Arielle Leeman, a rising junior at Morse High School, recently returned from a semester program at the Island School on Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, an experience that has allowed her to become “more independent and self-reliant.”

In addition to balancing academic classes, Leeman also conducted research with marine scientists, participated in rigorous exercise programs and volunteered in the settlements doing community service work while on the island country.

“I now feel that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to,” Leeman said.

Her other passions include participating in the Morse band and jazz band, and singing for the Wescustago Choir in Freeport. Leeman is also a seasoned athlete and plays soccer, tennis and swims, in addition to skiing in the winter. She is also a member of the Student Community Liaison Council and enjoys volunteering at her school and in the community.

The Times Record: Why did you choose to pursue a semester program?

Arielle Leeman: I attended a semester program seminar at Freeport High school, and I learned about so many different programs available to high school students, including the Island School.

Although I looked into many different programs around the country, I was most excited about this one. Since Bath has a pretty homogenous population, I thought it would be cool to have a semester with kids from many different backgrounds. I also wanted the opportunity to push myself in ways that I hadn’t yet tried.

TR: What was the semester program like and what kind of activities did you participate in while you were there?

AL: The class work was experiential and place-based. In math class, rather than just doing algebraic equations or solving calculus problems, I was tasked with calculating the daily consumption of water. During our unit on statistics, I gathered and analyzed statistical data on lionfish that will be used by the Bahamian government to help them control this invasive population. And rather than learning about marine ecology solely in a classroom, we actually went through full PADI scuba certification and physically explored ecosystems underwater.

For community service, I also tutored a sixth grade Bahamian student every week and spent considerable time learning from the inhabitants of the local settlements. As a final project, I decided to design and install a permaculture, where I planted fruit trees and created raised beds for an edible landscape in the local community.

TR: What was your most memorable experience?

AR: I would say it was the research symposium. All semester, I was part of a research team where we collected data, studied and worked with sea turtles. It was not until the symposium, where I gave a presentation and offered an educational workshop to the community, that I realized how much I had learned. It was also amazing to see that the work I had been doing was really helping the place where I lived.

TR: What do you think you will miss the most about the program?

AL: One big part of the program was teaching us to live in the moment. One way was by taking away our Internet access and all forms of social media.

At the beginning, I wasn’t such a fan, but it definitely made me more appreciative of my surroundings. Since I’ve been home, I have tried to take this notion of being present in the moment in every experience I have.

TR: How do you hope this experience will help you, regarding future plans or being back in Bath?

AL: Creating a strong community was so important to the success of the program, and I feel that was something that really influenced me. I am eager to continue contributing to my community, whether it is through my job at Wilson’s Drug Store, or by doing more community-based projects. I especially want to help our community be more self-sufficient and less wasteful.

“Garbage” was not part of our vocabulary at the Island School. Instead, we called it “resources” because everything can essentially be reused. I think I can help the Bath community with its “resources” too.