Ayo Fayemi '23 Helps Students Prepare for Trip to The Island School

To help students get ready for their trip to The Island School during spring break, MBS junior Ayo Fayemi ’23 spoke to the group about his experience in the semester program there last fall.  

Ayo said that studying at The Island School for a semester was one of the best decisions he’s ever made, and he now has unforgettable experiences and stories that will last a lifetime.

“If I could be there for an entire year, I would do it,” he said. “Everybody there is family. You will meet amazing people and you have a community there that cares about you.”

As part of the experiential, immersive program, Ayo learned about marine ecology, climate change, sustainable energy, and more. He conducted scientific research, dove with sharks, and participated in an 8-day kayak expedition.

He encouraged the students who will be participating in the spring break trip to be open to new experiences and be grateful for this opportunity. “Have fun, embrace every moment, and be a leader,” he told them.

In a Q&A with the students, he also spoke candidly about daily life there and some of the challenges he faced. “For me, the hardest part was the hot weather — sweating at night while sleeping in the dorms,” he said, while adding that the mosquitos can also be bad, depending on the season.

He also spoke about the food there (very fresh and very local), the need for eco-friendly short showers in the morning, and the no-cell phone policy. “Since you don’t have technology to distract you, you can really focus on every moment uninterrupted,” he said.

This spring, 17 Upper School students and three faculty chaperones will embark on a trip to The Island School from March 19 to 26. While their experience won’t be as in-depth as Ayo’s semester program, they will get a taste of The Island School’s “learning by doing” philosophy as they engage in projects focused on marine ecology, sustainable living, conservation, and more.