find any corrections, please don’t hesitate to notify Dr. Joanna Paul at jpaul@lcis.bs. Updated contact information should be sent to the Development and Communications Office at development@lcis.bs.

www.lcis.bs

A CONCRETE

EEE Article

IMPACT

By Gillian Watson, Communications Assistant LOCAL HERITAGE SITE ENGAGES STUDENTS THROUGH WORK OF TEACHERS & BAHAMAS REEF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Occasionally a teacher has an opportunity to see her work come alive in a concrete way, to find tangible proof that what she has been doing all along is important and has weight. Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) science and physical education teacher, Denise Mizell, has had this experience working with what will surely become one of The Bahamas’ iconic symbols: The Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden. Located off the coast of southwestern New Providence near The Clifton Heritage Park, the garden is where art, education, and conservation collide in a powerful and permanent manner. The Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden hides beneath the surface of the water, just waiting to be discovered. It waits to reveal its secrets and to teach us everything we want to learn about the ocean. The underwater garden project is driven by the Bahamas Reef Environmental Education Foundation (BREEF). Its purpose is twofold: to pay homage to the NGO’s founder, Sir Nicholas Nuttall, and to create an environment that will encourage people to engage 3

with the underwater world in a way that promotes conservation. Three

January temperatures to map out the underwater area. Each team had a measuring tape and used “I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE WERE AT underwater THE VERY BEGINNING. IT IS GREAT TO slates to record BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE HAD A HAND the findings and make note of IN HELPING TO SET IT UP, ESPECIALLY existing coral AS ATLAS IS THE BIGGEST UNDERWATER any within the 100 SCULPTURE IN THE WORLD.” square meter area. “It sounds artists – Bahamian icons Willicey easy but it was really difficult, Tynes and Andret John in conjunction especially for me as a new diver, with internationally renowned Jason because we had to be really buoyant deCaires Taylor – collaborated to above the coral,” said Miss Monro. create the first sculptures installed “I love the fact that we were there in the underwater garden – an at the very beginning. It is great to attraction that has already drawn hundreds of visitors. BREEF secured the initial seed funding for the project from the Global Environment Facility, part of the United Nations Environment Program. The goal is to take a novel approach to draw attention to critical threats to reefs, including pollution, climate change, overfishing and habitat destruction. Numerous other generous individuals and organizations have assisted to get the sculpture garden into the water through direct financial contributions and in-kind support. BREEF intends for this project to help drive important marine conservation objectives, including new coral legislation, reduced pollution, and the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. Research and education programs at the site engage students in helping document how the environment changes over time and through human interactions with the natural world. LCIS students have been participants in many BREEF programs over the years and were involved with the planning of the underwater sculpture garden since its inception. In early 2014, Mrs. Mizell, Mr. David Mindorff, Mr. Sam Nelson and Miss Flora Monro – along with several LCIS students – braved the chilly

be able to say that we had a hand in helping to set it up, especially as Atlas (pictured here) is the biggest underwater sculpture in the world,” Miss Monro enthusiastically noted. Conservationists and artists used the students’ findings to help determine the correct size and placement of the sculptures so that they would not disturb coral that was already growing. The mapping was also crucial because the sculptures needed to be placed near enough to existing coral formations to ensure that sea life would naturally begin to move into the new environment. Going forward, students will also

be involved in additional “citizen science” work by monitoring fish and coral that colonize the new reefs. As the project quickly unfolded during the summer, Mrs. Mizell and LCIS art teacher, Mrs. Sandra Illingworth, took several LCIS students to see the sculptures and to meet the artists. “For about 2-3 hours we moved huge chunks of styrofoam that were broken apart with a forklift and then pressure-sprayed off of the figure,” Mrs. Illingworth recalls. Twelfth grader Rasheed Pickstock interviewed the artists as part of his extended essay for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. “Meeting with Jason deCaires Taylor was an inspiring experience,” Pickstock recalls. “Jason’s artistic philosophy is that nature is the most beautiful and basic art form. This was something that was clearly evident in his body of work. His sculptures are beautiful, but they are not the focus of the piece. The main point is what happens after he’s done, when nature reclaims it, when the coral and algae claim the piece and make that piece something more. What this does for me as an artist is make me more aware of the way my pieces may interact with their surroundings. It’s almost like pre-curating and thinking, ‘where will this piece go,’ or ‘what else is going to be around this piece?’ In Jason’s case, these

questions take on quite a different meaning because he’s actually working in a living ecosystem in which he has things that physically interact with his piece.” After the sculptures were put into place, the school’s marine science class was instrumental in helping map out three underwater trails. Students were well prepared for their dives by Mrs. Mizell in the LCIS pool. They learned how to measure distance using kick cycles and they practiced some marine navigation skills using compasses before heading to the site to work. Information gleaned from their dives is being used by BREEF to create the snorkel trail signage that will be installed at the Clifton Heritage Park, and can also be used by people visiting the sculpture garden by boat. 5

Mrs. Mizell continues to visit the sculpture garden with students as part of class. “I love it out there. It’s amazing how fast things have moved into those structures. It’s great to have this in everyone’s backyard and to be able to use this as an outdoor classroom. Even if I take a class down there and there is oil in the water, it gives us an opportunity to talk about pollution in a real way.” The underwater sculpture garden is a perfect example of what can be achieved when different groups work together with one goal in mind. “You hear about plastics in the ocean,” says Mrs. Mizell. “You hear about ocean pollution and rising ocean temperatures and coral bleaching and overfishing and all these horrible things that are going on in the world’s oceans. But there is hope. Together, we can change and we can make a difference.”

BEYOND

TECHNOLOGY

Embracing Opportunities to Build Essential Skills By Stacey Bobo, Principal There is a lot of talk in the education world about “new literacies.” Simply put, new literacies involve the knowledge and skills needed to function well in today’s world and beyond. Historically, literacy meant a proficiency in dealing with words. Could you read? Could you write? However, in the last 25 years, the advent of the internet and the integration of technology into every aspect of our lives has created a need to be literate with tools that have capabilities that we couldn’t even imagine just five years ago. These new literacies require us to work with or work around blogs, apps, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, video games, video chats, online research and online messaging. And while many of us are still looking for the book that we just downloaded on our Kindle, we must recognize the irrevocable role of technology in the twenty-first century and especially in the lives of youth. As a communication tool, technology has long since made its influence known in schools. For many

years, we have had computers in schools, required students to type essays, conducted research online and used blogs and websites to share information. However, while many schools and teachers are happy with these twenty-first century tools, there are other literacies required to be fluent in the digital age. Critical thinking,

thinking creatively, evaluating sources of information, balancing skepticism and open-mindedness, and analyzing information for usefulness are essential new literacies. Additionally, with such ominous threats as hacking, cyberbullying and privacy invasion, we will need attributes such as ethics and the ability to manage conflict and

solve problems, both individually and collectively. With privilege comes responsibility. Technological productivity has bestowed upon us heretofore unimaginable capabilities. New literacy is about using these capabilities effectively and responsibly to maximize our ability to innovate, educate and communicate. With so much at stake and so much to gain, technology stands at the center of our lives. The challenge for educators is to understand how these new literacies, spawned from technology, can be incorporated into an education that equips students with the tools they need to construct meaning, to shape their understandings, and to develop skills for the future. To be a “relevant educator” is to be a teacher who incorporates instructional technology and ultimately provides students with the new literacies they will need for the future. Society and education departments alike hold clear expectations that schools develop curriculums that effectively use technology while also teaching the importance of digital citizenship. While teachers are extremely eager and supportive of new literacies in general, many are not yet equipped with the skills to successfully integrate technology in their lessons. Nor can they further address the appropriate integration of these technologies in the lives of young people. Thus, while students will have experienced technology integration in every aspect of their personal and social lives, it is possible that they could leave school without the strategies to be effective agents of new literacies.

The question, therefore, is not “how can we integrate technology in schools?” but rather, “what professional development do teachers need to convey the most appropriate uses of the vast tools and resources that students have?” One might be able to argue that while we call these digital literacies “new,” they are essential skills for life that have always existed. While this is certainly true, our lens has now changed, and these priorities must be achieved through the authentic use and ongoing evaluation of our new tools. The core principles of ethics and scholarship remain the same, but the way in which these principles are communicated, applied and monitored must evolve with the times. As a school leader, my role is to inspire a shared vision for technology, one that provides opportunity for its integration in students’ daily lives. However, my main priority is to foster an environment and culture where empowering and collaborative experiences will generate many great ideas and opportunities for personal and collective growth. While I think about students’ development of digital literacies, my focus is first to inspire my educators to take risks, ask questions, to share ideas and to provide for a participatory culture that encourages creativity and communication. When teachers have built their skills and increased their comfort level with technology, we can then have conversations about a systematic curriculum that prioritizes the integration of technology, innovation, and effective use. The

“WHAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DO TEACHERS NEED TO CONVEY THE MOST APPROPRIATE USES OF THE VAST TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT STUDENTS HAVE?”

first step in facing the challenges of our digital age is to challenge teachers to prepare themselves to lead their personal and professional lives in “The New.” At LCIS, the continued professional growth of teachers is a significant priority and is generously supported by our parents and community through the Annual Fund. Our teachers are leading the way with the integration of technology as a tool for learning. Through further planning, support and training outlined in our Strategic Plan, we will continue to lead the way for our students and the nation.

KPMG FOOTBALL FEST 2015

By Charles Allan, 9th Grade Student LCIS Blue Team & Shield Champions The Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) school grounds were buzzing on January 29, 2015 as we eagerly awaited the arrival of football players from The Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, British Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, and Barbados. LCIS was delighted to host the KPMG Football Fest for the third year with a record 90 participants. LCIS put in two girls teams and two boys teams to participate in this highly competitive 6 on 6 tournament. Lots of school spirit was shown on Friday as students left their classes to encourage the teams. Younger students participated as ball boys on both pitches. Families cheered from the sidelines, hosted international participants in their homes and shared a little of our beautiful island and Bahamian hospitality. It was two great days of intense football and cultural sharing. Our school community got to see familiar faces and to make new friends. The outcome of the tournament was a success for LCIS as we had winners in the Cup and Shield Finals. Celebrations continued at Goodfellow Farms on the final evening as teams gathered to watch a slideshow of the past two days of events and to share a delicious meal. All teams are looking forward to participating next year. Here are some of the words and photos from our friends from the pitch. 8

9 9

Comin’’

By Paloma Pratt, 10th Grade Student and Junkanooer Junkanoo is a festival that is celebrated in The Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, The Turks and Caicos Islands, St. Vincent and in South Florida. Junkanoo is a cultural performance incorporating multiple art forms such as sculpting, costume design, music and dance. Each component of Junkanoo may be performed and displayed individually or all together as a group. The most exciting, colorful and dramatic expression of Junkanoo is during the annual parades that occur twice a year in The Bahamas on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Junkanoo is an important part of Bahamian culture because it expresses and explains our historic background. While its origin is not precisely documented, it is believed that the festival originated in West Africa and was brought to the New World by slaves in the 18th and early 19th centuries. This celebration was essentially a festival for the oppressed. When the emancipation of slaves in the British colonies occurred in 1834, Junkanoo had become a part of the Bahamian Christmas tradition and a source of amusement. Around the 1890s, Junkanoo became a social tool for voicing the concerns of the black population as well as a celebratory festival. These traditions continue today with citizens,

expats, tourists, children and adults participating in and witnessing this extraordinary community event. Under the guidance of the National Junkanoo Committee, the festival is preserved for tomorrow through the Junior Junkanoo Competitions in schools. “I think participating in Junior Junkanoo is a nice way to celebrate Bahamian culture within the school,” said Grade 10 student and trumpet player, Shannon O’Meara. “It’s great that we have the chance to see the other schools participate so that we can learn from them. All the parents and teachers, even though they may not participate, support us by donating and spending time creating our costumes.” In December 2013, LCIS had the opportunity to participate in this festival for the first time. With skilled leadership, community support and a little bit of beginner’s luck, LCIS won the competition with the theme “We Need Peace.” A year later, LCIS has gained even more support from both parents and teachers alike for the annual parade. Under the leadership of the Music Department, students returned to the track as a circus group under the theme of “Can’t Tame the Dragons.” While the win eluded the group in 2014, participation strengthened the school community and its resolve to win the 2015 parade. As they say in Junkanoo, “We comin’.” 10

LCIS enters 1st Junior Junkanoo Competition

SEPT. 2013

DEC. 2013 50

LCIS surprises the nation with a 1st

PLACE FINISH

hats made

Music Dpt. selects circus theme for 2014 competition

MAY 2014

NOV 14 2014

NOV. 22 2014

Students and parents spend Saturday pasting costumes and shoes

SEPT. 17 2014 First Junkanoo practice of the year

Dancers aged 4-18 do full dress rehearsal

DEC. 9 2014

NOV. 25 2014

DEC. 1 2014

Music classroom officially turns into a SHACK

New cowbells arrive

Students, staff and parents put the final tricks on costumes

DEC. 12 2014

DEC. 13 2014 Junior Junkanoo Competition at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium

a bad experience. Sports have been broken into a science, and we can use advanced technology to pinpoint faults in the swing of a club or monitor and improve training outputs. Children practice test questions online for months before engaging in a high-stakes test.

By Dr. Joanna Paul, Director of Development When was the last time you failed? Or perhaps a better question is: when was the last time that you set out to complete a task knowing that there was a significant chance that you would fail? For most of us, we are failing less these days than we did 20 or even 10 years ago. One of the most defining traits of our post-modern lives is our ability to use our access to information and resources to create a sense of preparation and ease in our lives. Gone are the days when we would call a friend for directions to their house or try and find it on our own with a couple of wrong turns. Today, we use devices that track our exact location, tell us where to turn and even where the nearest coffee shop is. When we travel, we can search the latest user reviews of restaurants, even seeing menus ahead of time so that we don’t end up with

Everyday we use technology to help us plan, problem solve, mitigate risk, and increase our chances of success in whatever endeavors we choose to pursue.

Success & Failure in Academia

There is, however, a growing camp of educators, researchers and parents that think the best success often comes through failure. In fact, many intentionally provide the children in their care with opportunities to fail in order to build resilience and grit. They argue that we miss the valuable lessons that come from falling and getting up again in our quests for mastery. Many even assert that our ability to adjust, adapt and innovate is what makes us uniquely human. Stanford University psychologist, Carol Dweck, explains that these opportunities create growth mindsets in children, allowing them to face the innumerable challenges of life with the ability to persevere, reflect

Bouef, were scheduled to depart from Montagu Beach to kayak approximately nine miles a day and camp at various locations throughout New Providence. Although students had a rescue boat on call, four faculty mentors, and miles of practice, the group realized nature’s indifference to their well-wrought plans when a change in the weather threw their trip into jeopardy a day before the scheduled departure.

and adjust. Engineers, entrepreneurs and programmers also understand the need for failure, building in a process to test prototypes and learn from them in any design or invention process. Getting things wrong, or facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, can teach concepts and skills that allow persons to succeed in a variety of contexts in the future. Unfortunately, most school experiences reinforce (whether knowingly or unknowingly) the importance of being right. Through excessive focus on grades and the rewarding of achievement with awards, schools show the risk of failing is too great. In today’s academic environment, getting things wrong too often has a direct negative effect on a student’s future. While many curriculums and programs like the International Baccalaureate provide opportunities for repeat assessment, reflection and growth, schools on the whole overwhelmingly value one-time performances, percentages and points.

“It took a solid month to get it all confirmed and then right before our trip, Mr. Armstrong informed us that the swells would be too dangerous for us to paddle in,” said 11th grade student, Tierra Ndlovu. “That morning, when he told our group, we were terrified because at that point our entire route had to be changed. We would need new campsites (official and emergency) and new permission letters to go out. In that moment, the trip seemed impossible with the chaos.” The Governor General Youth Award (GGYA) is a program based on the Duke of Edinburgh’s award. It was set up in The Bahamas by HRH Prince Philip over 40 years ago to encourage youth building skills in the outdoors. It is a noncompetitive award that allows participants to set and achieve goals in the areas of community service, fitness, outdoor skills, and adventure journeys. GGYA fosters many positive personal development traits in youth, including: • confidence • self-motivation • connection with the greater community • willingness to try new things • new friendships • teamwork • positive self-concept All Grade 9 students at LCIS must participate in one GGYA camping trip.

Lessons from Outside the Classroom

To compensate, many schools look to supplemental programs to generate opportunities for growth through challenge and possible failure. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from NatureDeficit Disorder, says that “[a]n environment-based education movement--at all levels of education--will help students realize that school isn’t supposed to be a polite form of incarceration, but a portal to the wider world.” Activities in the outdoors are more than just opportunities to run around in the woods or learn about a new ecosystem. These experiences create situations that help foster communication, confidence, community, cooperation and compassion. These skills, developed in the outdoors and nurtured in the face of challenge or in the wake of failure, transfer incredibly well to more traditional learning environments and to success in life.

2009

GGYA BEGINS AT LCIS

With this aim in mind, this past February, several Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) students took to the waters surrounding New Providence in pursuit of the Governor General Youth Award (GGYA) Program’s Gold Certification. As part of the GGYA, participants develop important skills, contribute valuable service to the community, participate in physical recreation activities and embark upon adventurous journeys. LCIS students decided that they would attempt to circumnavigate the island of New Providence in a 4-day kayaking exercise with students from Lucaya International School who were also pursuing the award. This was the first time GGYA students would attempt a kayaking expedition for the Gold Certification. On February, 15, 2015, Luke Pyfrom, Gabby Hollaender, Jana Ward, Tiera Ndlovu, Michael Mindorff, Ben Willoch and Matthieu

OVER

STUDENTS HAVE

PARTICIPATED ISLANDS VISITED: ISLANDS

CIRCUMNAVIGATED:

MOST LUXURIOUS CAMPING MEAL:

STEAK ON A STICK

LARGEST HUMAN PYRAMID ON THE BEACH: 13

CLASS OF 2018 | 23 STUDENTS

success was interpersonal skills and communicating effectively,” said Mr. Brooke.

One of the biggest challenges the students actually faced was the challenge of taking responsibility for the planning and organization of the trip even before their paddles hit the water. Miss Monro said, “As teachers we try to get them to lead as much as possible themselves, and they consistently find this the biggest test. They deal with the rigorous nature of the expedition in the Bahamian climate much more easily than the day-today administration, which is just as important for the success of the trip and their overall development.”

The next morning, students were again reminded that, like waves, challenges often come in sets. Yet, with two broken paddles and intimidating surf, they also learned that the best rewards can come through facing insurmountable challenges. “While at first we didn’t want to get in the water, we were soon surfing waves with the wind and current at our backs. We ended up doing 15 kilometers in three hours,” said Mr. Brooke. Finally, the ebullient students had three kilometers to go to reach their end point. Their endeavour would soon be complete.

GGYA programs are distinct from many other outdoor expeditions in that they are not hosted by guides or teacher-experts. While they are safe and supportive, they do not have the same type of safety net as commercial expeditions run by trained professionals for paying clients. Students have to deal with different situations and problems as a group without adult help. They have to cope in unpredictable circumstances, and find the solutions within themselves or the group. “No one is going to tow you around the island,” said mentor, Mr. Ian Brooke. “You have to do the work yourself, the physical work, the planning work, the emotional work, the communication work. It’s good to have the experience of doing it all yourself and to learn that it is not the end of the world if you are not initially successful.”

Overcoming Adversity

One Final Challenge

The feeling of success would continue to elude the kayakers as their trip was met again and again by the inevitable challenges presented to a diverse group facing tough physical conditions in an unfamiliar environment. On Day Three, students rounded the northwest point of the island, pulling into the Lyford Cay Marina for a lunch break at school. Fatigue and fear of the tough swells pounding the north side of the island forced a breaking point; some students did not want to continue to the final destination for the evening. The group had to make some changes or collectively they would fail.

As they paddled in to Nassau Harbour by Arawak Cay, they were suddenly met by a boat with sirens blaring. “He came speeding toward us shouting that this is no place for kayaks. He told us to go back to shore,” said Ndlovu. Group leaders replied that they had been given permission by the Royal Bahamas Defense force to enter, explaining that they needed only to get to Montagu Beach to complete the circumnavigation. Nevertheless, they were sent to shore to terminate their trip. “Students were disappointed that we had made it this far but couldn’t get back to where we started,” said Mr. Mindorff. “There were lots of discussions about not failing at this point. Could we carry the kayaks the rest of the way? Could we load the kayaks on a flatbed and walk the rest of the way? At that moment, I knew that the expedition had been worth it. These students had learned resiliency and new problem solving skills by facing these incredible challenges. This failure at the end of the trip had been turned into a win-win situation.”

“THERE IS, HOWEVER, A GROWING CAMP OF EDUCATORS, RESEARCHERS AND PARENTS THAT THINK THE BEST SUCCESS OFTEN COMES FROM FAILURE.” “The biggest challenges for this particular group were striking the balance within their teams, getting the right people to do the right jobs and everyone pulling their weight. When this issue threatened their potential completion of the trip, they made a plan to work through it. So while the challenge was physical, the solution to

After about an hour-and-a-half of problem solving and a barefoot meeting in the Hilton lobby, the group got a call from the operations center that they had the green light to continue. They travelled the last few kilometers relieved, tired and changed forever. 14

“THEY TRAVELLED THE LAST FEW KILOMETERS RELIEVED, TIRED AND CHANGED FOREVER.”

Will VAT’s implementation in St. Lucia provide lessons for Small Island Developing States considering new tax schemes? By Luigi Charles, 12th Grade Student This paper provides a condensed summary of the research conducted by 12th grader, Luigi Charles, for his extended essay. The extended essay is one of the key components of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Luigi will be attending Columbia University this fall to pursue a degree in mathematics and economics. The spread of Value Added Tax (VAT) has proven to be a popular form of

tax policy since its development in 1954. VAT is an indirect, broad-based tax levied at multiple stages of the production and consumption of goods and services. In St. Lucia, a history of excessive trade liberalization coupled with inefficient tax systems eroded government revenue. When Gross Domestic Product (GDP) became stagnant at $1.2 billion and unemployment peaked at 22.2%, VAT was seen as an elegant and pragmatic solution to the nation’s

“The goals of VAT implementation in St. Lucia were to encourage domestic and foreign investment, eliminate distortions of prices in the production process, minimize tax leakage, and broaden the tax base.” 16

growing economic problems. The goals of VAT implementation in St. Lucia were to encourage domestic and foreign investment, eliminate distortions of prices in the production process, minimize tax leakage, and broaden the tax base. It aimed at systematically recapturing lost revenue from tax evasion and prior consumption taxes that had been ineffective. A fixed rate of 15% was adopted in October 2012. Subsequent to the drafting of the first bill, the issue of VAT became the most contentious topic in St. Lucian politics. After four years of implementation and further economic and developmental regression, there is still an apparent need for clarity on the matter. Moreover, other similar Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are in the process of considering VAT, without comprehensively evaluating its effects on economic growth in similar nations. Moreover, SIDS such as the Bahamas have adopted VAT, without comprehensively evaluating its effects on the macro economy. Although the Bahamian VAT is set at a rate of 7.5%, many of the same consequences of St. Lucian VAT can be expected in the Bahamas due to

similarities in the core structure of these economies. Aggregate Demand is one way to measure an economy’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the value of all goods and services flowing through the economy. It can be expressed by looking at the sum of consumption, investment, government expenditure, and net imports. A change in any one of these components translates into a direct change in GDP. The components that have the most significant impact upon growth, namely household consumption and governmental expenditure, were significantly altered by the VAT implementation in St. Lucia. In 2012, household consumption accounted for 59% of GDP in St. Lucia. When implemented, VAT shifts the supply curves of taxable goods and services with prices increasing by the amount of the tax. VAT leads to higher average prices, making less of the population willing or able to consume. Ultimately, this shifts the quantity of goods demanded. In theory, VAT’s revenue neutrality should have minimally affected disposable income and marginal

“Subsequent to the drafting of the first bill, the issue of VAT became the most contentious topic in St. Lucian politics.”

propensity to consume, and the elimination of previous consumption taxes should have offset potential consumption reductions. In practice, though, aggregate demand experienced an immediate decline as firms and individuals consumed private stocks of goods instead of purchasing new goods. However in the long run, firms and individuals are expected to resume normal consumption patterns. Forecasters predicted that St. Lucia’s economy would eventually recover, as consumption would resume as the tax burden diffused and ultimately increased disposable income. However, disposable income per capita has continued to shrink as VAT has become more pervasive in the lives of consumers. The overall decrease in disposable income is actually only resulting in a 5% broadening of the tax base, which only marginally alleviates the tax burden. Consequently, the net result of all of these effects has led to a -4.7% change in St. Lucia’s consumption in 2012. We can only hope that The Bahamas and other SIDS will not meet a similar fate.

MINDORFF FAMILY VALUES

A FAMILY PORTRAIT OF IB EXPERIENCES AT LCIS By Andy Ridall, Board Member

An Introduction to the IB

“It’s a bit like meeting a veteran of the same war,” was how LCIS alumnus, Nicholas Mindorff, described his encounters with other IB students upon arrival at university in Canada. “It’s amazing to meet these other kids from around the world and know that they sat the same exams as you, went through the same struggles and came out on the other side.” The analogy at first surprised me, but as I learned more about the International Baccalaureate Programme, I came to understand what a transformative experience it could be. At its best, the programme draws out the intensity and curiosity innate to young, inquisitive minds, and channels these impulses in productive directions. As I was to learn, the IB programme is far more than a way of absorbing academic content; it is a framework for experiencing, understanding and impacting the world around us.

LCIS and the IB Programme

As one of the few Caribbean schools fully-accredited across all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes, Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) plays an important leadership role in the development and expansion of IB in the wider region. No one knows this better – or has done more to make it possible – than the Mindorff family. As I set out to learn more about the IB and its implications for my own young kids as they begin their academic lives at LCIS, the advice I got was unanimous: go see the Mindorffs.

“WHAT IS THE TRUE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION?” David Mindorff, Nicholas’s father, is the Head of Secondary School and Academics at LCIS. Together with his wife, Michèle, the school’s IB Coordinator, the Mindorffs are the torch-bearers for IB at LCIS, and respected authorities on the

programme in academic circles around the world. Over careers spanning two decades, they have introduced the IB framework to schools in Canada, Scotland, Hungary and now The Bahamas, while often traveling further afield as part of the global community of educators striving to evolve and refine this unique programme.

this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, in

“THE IB FRAMEWORK IS “IDEALISTIC, BUT SOLID,” SUPPORTING A “CHALLENGING, BUT ACHIEVABLE” CURRICULUM, AND ENCOURAGING “CREATIVE, BUT DISCIPLINED THINKING.” Through a series of interviews with David and Michèle and their sons, Nicholas (now in his second year at Brock University in Ontario), Michael (LCIS, Grade 11), Ben (LCIS, Grade 9) and Johnny (LCIS, Grade 4), I came to better understand – and ultimately admire – the principles that guide the International Baccalaureate Programme.

History & Mission

“The IB is 50 years old,” explained David Mindorff on an early spring afternoon in his second-floor office in the southeast corner of the upper school building at LCIS. “It evolved to meet the needs of the diplomatic corps as families moved on assignment from one part of the world to another. The programme from its inception strove to develop students who were both locally involved and globally aware. The question that these educators asked themselves as they set out to create the IB half a century ago was: ‘what is the true purpose of education?’” The IB’s Mission Statement sheds light on how these early pioneers thought about education. “The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To 19

their differences, can also be right.” What immediately stands out upon reading this statement is the IB’s holistic approach to education. Or, as David Mindorff summarized it: “the IB strives to develop students with the broadest functional brain.” Like a traditional liberal arts education, students over the course of their academic careers will, for example, master algebra, learn the periodic table of elements, perform a closereading of Shakespeare and become proficient in another language. But, the IB programme emphasizes skills development as much as it does content mastery. The nurturing of “inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people” is not an end unto itself; rather, it is the means to creating “a better and more peaceful world.” In an increasingly connected world teeming with differences – of opinion, taste, belief, value – the IB programme aspires not to acquiescence or even accord, but rather to harmony through tolerance and understanding.

The Richness of the IB Experience Johnny

“You shouldn’t wear sunscreen in the ocean,” advised young Johnny Mindorff (Grade 4) when I asked what he learned on a recent field

trip to the beach. “There are chemicals in the lotion that are bad for the environment.” The idea of “taking action” is a core goal of an IB education, and Johnny demonstrated in more ways than one how even the younger IB students apply what they learn at school to their everyday lives. When I asked about his proudest moment as a student, Johnny said that participating in the Junior Junkanoo contest at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium this year stood out. Johnny helped construct the costumes and played the tom-tom drum in the parade, showcasing not only the opportunities for IB students to take action, but also how the IB grounds its broad worldview with immersive experiences in local cultures.

Michael

Johnny’s affinity for music may have developed independently, but we might trace his interest in the sea to his older brother, Michael (Grade 11). For his extended essay (an IB diploma programme requirement), Michael has been busy updating a marine study conducted by renowned ichthyologists, James Bohlke and Charles G. Chaplin, off the coast of New Providence in the 1950s. According to Michael, “Chaplin was one of the pioneers of using SCUBA gear for marine research. Ever since I moved to The Bahamas, I have loved diving and been interested in the ocean. I wanted to revisit this important study, especially in light of some of the changes recently impacting the marine environment, like the invasion of the non-indigenous lionfish.” He has encountered various challenges. For example, under the IB’s ethical guidelines, he must release any specimens back to the sea unharmed, complicating a closer study of his subject matter. Fortunately for Michael, LCIS Science & P.E. teacher, Denise Mizell, an avid diver herself, has

“THE IB PROGRAMME ASPIRES NOT TO ACQUIESCENCE OR EVEN ACCORD, BUT RATHER TO HARMONY THROUGH TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING.” been a source of guidance and encouragement along the way. “The resources we have at LCIS,” said Michèle Mindorff when we discussed Michael’s marine biology project, “really allow the ideals of the IB program to be realized and even more, to flourish.”

Ben

“It’s challenging and they don’t let you give up,” said Ben Mindorff (Grade 9) when asked what characteristics define an IB education. “At Lyford Cay, the class sizes are small and the teachers put in a lot of effort to make sure you have the best shot at success.” For Ben, this

has been most rewarding in French class, where LCIS French teacher, Richard Yardley, has helped nurture his strong interest in the language. Ben lists his progress in French - he has quickly advanced to the Phase 3 level of study – among his proudest moments as an LCIS student, along with winning the KPMG football tournament. He also impressed me with his devotion to community service, and mentioned that the IB’s Creativity, Action and Service programme is a meaningful requirement for all students. Specifically, Ben helps coach youth football in nearby Gambier village. In an example of the synergies of an IB education, Ben is eager to combine his interests by someday traveling to a Francophone country to share his passion for the game of football as a coach or player.

Preparing the Whole Child for the Real World

To round out my evaluation of the IB programme, I got in touch with an educator that I admire: Eric Peterson, Headmaster of St. George’s School in Newport, Rhode Island. “You should feel good about the IB,” he assured me. “The program really focuses on the development of the whole child. Of course, it goes without saying there is no substitute for good teaching. But, the framework that schools use to develop their curriculum and academic programming is critical. In my opinion, the IB is really a solid framework for a balanced, comprehensive experience.” The idea of balance also came up in my conversation with David Mindorff. The IB framework is “idealistic, but solid,” he said, supporting a “challenging, but achievable” curriculum, and encouraging “creative, but disciplined” thinking. An analogy drove home his point. “The best engineers have to be good communicators too,” David explained. “They are creative and openminded, but also highly rational in their approach. The IB is all about developing skills that will help people solve problems in the real world.” Michèle also emphasized the life lessons inherent in the IB approach. “The programme encourages students to care and to think deeply about the world. We make sure that our teachers stay up-to-date on current events and that these events – both local and international – are discussed in the classroom. We want our students to realize that they are a part of what’s going on around them, and most of all, that they have agency. Not only do they have the ability to make a positive impact on the world, but it is expected of them.”

Looking Forward

As they look toward the future, the Mindorffs are encouraged by the direction that LCIS is heading. “I think there are real opportunities with the new upper school campus,” said Michèle. “New construction

gives us a chance to create more immersive experiences for students in their environment. Upgraded facilities will be impactful for both students and teachers alike, and help deepen the pool of talent in our institution. We’ve come a long way. Our students are making amazing strides and being accepted into some of the best secondary and tertiary schools in the world. In fact, studies have shown that when IB students get to university, they are more resilient and more reflective than students coming out of other programmes. They are also much more likely to complete their studies.” Nicholas Mindorff agreed: “Now that I’m in university, I really notice the traits that distinguish IB kids. First of all, they write well. The

programme requires extensive writing throughout. Second, they adjust well. IB students tend to be at ease in any environment. And third, they are motivated. I’m not surprised to find that the hardest workers, the most engaged and involved students, often come from an IB tradition. The programme sets a very high standard. It’s a mindset that stays with you.” Reflecting on Nicholas’s words, I got a sense of the camaraderie he felt with fellow IB students, which had elicited the earlier analogy to “veterans of the same war.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, Nicholas aspires to study military strategy at university. He is currently majoring in Human Geography, having switched from an earlier focus on Political Science. At LCIS, Nicholas excelled at English and

“OUR STUDENTS ARE MAKING AMAZING STRIDES AND BEING ACCEPTED INTO SOME OF THE BEST SECONDARY AND TERTIARY SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD.” Biology, and founded a local rowing club. “The IB keeps your horizons open,” he concluded. “Within the program, you can specialize and pursue your interests, but it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The IB is multidisciplinary in the best sense. The ability to think critically and balance different perspectives is very valuable in university.” In life, too, I might add.

YOUNG MAN & THE SEA

MEMORIES OF AN LCIS STUDENT

By Eric T. Wiberg (LCIS, 1975 - 1979) Age of Innocence

At that time in the club’s history there were no buildings, walls, or working roads between the school playground and the edge of the canal. This meant that a curious loner like me could wander across the field during recess and sit enchanted at the lip of the canal, staring at the beckoning sea. From the edge of the concrete canal I could see lovely fish darting out from under the boat: jellyfish, larger fish in the deeper water, and all manner of little sea creatures. I was enraptured.

I was to spend five school years at Lyford Cay School, from kindergarten to fourth grade. Some of my happiest memories consisted of the game days when we could compete at fun sports like the three-legged run with my friend Chris Dinnick, the sack race, and, perhaps most fun of all, the dog show where we brought our dogs Honey (a golden lab) and Chippy (a black potcake) to compete. Of course, I have other memories: guilt over stamping on the tail of a lizard and seeing it fall off (I was hugely relieved to learn that their tails grow back), and wariness of the occasional corporal punishment meted out. I also remember the thrill and nervousness at being entrusted by some of the faculty to leave the gates with cash in order to buy them goods at the City Market! However, of all these experiences, the school’s proximity to the sea was to have the most profound effect on me.

There was an authentic, working fishing smack kept moored along the sea wall. I will never forget its orangepainted, chipped and dry deck, the white hull with a pretty blue stripe at the water line, the tiller, the fish-well, and the scales of past victims scattered across the cockpit. And, of course, the mast, the sails tucked away, and the outboard engine. It was all very tantalizing for a boy of about six.

I first attended Lyford Cay School, as it was then known, in the fall of 1974. I was four years old and one of four children from Cable Beach who attended the school. I’ll never forget that on my first day there was a boy who refused to leave his car and kept yelling, “I’m not going!” His mother and the headmistress at the time, Mrs. Miller, managed to carry him out of the car. I promised myself not to behave like that.

The Canal and Ocean

Apart from the lessons, the homework, uniforms, the various crushes that develop at that age, the spirited softball games, the competition over who got the best lunch, the car pools, and seeing our first film on a large reel at a birthday party (Treasure Island at the Wilkinsons), the nearby ocean made the biggest impression on my young mind.

By far the most vivid sentiments that I remember from these peaceful, thoughtful sessions on the water were that I wanted more than anything to venture out to sea, beyond the canal entrance, and to experience adventures on the world’s open waters. Also, I dreamed that one day I would build a house along the east side of the canal where there were no houses – and still aren’t any. The first dream I managed to fulfill over the next 25 years, though admittedly I have not reached the stage in my career yet where I can fulfill the second!

Sailing Away

In summer camp in North Carolina and in the waters of Cable Beach I learned how to sail a Sunfish. At 17, I sailed offshore – out of sight of land – with an uncle in Sweden. At 18, I was paid to race from New England to Bermuda – 660 miles away – and sail back. I was hooked. I went to boarding school in Newport, Rhode Island, and the school had its own yacht, which I sailed in The Bahamas. At Boston College I joined the sailing team. Over the next four summers I managed to cross the Atlantic Ocean and race yachts to, or deliver them back from, Bermuda numerous times. I even once sailed into Nassau from Bermuda after spending two weeks at sea in a failed attempt to cross the Atlantic. Since I had no way of informing my parents, they were surprised when I arrived home! At age 23, I was chosen to command a 68-foot wooden 22

“WHAT DREAMS WILL YOU LIVE OUT?” sailing yacht from the Galapagos Islands to New Zealand; the voyage across the Pacific took five months. By age 25, I earned a license to skipper 100-ton vessels. After three years in Singapore operating big tanker ships, I moved back to Newport and started my own company transporting yachts globally, but mostly from New England to the Caribbean and back. Between 1987 and 2007, I sailed to or from Bermuda over 30 times, mostly as captain. To be sure, there were lots of adventures and stories. I made numerous voyages between ports in Canada and Maine, and as far south as Florida. I was knocked overboard in a snowstorm at dusk in my underwear and was rescued after 16 minutes in the water. Off Trinidad, a large yacht caught fire, burned and sank under us. We were enveloped in lightning storms, deprived of food (two weeks on a bowl of pasta and a slice of bread daily), and I once tried to deliver the wrong yacht. When I was running tankers, four men died and two ships were lost.

Swallowing the Anchor

After all this, I realized that the life of an itinerant yacht captain was not the most secure future for me, and I hung up my sea boots at the age of 36, some 20 years after I started and with no regrets. I obtained two graduate degrees, married, secured full-time work in the New York area, and my wife and I had a child. I also devoted time to writing and publishing books – five so far. I still stay in touch – via online tools that we could only dream about in the 1970s – with my schoolmates from Lyford Cay International School. I was even invited back to campus to speak about a book I wrote about The Bahamas during the World War II era. Throughout all of life’s voyages, I fondly remember when I first got the bug for global adventure, an impressionable little boy in a school uniform dangling his legs over the edge of a canal, looking out to sea and dreaming of crossing oceans. My voyage isn’t over, but it’s been a great ride so far, and I hope it will be for generations of Lyford Cay International School students going forward. My life motto was originated by sailor-historian Samuel Eliot Morison: “Dream dreams, then write them. Aye, but live them first.”

What dreams will you live out? 23

ALUMNI NOTES

An Interview with Kevin Bente (LCIS 2013, University of Miami 2017)

By Rebecca Massey, Development Coordinator

Bahamas. It was my first in-depth research project into the field of my passion. It convinced me to pursue this area of study in university and to major in Meteorology.

Why are you focusing on tornadoes in your studies and free time?

Why do you have a passion for meteorology? I was first interested in weather when I was a kid. When my family lived in Atlanta, we had occasional thunderstorms associated with cold fronts. One night, I was awakened by my parents and told to quickly get downstairs because a tornado had been reported a few miles away. The adrenaline and anxiety of that night propelled me to start watching The Weather Channel. It’s still something I watch all the time even as a student in college.

How did Lyford Cay International School help fuel this passion? The geography and weather of the island nation fueled my passion for weather by exposing me to more. I had always wanted to experience a hurricane, and we got tropical storm Hanna right when we moved to The Bahamas in 2008. My first actual hurricane was Hurricane Irene in 2011. LCIS was closed for 3 days for this storm. Luckily, we averted disaster as the eye moved about 50 miles to the east of Nassau. LCIS also fueled my passion for science. With the help of my mentor, Dr. Maxwell, I wrote my Extended Essay on hurricane preparedness in The

There weren’t many tornadoes in The Bahamas, but there were a lot of waterspouts that I had witnessed. They continued to fascinate me and whenever major tornado outbreaks were occurring in the United States, I would be glued to the computer looking at radar data. This happened a lot in the spring of 2011. It was unbelievable to watch so many tragic events occur. I was mesmerized. Tornadoes are the most unique and powerful phenomena in the whole realm of meteorology. You can see the whole structure of a tornado and you can see it live from birth to death in such a short period of time. There are also so many different types of tornadoes. All of this sparked my interest in storm chasing.

What has been your best experiences to date with weather? On March 15, 2008, just before moving to The Bahamas, my house was under a very powerful thunderstorm that dropped hail the size of golf balls and even a few hailstones as large a traditional egg! The sound of the hail hitting the house was about as loud as anything I had ever heard. That same storm dropped a tornado just a couple of minutes after passing my house.

Have you ever been scared? I’ve been scared multiple times. I’ve had many close calls with lightning strikes during the summer months on the beach. The scariest moment of my life due to weather would probably be 24

the time I was on a boat during a thunderstorm. You have no protection and you are also the tallest thing around. It sets up perfectly for disaster. Luckily the boat was not struck, but I learned my lesson about not getting near a storm on a boat.

What are your plans for the future? My goal is to get into graduate school at either Texas A&M or Colorado State University. After this, I will work towards a PhD in Meteorology and start working for NOAA or one of the National Weather Service offices. My goal is to eventually become a lead forecaster for either the National Hurricane Center or the Storm Prediction Center.

CELEBRATING

10 YEARS OF

GRADUATING CLASSES CLASS ‘14

CLASS ‘15

JUNE 2015

CLASS ‘12

CLASS ‘13

CLASS ‘09

CLASS ‘10

CLASS ‘11 CLASS ‘08

2006-2015

CLASS ‘07

CLASS ‘06

ALUMNI SHARE YOUR NEWS

AROUND THE

We’d like to include you in our next issue! Submit a note by email to Rebecca Massey at alumni@lcis.bs

KEEP IN TOUCH Help us save paper AND keep you connected with LCIS! Send us your current email address and we’ll make sure to update you via email on major school happenings. Email updates to alumni@lcis.bs

STAY CONNECTED Lyford Cay International School Lyford Cay School Alumni @lyfordschool lcis_dragons

EVENTS

Natascha Vazquez (1994-2008, Class of 2008) is currently doing her Masters

of Fine Arts in painting at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). She will complete her fall semester in Lacoste, France. After SCAD, she plans to teach painting in a university and would like to bring what she has learned back to the COB art department. She is already contributing locally as she started a Young Artists of The Bahamas program to spread education through art in Nassau and the outer islands.

SAVE THE DATES: Fun Run 28th November, 2015 Alumni Christmas Social 22nd December, 2015 at 6pm Gala Dinner & Auction 19th March, 2016

www.lcis.bs/alumni Holly Rood (2004-2006) is congratulated on her marriage to Alex Hepler. They were married at Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach. The newly married couple held their reception at TPC Sawgrass and were greeted with a surprise performance of “You Are So Beautiful” from American Idol finalist Danny Gokey.

Tameka von Hamm-Cartwright (19881992) married in 2000 and now has two boys, 12-year old Amadeo and Mateo, aged 7. After obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education and Master’s Degree in Educational Administration she is currently working as the PYP Coordinator at St. Andrew’s School. When not teaching, she hosts numerous events including Miss Teen Bahamas, Miss Bahamas, The Tourism Cacique Awards & The National Teacher of the Year Competition.

Alexander McPike (20042010) has very recently been

located at 90.000° N, 0.000° W. Alex went on to graduate as the valedictorian from the very first Think Global School senior class and just recently successfully reached the North Pole.

Eduardo Vazquez (1992-2006, Class of 2006) moved to Hong Kong after graduating from College to start his career. After working for four years in property development, he is now working as a Project Manager for hotel development projects in Beijing, China and Accra, Ghana. He says, “Living and working in Asia has been, and is, an immense learning experience. I encourage all LCIS students to step out of their comfort zones open up to the endless possibilities of the world.”

Amanda Appleyard (1993-2001) is congratulated on her marriage to Brandon Burrows. The new family has been pretty busy. Not only are they running Wildflowers catering and events company in Nassau, but they welcomed their first child, Sierra, into their family.

Erin Bethell (1986-1994) is congratulated on her marriage to Travis Jones at the historic Trinity Methodist Church in Nassau followed by a celebration at the Lyford Cay Club.

Alicia De Jong (2006-2014, Class of 2014) is on a Semester at Sea study-abroad program that emphasizes hands-on field experiences and meaningful engagement in the global community. Alicia has traveled to Hawaii, Japan, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Burma, South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia, Morocco and England. You can follow her travels on https:// madethisbymyself.wordpress.com/

Yann Coquoz (1991-2001) is congratulated on his marriage to Alexandra Andersen at the 13th hole of the Lyford Cay Golf Course, where they first met.

Neil Hingle (1992-1994) and his wife, Laura Hingle are congratulated on their first child, Isabelle Vera Hingle who was born on April 18th 2015.

Alissa Friese (2005-2010, Class of 2010) is congratulated on her marriage to Jeremy Pratt.

Anthony Hughes (1997-2002) and Mia Pikramenos (19922002) are congratulated on their marriage earlier this year. Anthony and Miaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love story started in 1997 when they entered Grade 5 together. They began dating in 2000 and from there, the rest is history!

Astra Armbrister (19992002) is congratulated on her marriage to Omar Rolle this past December. Astra is back in Nassau working as the Development Director of the Bahamas National Trust (BNT). She recently presented to ELC students about the important role that the BNT has in protecting the environment.

Collison C. Ingraham (20002006, Class of 2006) is congratulated on his marriage. Collison is a Marine Seaman with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

Eronjha Adderley-McIntosh (20062009, Class of 2009) is currently studying Financial Communication in Lugano, Switzerland.

Happy Hall (1997-1999), Cameron Hepple (1992-1994) and Kyle Thompson (1996-1999) take their passion for kids to campus to support the KMPG Caribbean Football Fest.

Courtney Bobbitt White (20042008, Class of 2008) is congratulated on her marriage to Byron White II.

Shannon De Jong (2006-2010, Class of 2010) is currently in Rwanda as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching Secondary English in a small village about an hour east of Kigali. You can follow her Rwanderings on http:// sdinrw.wordpress.com/

Nikita Shiel-Rolle (1996-2001) and her Young Marine Explorers team were recently featured in a major exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London. The exhibition, “Coral Reefs: Secret Cities of The Sea,” features specimens from the museum’s collection and a six-minute documentary about the coral conservation work that Nikita has been conducting throughout The Bahamas.

LaShonda Hannah (2005-2009, Class of 2009) celebrated one year of marriage in Paris, France on March 13th 2015 to her darling husband, Jed Jean-Jacques, who works as an avionic technician for Boeing. She is close to completing her first year of the Master of Health Science program at Towson University in Maryland. She is writing a book and a blog called Soul Food that focuses on spiritual growth and can be followed at canyourdryboneslive.blogspot.com.

Sarah “Sam” Condron (nee Williams) (1981-1985) currently lives in Essex with her husband and one year old son Alfred. She works part time in London at a university and says, “I love being a Mum and have realized during the last year, it’s a job I not only love, but am quite good at it!”

VISITS TO CAMPUS Stuart Russell (1960s) was one of the original nine students At Lyford Cay School and enjoyed a recent trip down memory lane on campus.

Tenley Phillips (19801985) visited campus and said, “There are truly no words to describe my time at Lyford Cay School. I made lifelong friends and some of the most memorable experiences of my life.”

TREE PLANTING CEREMONY FOR ALUMNI PARENTS

Cindy Newell (1977-1982) & daughter Ashley (Grade 7)

Chris Tomlinson (1981-1989) and son Patrick (Pre-K)

Lignum Vitae trees were planted on campus to commemorate the thirteen alumni who have returned to LCIS as parents. “These special families have seen LCIS evolve over the years and have reaffirmed their commitment to our school by choosing us as the school to educate their children,” said principal, Ms. Stacey Bobo. The tree planting ceremony was part of LCIS’ annual Founders Day ceremony, where the school pauses to remember its founder E.P.Taylor and celebrate the many accomplishments of LCIS and its students over the years. The introduction of this new tradition connects the growth of the school to the growth of the families and the community. The alumni families present for the event in the LCIS Alumni Parent garden were: • Cindy Roberts-Newell and her daughter Ashley Newell • Sarah Farrington (nee Smith) and her daughters Cece, Katie and Ellie Farrington • Tanya Crone (nee Melich) and her children Henry, Daisy and Lucy Crone • Katherine Bowers (nee Smith) and her sons David and Thomas Bowers • Bruce Fernie and his children Alex, Isabelle, Mimi and Charlotte Fernie • Simon Townend and his children Sasha and Oliver Townend • Miles Evans and his sons William and Cameron Evans • Chris Tomlinson and his son Patrick Tomlinson • Geoff Tomlinson and his son Blake Tomlinson • Alannah Ginns (nee Kay) and her children Brendan and Sydney Ginns • Michelle Cove (nee Berlanda) and her children Travis and Sasha Cove 31

REFLECTIONS

& SUCCESS AT THE 10TH

Annual Gala SAVE THE

DATE

MARCH 19, 2016

The 10th Annual LCIS Gala Dinner & Auction was held on March 28th, 2015 at the prestigious D’Aguilar Ballroom in the new Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center. Generous supporters of the event raised a record breaking $1.1 million for the school’s Annual Fund. More than 450 guests were greeted with a “red carpet” welcome and began their evening with cocktails in the silent auction surrounded by the incredible collection of art in The Current Gallery. Dinner was served in the ballroom, which was beautifully designed by Cacique International. Guests enjoyed video presentations and performances by LCIS students, world-class food from the Grand Hyatt and the emotionally charged live auction. Guests then danced the night away to a live DJ.

It goes without saying that the evening would not have been such an incredible success without the extraordinary efforts, support and generosity of so many community members, including table and tickets sponsors, auction bidders and donors, as well as the amazing generosity of the main sponsors, Baha Mar and Bristol Wines & Spirits. Their contributions to the evening meant that almost 100% of the funds raised at the Gala can directly benefits LCIS students and teachers with educational enhancements, capital improvements and financial aid. Thank you to everyone whose support helps us inspire, challenge and transform our students. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event to be held on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at the Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center. For further information, please contact Rebecca Massey at rmassey@lcis.bs or call +1-242-362-4774.

Lyford Cay Drive, PO Box N-7776, Lyford Cay, Nassau, The Bahamas

www.lcis.bs

242.362.4774