CHATHAM — For Monomoy Regional Middle School science teacher Nancy Gifford, learning isn’t just something she inspires. It’s a way of life. “I apply for every program for science teachers that sounds interesting and fun, and jump in with both feet. I am hoping my students will learn from this and not be afraid to take risks and try new things,” she said. “I attend interesting programs every summer. Last summ...

Elementary School Students Bolster Lessons With Real-world Experience Nancy Goward stood in a room dwarfed by clear tanks filled with water of varying earth-tone colors at the A.R.C. Hatchery in Dennis. “This whole entire room is just food,” said Goward, an algae supervisor at the shellfish facility. About half a dozen children, clipboards pressed against their chests, watched as she lifted a heavy tire ...

CHATHAM – Alana Lojko wasn't sure about the snacks on the plate in front of her, an assortment that seemed to be something out of a horror film: Mexican-spiced mealworms, taco seasoned crickets, and sour cream and onion crickets. But rather than a freaky moment in a B-movie, the bugs were actual edibles, and could soon become a food staple, one with myriad benefits, according to scientists. Bringing the edible...

David Mamet’s 2009 play “Race” doesn’t waste time sidestepping difficult topics—almost immediately posing the question, “What would you say to a black man about the subject of race?” Even though the legal drama is 10 years old, its subject matter is highly relevant today. The fast-paced, 90-minute story focuses on Charles Strickland (Bill Mootos), a wealthy, middle-aged white man who has been accused ...

Creative Arts Center Celebrates 50 th Anniversary The unassuming building at 154 Crowell Rd. in Chatham hides what is perhaps the most vibrant, active arts center on the Lower Cape. If it weren't for the brightly colored sign out front—recently given a new, brilliant color scheme—The Creative Arts Center could easily be mistaken for a real estate or doctor's office. Which, over the past half century, have ...

Even before it became a protected sanctuary for migratory birds, Monomoy Island was known among avian enthusiasts. For decades duck hunters had come to Monomoy from far and wide, and by the 1930s it was recognized as one of the most important shorebird habitats on the east coast. “They saw Monomoy as a place where hundreds, thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl congregated,” said Matt Hillman, current manager ...

Can you imagine life on Cape Cod without the ocean? Of course not. It’s a gruesome thought. So let’s join together in celebrating the waters both nearby and worldwide on the Second Annual World Oceans Day, Saturday, June 8. On that day the non-profit group Ocean Protection Advocacy Kids, Inc. (OPAK) will commemorate “One Ocean, One Cape Cod: A Marine Celebration” by screening the Emmy Award-winning documentary...

HARWICH – The era of firsts continued at Monomoy Regional High School on Sunday when the Class of 2019 became the first to attend the school from its opening day in 2014 through five years of classes, athletics, activities, concerts, musicals, and multicultural festivals, culminating in a heartfelt commencement at the school on June 2. Erin Starkey,...

When I tell people I prefer to walk in the woods or down the beach alone, they shake their heads and tell me it isn’t safe. I don’t even take the dog on my long walks, and I’ve never had a problem. My dog’s a dawdler and a sniffer and he loves to bark at anything that moves, including leaves, so he and I do our walking at other times, in other places. I especially like to ramble alone in the early morning or jus...

This year, the Family Pantry of Cape Cod expects to serve 10,000 clients and distribute 100,000 bags of groceries valued at $4.2 million. “We call ourselves a sustaining pantry,” said Christine Menard, the director of the Harwich facility, meaning that the pantry’s clients do not fit a stereotype of people in total collapse. “They are landscapers, fishermen, nursing assistants. You’ll recognize people here fro...

In the early 17th century, English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold gave Cape Cod its name due to the abundant cod fish he saw in its waters. Throughout history, the cod has played a crucial role in feeding various peoples, from explorers on ships such as the Vikings, to Basques, to Europeans, to early settlers of the Cape. They all lived on cod, whether it was fresh, salted or frozen. Author Mark Kurlansky, in hi...

Step into the Chatham Historical Society's Atwood House and Museum this weekend and you will hear the musical soundtrack that would have been performed live to accompany a black and white silent film at the original Orpheum Theater on Main Street, Chatham. A padded bench has been set up so you can watch the silent film; old theater posters and a movie projector are displayed nearby. This is a part of the new “...