Please join us in congratulating Island School Summer Term alumnus, Sammy Basa ST21 for receiving a Projects for Peace Award and a Fulbright Award earlier this year.

After graduating from Pitzer College this spring, Sammy spent the summer on Sibuyan Island in the Philippines, designing and leading an environmental education project called Project Isa Lang, alongside his partner Zhané Moledina. Joining him for part of the summer were fellow Island School alumni, Alexa Potter S20 and Sophie Beredo ST21.

Education Rooted in Place-Based Learning

Sammy has deep ties to Sibuyan Island. His family’s roots trace back to this island in the Philippines, often called the “Galápagos of Asia” for its extraordinary biodiversity. Sammy grew up visiting the island, where his grandfather helped establish the local school, Teresa Bernas Memorial School, that serves as the heart of the community. Now, Sammy is carrying that legacy forward through Project Isa Lang.

“Isa Lang in Tagalog means ‘only one,’” Sammy explains. Their goal is to create a place-based environmental education curriculum that helps young learners on Sibuyan Island understand why the island’s biodiversity is so unique.

Sammy and his team have been collaborating with local teachers to develop lesson plans and an interactive field guide that highlights Sibuyan’s unique plants and animals. The pilot program focuses on working with the sixth-grade students, combining classroom instruction, experiential outdoor learning, and thoughtful reflection activities. Sammy and his team have drawn direct inspiration from their time at The Island School, even incorporating daily AMX into their schedules!

“We didn’t want the students to just memorize species names,” Sammy says. “We want them to understand why Sibuyan is so special, and to see that ecology and biodiversity can be part of their future.”

The Future of Project Isa Lang

Project Isa Lang has already built partnerships with the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources and researchers who have studied Sibuyan for decades. Looking ahead, Sammy hopes to expand its curriculum to additional grades and schools across the island and eventually host visiting scientists, similar to The Island School. He is excited to share that Project Isa Lang will continue to be a pilot program through the Gabriel P. Bernas Jr. Foundation, a Philippine NGO created by Sammy and his family, as he builds a long-term plan for environmental education, conservation, and community support on Sibuyan. 

We are so excited to continue to follow Sammy’s journey as he empowers the next generation of students on Sibuyan to become environmental leaders on their home island.