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Barracuda Bulletin: Week of April 17
- andreamilam
- Apr 21
- 8 min read
Student Spotlight
Tenth grader Lily Wallace joined the GHS community in seventh grade. She said it was easy to make friends in the supportive school environment.
“My peers tried to include me a lot,” says Lily.
Tenth grade advisor Mr. D. says Lily is “one of the kindest and most supportive kids at this school.”
“She’s always there for her classmates,” he says. “She’s someone they can depend on. She’s always sympathetic and shows a great deal of kindness in all of her interactions with those around her.”
Lily’s work ethic and strong academic discipline have resulted in tremendous growth and a spot on the high honor roll list.
“I feel like my teachers have provided me a space where I can learn more about myself and grow freely,” says Lily. “I’m very grateful for my friends and teachers, and I very much like it here.”
Lily’s favorite subject is English and her favorite teacher is Mr. D. because “he pushes you to be better.”
Lily has been a member of our IDEA Club and student council. She is a National Honor Society member, has played volleyball for GHS since middle school, and takes part in our after-school archery club. In her free time, Lily enjoys playing games with her friends, reading, and spending time with her family and two dogs.
Upcoming Events
PROGRESS REPORTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TODAY
Progress reports will be emailed to Lower Campus parents and sent home with Upper Campus students today. 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.
APRIL BIRTHDAY ASSEMBLY WEDNESDAY
We'll celebrate April birthdays at our monthly Lower Campus birthday assembly Wednesday morning, April 23, at 8:45 a.m. in the Lower Campus Great Room. Please note that those attending the assembly may not park until after 8:30 a.m. Please do not park across the street by the yellow house and along that stretch of road, as it is private property. Parents and guardians of kindergarten students, who will present at the assembly, are welcome to attend, as are parents of students with March birthdays.
MERIT AWARD ASSEMBLY THURSDAY
We will recognize our Lower and Upper Campus students who've been selected to receive merit awards at our merit awards assembly on Thursday morning, April 24, at 8:20 a.m. at the Upper Campus atrium. Parents whose children are being recognized have been notified via email.
GHS Highlights
PRE-K EASTER CRAFTS
Our pre-K students got into the Easter spirit with this fun colorful egg craft during their time with Ms. Bibi on Thursday. We hope everyone who celebrates has an enjoyable Easter!
GHS STUDENT ARTWORK TO BE FEATURED AT 81C GALLERY TOMORROW
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.
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.
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.
Tuition agreements have been sent through the FACTS tuition management system. If you have not yet finalized your tuition contract, please do so as soon as possible. Call 340-776-1730 or email businessoffice@giffthillschool.org with any questions.
Sports Central
KUDOS TO OUR SOCCER PLAYERS!
Kudos to our elementary soccer team for their win against Joseph Gomez 4 to 0 this week! Three goals were scored by Beau Ramsey, '32, with the fourth goal by Rollie Simmons, '32. Congratulations also to our middle school soccer team for their win against Antilles this week 2 to 1. Goals were scored by Knox Stone, '30, and by Ricardo Garcia-Sanchez, '30, with an assist by Jahda Polius, '30. Go, Barracudas!
ELEMENTARY SOCCER HOME GAMES NEXT WEEK!
Our elementary soccer team has two home games on the schedule for coming week. Everyone is welcome to come out and join our cheerleaders to cheer on our players. Good luck and go, Barracudas!
Thursday, 4/17, 4:15 p.m. - GHS vs. VIMSIA at GHS
Friday, 4/25, 4:15 p.m. - GHS vs. All Saints at GHS
MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER HOME GAME NEXT WEEK
Our middle school soccer team has one home game on the schedule for next week. Everyone is welcome to come out and join our cheerleaders to cheer on our players. Good luck and go, Barracudas!
Friday, 4/25, 5:00 p.m. - GHS vs. All Saints/VIMSIA at GHS
VARSITY SOCCER GAME 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!
Thursday, 4/24, 4:45 p.m. - GHS vs. IEKHS at IEKHS
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
SUMMIT STEM FELLOWSHIP NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Summit STEM Fellowship is a virtual summer fellowship empowering the next generation of leaders in STEM. Open to rising 9th-12th grade students, the fellowship aims to identify top students around the world and connect them with mentors from Stanford, MIT, Harvard, and other top institutions, to explore different opportunities and career pathways in STEM. The fellowship is a flexible 10-15 hours/week commitment, allowing students to participate alongside other summer activities. Two sessions are offered: June 23-July 11 and July 14-August 1. The fee is $875 and financial aid is available. Admissions are rolling, and students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. For more information and the program application, please visit www.summitstemfellowship.org. For questions, please email info@summitstemfellowship.org.
HELICOPTER EASTER EGG DROP HUNT SATURDAY AT UVI
Impacting Your World Christian Ministries will present a helicopter Easter egg drop hunt on Saturday, April 19, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the University of the Virgin Islands Golf Course. This is a free community event. Please see flyer below for more details.
FRIENDS OF VINP EARTH WEEK ACTIVITIES
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park will host several events for Earth Week.
Drunk Bay Trash Cleanup on Saturday, April 19
Meet time is 9:00 a.m. Salt Pond parking lot. Friends will supply trash bags and gloves. Wear closed toed shoes and a hat, and bring lots of water. High schoolers will receive community service hours. This cleanup usually concludes around 11:30 a.m.
Brown Bay Trash Cleanup on Thursday, April 24
Meet time is 9:00 a.m. at the Brown Bay Trail head in Coral Bay. Gloves and bags will be provided. Wear closed toed shoes and a hat, and bring lots of water.
Sea Turtles Virtual Seminar on Thursday, April 24
Join Friends Education Specialist Kaitlyn Cummings from noon to 1:00 p.m. as she shares learnings from the recent International Sea Turtle Symposium in Ghana including impacts on sea turtles throughout the world, new conservation efforts, and exciting research findings. Register at www.friendsvinp.org to receive the Zoom link.
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.
VIRGIN ISLANDS TO CELEBRATE WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD APRIL 21-25
Week of the Young Child will be celebrated in the Virgin Islands April 21-25. This annual celebration is promoted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children celebrating early learning, young children, their teachers, and families. The theme for this year's event is "The Joy of Learning!"
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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