Graduation Ceremony is always an exciting and proud moment. This year Ocean Academy celebrated our THIRTEENTH graduating class of 43 students. Many of whom are the first in their families to graduate.
YOU, our supporters, have made every step of the way possible. Thank you!
While the graduating class continues to grow every single year, this year's graduating class represents a 65% increase over last year!! Many of these students depended on sponsorships from kind, generous people like you.
Please know that you are truly making a difference in the lives of these young people!!
July will be a busy month on our campus as we again host a Digital Technology Summer Camp called "Introduction to New Technology and Cyber Security Awareness". This opportunity is possible thanks to our partnership with Digital Silence (website URL below). Digital Silence is a team of cyber security professionals who volunteer their time and expertise with Ocean Academy to lead intensive specialization courses. The camp also empowers youth to develop employability and entrepreneurial skills. Last summer, they engaged students and police officers in digital literacy skills, digital forensics and cyber security awareness. This summer, the camp will extend to two sessions of one week each.
Ocean Academy is a leader in secondary education in Belize. Ocean Academy proudly hosted Honourable Minister of State for Education, Dr. Louis Zabaneh, along with his curriculum team to review Ocean Academy’s competency-based learning models. Ocean Academy’s administrators, teachers, students and a parent shared their experiences with the team. The team applauded the progress OA has made toward building 21st Century skills through competency-based learning and encouraged students to continue to follow their passion.
Dear GlobalGiving donors, thank you for believing in all of our students, but especially for supporting opportunities for girls. Thank you for believing in the value of investing in their education. You are truly making an impact.
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Good Day to You, the Supporters of Ocean Academy High School.
It is only through the assistance of good people like yourselves that Ocean Academy Students are able to continue to grow and to learn with a wide variety of activities that serves not just their academic education, but also their physical and emotional well being.
As we begin the second semester of this school year, we are pleased to return to our practice of Student Internships.
Internships are a great way for high school students to gain work experience, learn about professional opportunities, and network within career and academic fields. Form 3 and Form 4 students at Ocean Academy High School have the opportunity to intern with businesses here on Caye Caulker.
Included in this report are photos of Ocean Academy student interns from before Covid.
Again, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Links:
Good Day to You, the Supporters of Ocean Academy High School.
It is only through the assistance of good people like yourselves that Ocean Academy Students are able to continue to grow and to learn with a wide variety of activities that serves not just their academic education, but also their physical and emotional well being.
We would also like to thank those who were able to visit Caye Caulker and to bring supplies from the US. Many of these supplies are very expensive here in Belize, not to mention that they are difficult or impossible to find. Your gifts allow our students and teachers to expand their learning and teaching methods. The link to our wish lists is near the bottom of this email. If you are not able to visit Caye Caulker Ocean Academy, message Mrs. Penny Williams to see how you can still help. (Williams.Penny@oaseatide.com)
OA students have achieved great things since the start of the school year.
National Children's Parliament: Jasmine, Lily, Diany, Jadiery and Emilio were all selected to be Parliamentarians in the National Children’s Parliament. They are training with student leaders across the country to present in the National Assembly in November.
Volleyball: The girls and boys volleyball teams have been practicing long hours every day for the past few weeks to prepare to represent O.A. in our first official sports competitions in almost three years.
Social Enterprise Classes: Students are enjoying growing skills in jewelry making, embroidery, mangrove restoration, technology repair, bike repair, fly fishing, gardening, publishing a book, sign design and Bike with Purpose.
Form 3/4 Science-Humanities-Business (SHB) Courses: Students are studying Marine Biology, Advanced Biology, Physical Fitness, Psychology, Fiction Writing and Publishing, Art, Quickbooks Accounting, Business Development, and Marketing.
Universities: Galen University and the University of Belize will provide information to Form Four students this week and next week.
Houses: Students have been enjoying friendly House Competitions and the standings are:
Marlins 1st, Sharks 2nd, Stingrays 3rd, Ospreys 4th.
Again, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
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Because of your support, we celebrated our TWELFTH graduating class of 26 students! Many of whom are the first in their families to graduate. You, our supporters, have made every step of the way possible. Thank you!
We also express deep gratitude to our local supporters: Blu Zen, Blue Wave Sounds, and Lotus.
As our senior students were preparing to graduate, other students were busy too. They hosted a Campus Business Expo and during Certificate Week learned skills in art, technology, photography, mangrove restoration and a variety of sports.
Ocean Academy continues to offer innovative educational opportunities during the summer months. This July, Justin Whitehead and his experienced professional team from Digital Silence will volunteer their time and expertise to lead a Technology Summer Camp. Topics include Video Editing, Computer Repair, Computer Forensics, Physical Security Systems and Open Source Intelligence for the Real World. We will share stories and photos with you after the Camp.
In our next report we will also share alumni success stories such as Mercedes, who was one of our very first graduates from Ocean Academy. She received a scholarship and earned her Masters Degree in Environmental Science from the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands. Other alumni are graduating this year with Associate's Degrees in a range of fields like Psychology, Business Entrepreneurship and Dentistry. Several alumni have created their own small businesses and we are looking forward to sharing all of these with all of you in our next report.
Thank you for believing in our students and the value of investing in their education. You are truly making an impact.
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This year marks Ocean Academy’s 14th Anniversary as the first high school on Caye Caulker. Our student body has grown to 160. When we opened in 2008 one of our hopes was to one day hire our graduates as the teachers and leaders. That has continued to happen! Ocean Academy alumni currently work as office staff, technology assistant and reading mentor.
Covid continues to present challenges, but Ocean Academy continues to step up and meet those challenges. Students are once again attending classes on campus as they were given the option to return to campus or to remain in virtual classes.
The Social Enterprise program is getting back on its feet as tourism continues to increase on Caye Caulker. Students are thrilled to be training to lead bicycle and kayak tours,
With the help of donors like you, Ocean Academy students continue to strive to meet their potential and to follow the path to their best lives.
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