Letter from the Foundation’s Executive Director

Cape Eleuthera Foundation

Ernie Parizeau, Chairman Mary Kate Barnes, Vice Chairman John Zweig, Secretary Daniel Benetti, Ph.D. Meg Bunn (F’01) Nick DelVecchio (F’02) Ande Frost Dominique Keefe (S’07) Will Nystrom Thatcher Spring (F’99) David Taft David Tyrie Tricia Vanacore Margaret Wilson

Cape Eleuthera Island School

David Green, Chairman & Secretary Stephen Holowesko, Vice Chairman Christopher Maxey, President Greg Buckles John Norris Carey Drew Fink (F’05) Francesca Forrestal, Ph.D. (F’99) Leita Hamill Greg Henkes, Ph.D. (S'03) Alessandra Holowesko Lori Lowe Dr. Charles Murphy David Philipp, Ph.D. Johann Scheidt (S’02) Ben Snyder Dr. David Verdier

Letter from

the Foundation’s Executive Director

Just a few days ago an Island School parent named Mike came back for the ten year celebration of research at the Cape Eleuthera Institute. I asked him why he decided not only to show up with his son Peter, but also give generously to support us. Mike said that his father, a general physician from upstate New York, brought his family to Eleuthera in 1968 - the only international family vacation they ever had - and it left an impression. About 5 years ago Mike brought his own family to Eleuthera, where Peter learned about The Island School. Peter’s passion for marine science was fostered here as a student, and it was a special chance to return as an alumnus to hear about the new sharks, rays, bonefish, aquaponics, turtle, and plastics research, to hear Dr. Edie Widder talk about her explorations in the deep ocean and spur our community to apply scientific thinking and optimism wherever they might journey.

Mike also said that he never really understood why his father originally picked Eleuthera - until now. Over the rake and scrape music of the Rum Runners band he said that his father clearly meant to make sure his son and grandson would connect and reconnect to this place, these people, and that it would bring them to this school and create meaning for their family nearly 50 years later. It brings people together.

The Fall 2016 students are departing the island as I write this, and their connection to Eleuthera has just started. They are part of the family now. As you bring your family together this holiday season, I hope you will think like Mike’s dad did: come back and stay connected - to celebrate the future we will make possible together.

Letter from

the School’s Acting Chief Executive Officer

Little did I know when I first set foot on Eleuthera in 2005 that nearly 12 years later I would be sitting down writing a letter as acting CEO of this life-changing and world-changing organisation. My journey began as a volunteer dive instructor with a side job painting preservative on the wet lab timber frame – back then the timber frame was the only physical indication that there was such a thing as the Cape Eleuthera Institute. Fast forward to present and Annabelle and I have added an almost complete house, two dogs, two kids and a PhD. And with my eldest son’s enrolment at the Early Learning Center, the latter two items add substance to Chris’s favourite boast that we educate from pre-kindergarten through PhD.

During my tenure I have witnessed near exponential growth of our various divisions and now our capacity to inspire, educate, investigate and engineer is greater than it has ever been before. In the last decade we have quadrupled our workforce to 147 staff, interns and graduate students and trebled the area of our built space to 95,000 sq ft spread between 30 buildings, all contained within a 22 acre campus. This growth has been organic, and has allowed us to create a community of bright young educators, engineers, scientists, farmers, carpenters, boat captains and students collaborating on real world solutions to real world problems. It truly does take a village and that is exactly what has been created on Cape Eleuthera. We are no longer an idea, or an experiment, or even a proof of concept any more. Chris’s and Pam’s vision from 18 years ago has truly become a reality.

So back to the present day and the question of what is the next as Chris and Pam depart on their 12 month sabbatical? The reality is that this just the next step of transition away from an organisation entirely reliant on its founders, to a mature entity that will ensure Chris and Pam’s vision survives for decades to come. I am honoured to lead our community during this important time and am humbled by the support, wisdom and enthusiasm offered by every facet of our community. It is a daunting task ahead, however, as an organisation we continue to attract some of the most committed, and talented people I have ever encountered from all over the world. I am confident that this incredible human capital will ensure that our future is as bright as our past.

Edd Brooks