News

…Mike Cortina!


Mike Cortina works on a new solar array at the Cape Eleuthera Marina  -  Photo by Ben Kaufman

Mike Cortina works on a new solar array at the Cape Eleuthera Marina  –  Photo by Ben Kaufman

At a recent alumni gathering in San Francisco at the St. Francis Yacht Club, Pam and Chris Maxey were both present to honor Mike Cortina as the 2018 Cacique Maxey Award recipient.  Since graduating in the Fall of 2002 Mike Cortina has worked hard to maintain his connection to The Island School.  He returned to volunteer every summer during his college years and helped run the volunteer team in the Summer of 2006.  Mike joined the Alumni Advisory Board and continued to serve as he began his engineering career building big buildings in Washington DC.  A call to Maxey where Mike shared his passion for returning to work and teach and make a difference brought Mike back home to Cape in 2012 and he now runs the engineering and food production teams at the new Center for Sustainable Development.  Mike has helped launch numerous Island School student research efforts from a pyrolysis project turning plastic back into fuel and a design charrette looking at how to launch an all- electric dive boat, first in class.  Mike loves sharing his engineering skills and solving problems with his teams.  He is an exceptional mentor and teacher.   As Maxey said before blowing the conch horn, Mike has never stopped living The Island School mission statement of Leadership Effecting Change with a focus on how we can live well on our island campus.  Please join us in celebrating Mike Cortina as our 2018 Cacique Maxey Award winner.