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HOPE ACADEMY
- Hope Academy
- Jun 5
- 6 min read
NEWSLETTER #9 May 2026
HERITAGE &CHILD MONTH
🌍✨ Celebrating Heritage Month & Child Month at Hope Academy! ✨💛
Throughout the month, our children were truly celebrated. They enjoyed countless opportunities to learn about their culture and heritage through a variety of school activities, special lessons, and enriching field trips.🌿
One of the highlights was our vibrant Culture Day, where students proudly showcased their identities by wearing traditional cultural outfits and national colours representing their home countries. The halls were filled with colour, pride, and meaningful conversations as students shared the traditions and stories that shape who they are. 🌟
This month‑long celebration beautifully reflected the heart of both Heritage Month and Child Month, honouring where we come from while uplifting every child’s voice, identity, and sense of belonging. 🌎💛
HOPE ACADEMY ART CLASS
Caymanian Culture Through Art at Hope Academy
Hope’s art students embraced Caymanian culture with creativity, curiosity, and pride as they explored a wide range of local themes and artistic techniques this term. Our Kindergarten artists delighted in crafting their own vibrant Cayman parrots, layering greens, blues, reds, and yellows to capture the beauty of our national bird. Grade 1 students experimented with recycled tubes to build three‑dimensional palm trees, adding them to imaginative two‑dimensional beach scenes complete with hammocks, cabins, and birds soaring overhead. Grade 2 continued the celebration of local flora by painting the national flower, the banana orchid, using bright yellow and purple watercolors to highlight its delicate charm.
Older students expanded their understanding of Cayman’s heritage through hands‑on projects. Grade 5 learned about the many historical uses of Cayman catboats and is diligently working to complete their three‑dimensional paper‑mâché models. Grade 6 focused on observational drawings of sea turtles or blue iguanas, using acrylic paint pens to build layers, texture, and detail. Grade 7 dove into Cayman’s underwater world, creating swimming sea turtles with watercolor and colored pencil for the shells and chalk pastels for the surrounding sea life.
Grade 8 demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship in their spectacular paper mosaics featuring stingrays inspired by Stingray City, Cayman parrots, banana orchids, and silver thatch palms. Grade 9 took great delight in the printmaking process, beginning with original drawings, pressing their designs into foam to create relief impressions, and using brayers to apply ink. Each student produced three bright, beautiful prints showcasing the unique textures of their relief work.
Across every grade level, our students showed tremendous pride in honoring Cayman’s natural beauty, history, and cultural symbols through their artwork. Their creativity continues to shine as they learn, explore, and celebrate the islands we call home.
FIELD TRIP
🦜 Grade 1 Takes Flight at the Cayman Parrot Sanctuary!
Our Grade 1 students enjoyed a joyful and nature‑filled adventure at the Cayman Parrot Sanctuary at Tukka, where curiosity soared as high as the parrots themselves.
From the moment they arrived, students were welcomed into a world of colourful birds, friendly animals, and hands‑on learning about Cayman’s native wildlife. The highlight, of course, was meeting the Cayman Parrot, our national bird, and discovering how the sanctuary rescues, rehabilitates, and protects these beautiful creatures.
Students also had the chance to:
Feed and interact with gentle farm animals
Explore the sanctuary’s lush grounds
Learn about conservation and why protecting Cayman’s wildlife matters
Enjoy playtime on the adventure playground, laughter echoing through the trees
The trip was the perfect blend of learning and fun, and our Grade 1 explorers returned to school buzzing with excitement and new knowledge about the animals that call our islands home.
🏛️✨ Grade 6 Explores Cayman’s History at the Mission House ✨🌿
Our Grade 6 students enjoyed a meaningful and educational visit to the historic Mission House in Bodden Town. During the trip, students stepped back in time to learn about Cayman’s early settlers, the role of missionaries and teachers, and how this landmark helped shape our islands’ cultural and religious heritage.
From exploring the traditional home to hearing stories of Cayman’s past, students gained a deeper appreciation for the people and events that built the foundation of our community. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect classroom learning with real‑world history and to celebrate the rich heritage of the Cayman Islands.
BOYZ 2 MEN
✨🟦 B2M (Hope Academy) Celebrates Three Years of Growth & Mentorship! ❤️🟥
The Boyz2Men (Hope Academy) Chapter marked its third anniversary on May 13, 2026, with a joyful and inspiring Awards Ceremony on campus. Founded in January 2023 through a partnership between Hope Academy staff and Boyz2Men Cayman Directors Christopher Murray, Simon Miller, and Seaford Russell Jr., the chapter began with 2 mentors and 12 pioneering mentees under the coordination of Mr. Norman Howell. 🌟
Representing Principal Mrs. Sherna Leslie‑Barrett, Mr. Rick Caley brought warm greetings and acknowledged her instrumental role in establishing the program. Keynote Speaker Mr. Simon Hutton, SENCO Coordinator, encouraged the Boyz to stay engaged in school and community life. Founder Mr. Christopher Murray congratulated the chapter on its achievements and highlighted the upcoming Dining With Mom event at the Ritz‑Carlton. 💙
Special greetings also came from Mr. Ephantus Thumbi, MJF, incoming President of the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens, who thanked the Boyz for supporting community clean‑ups and presented awards from the Norman Howell/B2M/Hope Academy Football Fiesta. ⚽✨
🏆 Football Fiesta Highlights
🥇 1st Place: Team Agouti
🥈 2nd Place: Team Dolphin
🥉 3rd Place: Team Conch
⭐ League MVP: Seth Maldonado‑Ebanks
🔥 Finals MVP: Jayden Wood‑Watler
🎯 Leading Goalscorer: Liam Edwige
The evening also celebrated dedicated parents, supportive staff, committed mentors, and all mentees, who received Certificates of Appreciation. Special recognition was given to our B2M Ambassadors:
✨ Andrew Powell (President)
✨ Liam Edwige (Vice President)
✨ Christopher Lawson Jr (Secretary)
✨ Ryan Thompson (Co‑opted Member)
The top honour, the B2M Humanitarian Award, was presented to Christopher Lawson Jr. for his compassionate support of families in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, following Hurricane Melissa. 🌍💛
The ceremony was chaired
PE DEPARTMENT
🏐✨ Middle School Boys Shine at PSA Volleyball Tournament! ✨🏐
Our Hope Academy Middle School boys travelled to CIS to compete in the PSA Volleyball Tournament, and they represented our school with incredible heart and determination! 💙🔥
The team played extremely hard, showed great sportsmanship, and delivered some very strong results against tough competition. Even more impressive, many of our boys were trying volleyball for the very first time, stepping out of their comfort zones and giving it their all. 🌟👏
A huge congratulations to the team for their effort, courage, and willingness to embrace something new. We are so proud of you! 💛💪
🧘♂️✨ Grade 11 & 12 Explore Wellness at VITAL Yoga ✨🧘♀️
Our Grade 11 and 12 students took a refreshing break from the classroom as they travelled to our neighbours at VITAL for an introductory yoga session. The class offered a calm, welcoming space for students to stretch, breathe, and explore the benefits of mindfulness and movement. 🌿💛
It was a wonderful opportunity for our seniors to learn practical tools for balance and wellbeing habits, which we hope they will carry with them long into adulthood. ✨
HOPE ACADEMY EXTRA-CURRICULAR CLUBS
Ladies of Hope Club
Board Game Club
Blessed Light of Hope Club
ESPORTS Club
UPCOMING DATES
📚 Mark Your Calendars: June Highlights at Hope Academy 🗓️
🌟 Upcoming Events 🌟
✨ Last Day For Seniors: June 5th
✨ King's Birthday: June 15th
✨ Last Day of School (Dismissal at 12 pm): June 19th
NOTICES
✈️🌄 Announcing Our Next Student Travel Adventure: Grand Canyon & U.S. National Parks! 🌄✨
We’re excited to share the destination for our next unforgettable student travel experience! In past years, our groups have explored Washington, D.C., Costa Rica, and Orlando, and in May 2027, we’ll be heading to the Grand Canyon and the stunning U.S. National Parks in Utah and Nevada. This trip will be open to all students in Grades 9–12 during the 2026/2027 school year.
To help families learn more, we’ll be hosting a Parent Information Meeting on:
📅 Thursday, May 7th
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Room 5
During the meeting, we’ll walk through the itinerary, costs, safety details, and the educational opportunities connected to this incredible adventure. Students are welcome to attend as well.
As a special bonus, anyone who attends the meeting and registers within 48 hours will receive a US$100 credit toward the trip.
Please take a moment to review the attached flyer before the meeting. It includes key details about the itinerary and information about WorldStrides, our trusted travel partner and a leader in educational travel.
If you have any questions, feel free to send us an email. Looking forward to seeing you there! ✨
📌 CICBD- TEENPreneurship Camp 2026! 📌
The Cayman Islands Center for Business Development (CICBD) is now accepting applications for TEENPreneurship Camp 2026. This year’s camp will run from July 13 to July 17, 2026, and promises to be an enriching experience for students.
TEENPreneurship camp focuses on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and innovative business practices, providing students with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in the business world. We believe this camp will greatly benefit your students by enhancing their skills and inspiring their entrepreneurial spirit.
Key Details:
Dates: July 13 - 17, 2026
Location: Intergenerational Hub, 131 MacLendon Drive, George Town
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Application Period: Now until June 7, 2026
Application Link: https://forms.monday.com/forms/19d05c24de327ba30a19873547d55847?r=euc1
Cost: FREE!
We kindly request your assistance in sharing this opportunity with your students and parents.
We are confident that your students will find this camp both educational and enjoyable. If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at CICBD@gov.ky.
Thank you for your support in nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
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