News Room
October, 2007Innovative Education Program to Get Two-Year Boost
The National Science Foundation has awarded the Island Institute nearly $800,000 to continue its innovative IT education program, Community for Rural Education, Stewardship and Technology (CREST) for an additional two years after its scheduled completion date in June, 2008. Click here for more information on this exciting news.
June, 2007
Backing Into the Future: through technology, kids gain an appreciation of community life.
...CREST has already helped forge connections between students and their communities. Volunteers at the Deer Isle and other historical societies have helped students with research; elderly residents of Vinalhaven have talked about the days when most of the island's shore was working waterfront; longtime residents have shared their knowledge about heirloom varieties of apples on Islesboro and productive clam flats on North Haven.
April, 2007
Coastal, island pupils learn about hometown opportunities
About 45 children from small coastal and island towns in Maine congregated Thursday at College of the Atlantic to learn what their futures might hold. The idea of bringing the pupils together was to help teach them about livelihoods they might be able to pursue back home.
December, 2006
Crest project connects schools, students and communities
Eleven coastal and island schools participating in CREST have begun work on three-year projects. Each project provides opportunities for students to utilize training in GPS and GIS, web design, digital camcorders and producing ethnographic interviews.
September, 2006
"CREST" Institute collaborates with NSF, colleges, schools to build technology awareness
On a beautiful day in July, 55 middle and high school students and teachers gathered at the Darling Marine Center to work. They were there for a week-long training program that would help them understand GPS and GIS, digital camcorders, web design and the process of producing a mini-ethnographic film which incorporates aspects of those technological skills.
See photos from the '06 Summer Institutes here
April, 2007Island "crew" to visit America’s Cup site
The ongoing research at the Island high school concerning the "Deer Isle Boys" who crewed the America’s Cup winners Defender (1895) and Columbia (1899) will have a lot more data added in the next month. Ten teachers and students will travel April 25-May 1 to Valencia, Spain, the site of the 32nd America’s Cup match. View Article by Ellsworth American
October, 2006
Project seeks promotion of technology-related careers
DEER ISLE-- In a presentation to the school board October 3, a group of teachers and students outlined their projects in Amerca's Cup History, mapping the Island and web design.
March, 2006
11 Maine Island and Coastal Schools Selected to Participate
Eleven Maine schools have been selected to participate in an innovative three-year project designed to encourage Maine students to use technology to find creative solutions to community challenges, and to promote students’ awareness of technology-related careers in Maine.
November, 2005
$1.2 Million Grant to Benefit Island and Coastal Schools
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the Island Institute a three-year, $1.2 million grant for a project designed to encourage students in a pilot group of Maine island and coastal schools to pursue technology-related careers. The Institute's partners in the grant are Bowdoin College and the University of Maine at Machias.
August, 2005
Aspiration Summit: Pilot to CREST
The Aspiration Summit, funded by the Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust, held in August of 2005 served as a pilot for the emerging CREST project. Please read on to learn about the exciting activities and technologies that teachers and students explored together.
