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Barracuda Bulletin: Week of April 11
- andreamilam
- Apr 14
- 8 min read
Student Spotlight
Eleventh grader Dax Chouiniere has been part of the GHS community since preschool. He says he enjoys the small class sizes and that everyone looks out for one another.
“The teachers get to know their students,” says Dax. “They really care. They personalize their teaching to help you do well.”
Dax points to his AP Precalculus teacher, Ms. V., as an example. In addition to regular class time, Ms. V. spends an hour after school each Wednesday with her AP students as they prepare for the AP test in May.
“She puts a lot of time and effort into helping us understand the high level of math,” he says. “Math is my favorite subject because it’s challenging and Ms. V. teaches well.”
“Dax has such a commitment to his education and his understanding of the content beyond,” says Ms. V. “It’s never just surface for him; he needs to know the ‘why.’ He wants to unpack it to a degree that far surpasses my expectations.”
Eleventh grade advisor Ms. Rashida says Dax is mild-mannered and straight to the point with a good sense of humor. He serves as chairperson for his class’s senior trip fundraising efforts.
“He’s a really good leader,” says Ms. Rashida. “He’s understanding, patient, kind, and very driven.”
Outside of GHS, Dax is the tenor section lead for the Love City Pan Dragons, which he’s been a member of since the age of 9. In his free time, he enjoys going to the beach.
Upcoming Events
PSAT/SAT TESTING APRIL 16
On Wednesday, April 16, tenth graders will take the PSAT and eleventh graders will take the SAT at GHS during the school day. The test will begin at 8:30 a.m.
The test is digital and adaptive, meaning the difficulty adjusts based on student performance in earlier sections. Although many colleges no longer require students to submit their SAT scores, strong scores can still help boost college applications or help with scholarships.
For students who'd like to do some preparation ahead of time, the following link will take you to the full-length practice test. This link also has some helpful information.
PROGRESS REPORTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED APRIL 17
Progress reports will be emailed to Lower Campus parents and sent home with Upper Campus students on Thursday, April 17. These progress reports feature a snapshot of your child's grades since the second trimester report card, giving you a window into areas where your child might need additional support before the third and final trimester closes on June 12.
NO SCHOOL APRIL 18
School will be closed on Friday, April 18, in honor of Good Friday. We hope everyone enjoys a fun and restful long weekend.
GHS Highlights
FOURTH GRADE'S TRASH TO TREASURE
In a collaboration with the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park's Young Professionals Board, fourth graders traveled to Drunk Bay this week for a beach cleanup. They'll use some of the items recovered in a marine debris art project, and their final works will be on display at the Earth Day fair on April 22. Thank you to fourth graders for helping clean up the island and we can't wait to see your finished creations!
GHS STUDENT ARTWORK TO BE FEATURED AT 81C GALLERY ON APRIL 18
Kudos to Olivia O'Connell, '29, Nissi Obando, '29, and Zoe Williamson, '28, whose artwork has been selected to be featured at the 81C Gallery on St. Thomas at an opening on Friday, April 18, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Their works were selected as part of the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources' 2025 Coral Week art show featuring ocean-inspired art submissions from local students. Everyone is welcome to attend the opening and support our students.
SPIRIT WEEK
We celebrated Spirit Week at the Upper Campus this week, with fun themes like pajama day, bikers vs. surfers day, wacky day/anything but a water bottle day, and decades day. The week concluded with green and white day today, when students and faculty came together for some fun, friendly competition at our green and white field day.
GHS SUMMER CAMP NOW OPEN FOR EARLY REGISTRATION
We are excited to announce that Gifft Hill School's Summer Adventure Camp is now open for early registration, though we are now accepting applicants on a wait-list basis. Camp is open to children ages 4 and above and activities will include STEAM, sports, outdoor activities, water games, and many more. For those signing up during early registration (April 1-May 31), a $50 nonrefundable deposit, which will go toward your total camp fees, is required to secure your child's spot. For families who register early, the remaining balance is due no later than May 31. Once early registration ends May 31, the full camp fee will be due up front to secure your child's spot in the camp for those registering between June 1 and July 30. Please click here to register your child and email summercamp@giffthillschool.org with any questions.
2024-2025 YEARBOOKS NOW ON SALE UNTIL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16
2024-2025 yearbooks are now available for pre-order. This year's book features back cover art hand-drawn by Santiago Terron Lucero, '25, portraits and interesting tidbits of every student and teacher, class themes chosen by the students, fun candids of sports and other activities, and much more! A limited amount of books will be ordered, so be sure to pre-order yours today by bringing $30 cash or check made out to Gifft Hill School to either campus's front office no later than Wednesday, April 16.
GHS NOW USING NEW APPLICATION PORTAL AND FINANCIAL AID/TUITION MANAGEMENT PORTAL
We have reached the original deadline for submitting financial aid applications for the 2025-2026 school year. If you have not yet submitted your application, you can still apply for consideration in the second round of funding. We have switched platforms for financial aid and tuition management as of April 5. Please use this link to submit any new financial applications moving forward. This change will NOT affect those who have already enrolled for the 2025-2026 school year. If you have already enrolled, your information will be automatically migrated to the new system.
Sports Central
KUDOS TO OUR VARSITY SOCCER PLAYERS
Kudos to our varsity soccer team for their hard work on the field this week! Although there were no wins last week, Thomas Nicholas, '26, scored a goal against Antilles and Aden Trujillo, '27, Greyson Ramsey, '28, and Jameer Germain, '27 started and played hard the entire game. Go, Barracudas!
ELEMENTARY SOCCER GAMES NEXT WEEK
Our elementary soccer team has three games on the schedule for coming week, including one home game. Everyone is welcome to come out and cheer on our players. Good luck and go, Barracudas!
Friday, April 11, 4:00 p.m. - GHS vs. VIMSIA Too at Montessori
Wednesday, 4/16, 4:00 p.m. - GHS vs. Joseph Gomez at Castaways
Thursday, 4/17, 4:15 p.m. - GHS vs. VIMSIA at GHS
MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER GAMES NEXT WEEK
Our middle school soccer team has one game on the schedule for next week and it's a home game. Everyone is welcome to come out and cheer on our players. Good luck and go, Barracudas!
Tuesday, 4/15, 4:00 p.m. - GHS vs. Antilles at GHS
VARSITY SOCCER GAMES NEXT WEEK
Our varsity soccer team has one game on the schedule for next week. Everyone is welcome to come out and cheer on our players. Good luck and go, Barracudas!
Tuesday, 4/15, 6:45 p.m. - GHS vs. VIMSIA at Kean
CHEERLEADERS TO CHEER ON SOCCER PLAYERS AT HOME GAMES
Our cheerleaders will show off their skills and cheer on our soccer players at their two home games in the coming week. Families are welcome to come out and join in on the fun! Cheerleading clinics are ongoing through April and May from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. for students in grades 6 through 12. Contact francinefrancis@giffthillschool.org for more information.
RUNNING CLUB TRAILBLAZERS RACE MAY 17
Running club will host a trailblazers race on Saturday, May 17 at 7:00 a.m. Registration is at 6:45 a.m. with a post-race party from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. The route will follow the Lind Point loop starting and finishing at the VINP visitors center, with runners going around the hill rather than up the stairs. Runners will sign waivers and St. John Rescue will be on call.
Dates to Remember
See below for important dates to remember over the next two months. View the full school year calendar by clicking here.
Community Corner: News You Can Use
V.I. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES APPLICATION DEADLINE TODAY
The Virgin Islands Department of Labor's Summer Youth Employment Program and Career Exploration Program are now accepting applications. The Career Exploration Program is a four-week experience open to those age 14-15 and the Summer Youth Employment Program is a five-week experience open to those age 16-25. The application deadline for both programs is April 11. Please see attached flyer or click here for more information.
CORAL BAY YACHT CLUB FLOTILLA APRIL 12
The Coral Bay Yacht Club will host a "A Party with a Purpose" on Saturday, April 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Hansen Bay beach. All proceeds will benefit competitive youth sailing programs on St. John. The day will include chili contests, live music, cash bar, 50/50 raffle, and sailing demonstrations. Guests can arrive by boat or car. Volunteer boats and crews will ferry guests from Coral Bay to Hansen Bay. Reservations are required in advance for boat transportation, which is $40 per person. Those arriving by car will be granted free entrance to Hansen Bay. For more information, to register as a chili chef, or to reserve your spot on a boat, contact Mary Burks at 340-513-8141, Dave Dostall at 340-643-2630, or email coralbayyachtclubstj@gmail.com.
ALL-EXPENSES PAID FIELD TRIP APPLICATION DEADLINE APRIL 16
In 2026, the United States will mark its Semiquincentennial: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. America’s Field Trip is a contest that invites students across the country in grades 3-12 to be part of America’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on what America means to them with the opportunity to earn a field trip experience at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks. Students are asked to submit writing or original artwork in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?” Click here to learn more or apply.
EARTH DAY FAIR AND LITTER STOMP APRIL 22
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park will host an Earth Day fair and litter stomp on Tuesday, April 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Cruz Bay ball field. The event is open to all local schoolchildren. Additionally, as part of the Friends' earth week activities, high schoolers can earn community service hours by volunteering at the Drunk Bay cleanup on Saturday, April 19. Volunteers should meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Salt Pond Parking lot.
UVI ENTREPRENEUR BUSINESS INSTITUTE TAKING APPLICATIONS UNTIL MAY 30
The University of the Virgin Islands' Entrepreneur Business Institute is a free summer program for rising tenth graders through 12th graders that will take place July 6-19. Students will live on campus for two weeks and will be provided with the opportunity to enjoy a pre-college experience and learn about the challenges and advantages of entrepreneurship. Students will engage in team exercises to improve their team-building and project management skills, and will experience mentorship from successful business leaders. Participants will receive a $250 stipend upon successful completion of the program. Scan the flyer's QR code for more information or to apply.
WORLD OCEAN SCHOOL OFFERING SUMMER PROGRAMS
World Ocean School, which runs the Denis Sullivan program that all GHS eighth graders are fortunate to take part in, offers summer programs for students ages 12-19.
Program at a Glance:
Summer Ambassador Program (Ages 12-15) August 1-8, 2025
Advanced Summer Ambassador Program (Ages 16-19) August 17-26, 2025
No sailing experience required – just curiosity and a willingness to grow!
See flyer below for more details.
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR FRIENDS SUMMER TRAIL CREW
The Friends of Virgin Islands National Park summer trail crew work opportunity, which runs from June 9 to August 1, is now open for applications. This paid opportunity is open to those ages 15 to 18. Work consists of maintaining hiking trails and historic sites, working in the Friends nursery, and learning about kayaking, boating, traditional uses of plants, marine ecosystems, and more. Click here to apply online or see Ms. Burks at the Upper Campus front office for an application.
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