HOPE ACADEMY

Hope Academy
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NEWSLETTER #7 March 2026

Celebrate Cayman

✨ Celebrate Cayman Shines at Hope Academy ✨

This month, Hope Academy burst into colour and Caymanian pride as we celebrated Celebrate Cayman across the entire school. Every hallway buzzed with excitement as classes dove into creative, hands‑on activities that brought our islands’ culture, history, and natural beauty to life.

From vibrant art pieces inspired by Cayman’s landscapes to storytelling, music, science explorations, and cultural showcases, each subject area found its own magical way to honour our heritage. Students didn’t just learn, they lit up with curiosity, joy, and island spirit.

It was a month filled with connection, creativity, and Caymanian pride, and our students truly made it shine.

NCFA ART

🎉 Our Young Artists Shine Under the Same Sun!

Our Hope Academy family is bursting with pride as five of our amazing students were selected by a partnership between the Department of Education Services and the Cayman National Cultural Foundation for the NCFA 2026 art exhibition, Under the Same Sun! Schools across the island submitted artwork, and 50 pieces were selected for this year's NCFA recognition. Having five pieces chosen from Hope Academy for special display is truly something to celebrate.

These talented young artists pour their imagination, creativity, sometimes personal experiences, and—most importantly—their hearts into every piece they create. Their dedication to refining skills across a variety of mediums shines through in their work.

Huge congratulations to our NCFA‑recognized artists! What an incredible honor, and what a joy to cheer them on. Another proud mention is that one of the curators of this art exhibition, one of Cayman's local artists, is a Hope Academy Alumni, Reno Jackson. 🙂

~Ms. Kerry

CRAFT CLUB

Our Upper Primary Craft Club students in Grades 4–6 have been bursting with creativity this quarter as they explored a colourful array of hands-on projects. From designing their own soap bars to crafting dazzling diamond art, painting vibrant acrylic canvases, threading silicone beads, and pouring under‑the‑sea and latte‑themed candles, their imaginations were in full bloom. They even created foil‑art stickers, magnets, tie‑dye masterpieces, and so much more, each session buzzing with excitement and pride.

Along the way, students strengthened patience, fine motor skills, and attentive listening, while also building teamwork, sharing, perseverance, and the confidence to try something new. And when projects didn’t go quite as planned, they showed incredible resilience, adapting, problem‑solving, and staying creative. Their “never give up” spirit shone just as brightly as their artwork ✨

FIELD TRIP

Hope Academy’s Primary classes spent a joyful day exploring the vibrant beauty of the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, turning nature into their classroom. Students wandered through colourful gardens, spotted native wildlife, and learned about Cayman’s unique plants, including the beloved Blue Iguana.

The trip was filled with hands‑on discovery:

• 🌸 Strolling through the Heritage Garden and learning about traditional Caymanian life

• 🐦 Observing birds, butterflies, and other local creatures in their natural habitats

• 🌱 Exploring the Woodland Trail and discovering how plants help protect our environment

The children returned buzzing with excitement, new knowledge, and muddy shoes, always a sign of a great adventure! Their curiosity blossomed as brightly as the flowers around them, making this field trip a memorable celebration of learning beyond the classroom.

BOYZ 2 MEN

Boyz2Men (HA) supports Anti-Vaping March

Last Friday, March 6th, thirteen mentees and one mentor from our Boyz2Men chapter here at Hope joined over 125 young people from the Cayman Academy and John Gray High School, and members of staff and representatives of the National Drug Council, as we marched to show our solidarity ‘to shatter the myths of Vaping’ here on the Cayman Islands. The route involves leaving the Cayman Academy premises on Walkers Road to Goring Avenue → Shedden Road → Seafarers Way → South Church Street → Memorial Avenue, and back to the Cayman Academy (King’s SDA Church) where a special event was held. This event saw us participating for the second time.

During the anti-vaping march, the participants held placards and chanted songs to shatter the myths of vaping. This event was staged to support National Drug and Alcohol Facts Month – an annual campaign led by the National Drug Council of the Cayman Islands. The participants were supported by members of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.

Norman A. Howell

B2M Coordinator (Hope Academy)

CAREER DAY

✨ Careers Dress‑Up Day: A Celebration of Dreams at Hope Academy

Hope Academy burst into colour and creativity during our Careers Dress‑Up Day, where students proudly arrived dressed as the professionals they hope to become. From future astronauts and architects to chefs, doctors, pilots, and firefighters, the hallways were filled with imagination, confidence, and big dreams brought to life.

Students shared the careers they chose, what those roles involve, and why those paths inspire them. Their presentations were thoughtful, joyful, and often delightfully surprising, showcasing just how boldly our young people see their futures.

The day blended fun with purpose, giving every student a chance to explore possibilities, express themselves, and shine. Events like this remind us how powerful it is when children are encouraged to dream out loud, and how bright the future looks when they do. ✨

READING BUDDIES

✨ Reading Buddies with Grade 9 is the BEST! ✨

This month, our Primary students have been turning pages with pride as they read at home and filled their reading logs with all the wonderful stories they explored. Their excitement grew even more during Reading Buddies with Grade 9, where every shared story helped them earn extra scoops in our fun ice‑cream reading challenge 🍦✨

Taking turns reading together was pure joy, full of laughter, confidence, and that special spark that shines when older and younger students learn side by side. We were especially delighted to have our principal, Ms. Sherna, join the fun, adding an extra sprinkle of magic to the moment ✨📚

A beautiful celebration of teamwork, literacy, and community at Hope Academy!