Chris Maxey’s mother believed that her children should be thrown in the ocean before they could walk … people frequently tried to come to the children’s rescue. Maybe it worked: Maxey grew up loving the water. He joined the Navy because of it, and became committed to environmental stewardship for the same reason. Eventually, Maxey realized that, “the only way to save the planet [was] through education.” That’s what led him to found The Island School in Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas. The school offers a semester-long program to high school students in which traditional curriculum is infused with environmental lessons, research projects, and sustainability initiatives. The school aims to send young people back into their communities to affect change. The campus itself is built to practice the sustainability the school teaches; it even has installed wind turbines for power. Even the septic tanks of The Island School nourish a flourishing garden in the center of campus.
“We always say,” Maxey said, ‘Every time we flush a toilet at The Island School, a flower blooms.’”
Tedx Talks — Time for Schools to go to Work
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