Barracuda Bulletin: Week of December 12, 2025

andreamilam
Dec 15, 2025
6 min read

Student Spotlight

This is third grader Orin Caesar Jr.’s second year at Gifft Hill School. Third grade teacher Ms. Robin says Orin always starts the day with a smile.

“He wants to help everyone,” she says. “He has a great attitude.”

Orin loves to read and selects books that challenge him. He is currently enjoying The Wild Robot series.

Orin says he likes how teachers treat their students at Gifft Hill School.

“Ms. Robin helps us,” he says.

Orin is a good friend who makes sure everyone feels included.

“He’s always looking for ways to engage his classmates,” says Ms. Robin. “He’s respectful, helpful, and always asking what he can do next. He’s really shown a lot of growth this year. His peers watch what he’s going to do and he sets a great example for his classmates.”

Orin is a great artist who loves to draw. His favorite subjects are nature and landscapes.

“Art is very fun because your imagination can get on the paper,” he says.

Orin is a member of our elementary basketball team. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games.

Upcoming Events

LOWER CAMPUS DECEMBER BIRTHDAY ASSEMBLY DECEMBER 17

We'll celebrate December birthdays at our monthly Lower Campus birthday assembly Wednesday morning, December 17, 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 students with December birthdays are welcome to attend. This event will be livestreamed on our Facebook page.

LOWER CAMPUS HOLIDAY PROGRAM DECEMBER 18

Our Lower Campus holiday event will consist of two performances: one for ELC and kindergarten parents from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. and one for parents of students in grades 1-5 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Parking for the first show will begin at 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. Once the Lower Campus lot is full, please park at the Upper Campus gravel lot and walk down. This event will be livestreamed on our Facebook page.

UPPER CAMPUS GINGERBREAD BUILD DECEMBER 18

We'll have our annual gingerbread build project at the Upper Campus on Thursday, December 18. The gingerbread build is a hands-on, cross-disciplinary project in which students apply math and other classroom learning to create imaginative holiday structures. Parents, guardians, friends, and family are invited to view our students' creations from 1:00-2:30 p.m.

ALUMNI LUNCHEON AND PANEL DECEMBER 19

Heads up, GHS alumni! Please join us on Friday, December 19, for a complimentary luncheon and our alumni panel, beginning at noon. This is your chance to reunite with former classmates and share your experiences as a GHS grad. If you can't join us in person, please Zoom in using this link: https://tinyurl.com/giffthillschool. We can't wait to see you there!

NHS CHARITY DRIVE CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 19

The GHS chapter of the National Honor Society is hosting a charity drive through December 19. Whichever class brings the most items to donate (see flyer for suggestions) by the deadline will win a pizza party.

THE ANXIOUS GENERATION: A GHS PARENT POWER HOUR

Please join us for this discussion on understanding online recreation and how GHS uses technology. At this session, we will explore Jonathan Haidt's "The Anxious Generation" and the impact of online recreation on kids' mental health, and share how GHS uses technology in healthy, developmentally aligned ways. Those who are unable to attend in person can join us via Zoom at tinyurl.com/giffthillschool.

FRESH ORGANIC MICROGREENS FOR SALE EVERY WEDNESDAY

The Class of 2027 will be selling fresh organic microgreens every Wednesday after school at the Upper Campus. Microgreens are $5 a bag. Proceeds raised will help fund the class's senior trip.

GHS Highlights

KUDOS TO OUR HONOR ROLL AWARD RECIPIENTS!

Congratulations to this group of students for rising to the challenge and earning a spot on honor roll and high honor roll during the first trimester! Congratulations also to those who received character awards, also pictured below, at Thursday's assembly.

Sports Central

FALL ATHLETIC AWARDS DECEMBER 19

We will recognize our fall athletes with an athletic awards ceremony on Friday, December 19, at 8:20 a.m. We look forward to celebrating our dedicated student athletes for their stamina, resilience, flexibility, and contributions to our school community. All parents of fall student athletes are welcome to attend. This event will be livestreamed on our Facebook page.

SEEKING TRACK AND FIELD PARTICIPANTS

We are seeking Upper Campus students to join our track and field team. Anyone who's interested should please contact francinefrancis@giffthillschool.org.

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

SJSA FUNDRAISER DECEMBER 12 AT SHAMBLES

Everyone is welcome to attend Artistry Under the Stars, a fundraiser for St. John School of the Arts on December 12 at 5:00 p.m. at Shambles. There will be student performances, art, music, raffle prizes, and more.

MOVIE NIGHT DECEMBER 13 AT VINP BALL FIELD

The Department of Sports, Parks & Recreation will host a movie night on December 13 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Virgin Islands National Park ball field. Home Alone will be shown first, followed by How the Grinch Stole Christmas 15 minutes after Home Alone's conclusion. Food and drinks will be available for sale.

LOVE CITY PAN DRAGONS HOLIDAY CONCERT DECEMBER 21

The Love City Pan Dragons invites the community to its annual Caribbean Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 21, at 5:00 p.m. at the St. John School of the Arts.

This year’s event is more important than ever. With recent reductions in federal support and a noticeable dip in philanthropic giving, the band is facing significant financial challenges. Without additional funding, the Pan Dragons will be unable to take their young musicians on their customary educational travel experiences, and the band is currently short of the resources needed to complete the 2025-2026 programming year.

The band is also working to fulfill its promise of a $1,000 scholarship for each of the band's six graduating seniors, a commitment that helps launch them into their next chapter with confidence.

If you believe in cultural preservation, music education, and opportunities for St. John youth, your support, whether through attending the concert or making a contribution, will make a real and immediate difference.

Donations can be made via Venmo (@Lovecitypandragons), PayPal (lovecitypandragons@gmail.com), or by mailing a check to Love City Pan Dragons, PO Box 1537, St. John, VI 00831.

Thank you for helping the Love City Pan Dragons keep the rhythm of St. John alive for the next generation.

CFVI ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF THE BLAKE AND KAREN RAPIER SPACE CAMP SCHOLARSHIP

The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands announced the availability of the Blake and Karen Rapier Space Camp Scholarship at the Foundation, with funding provided by local global investment firm, RapierMed.

The scholarship, which covers the cost to attend Space Camp in 2026, will be awarded to deserving U.S. Virgin Islands high school students passionate about space and STEM with a GPA of 3.2 or higher.

Located at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, the Space Camp experience immerses trainees in a setting rich with space, aviation, and defense exhibits that ignite creativity. Participants develop teamwork, leadership, and decision-making abilities through mission simulations, gaining personal and professional skills that shape their futures.

Advanced Space Academy explores college and career preparation through an immersive experience in science, engineering, technology and math.

Aviation Challenge Mach III missions challenge trainees with freedom of control, requiring them to think about maneuvers in all three rotational-axes of flight as they take on the most advanced flight simulations, engineering principles and leadership responsibilities. Field training is focused on discipline and attention to detail in survival situations. A night Field Training Exercise requires teams to work together to recover intelligence or rescue a downed pilot. Communication is paramount as everything is taken to the next level in Mach III.

GHS students Seamus O'Donnell, '26, and Anais Craig, '28, took part in this program in 2025. Seamus highly recommends the experience to any interested students.

"It was a fun experience," he says. "You can experience zero gravity and the moon's gravity, which is 1/6 of Earth's gravity. There are 1:1 models of real space shuttles with all the same buttons and controls, and you have to fly and land the shuttle. I highly recommend it."

The scholarship application process is open through February 20, 2026. Scholarship recipients will be announced in March/April. To apply, visit https://cfvi.co/SpaceCamp.

For more information about this scholarship opportunity, please contact Demi Trimm at demit@cfvi.net or visit https://cfvi.net/Scholarships.

FREE SWIM CLASSES EVERY SATURDAY AT CINNAMON

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park provides free swim lessons to children and adults of all ages every Saturday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Cinnamon Bay to the left of the ruins. Free transportation is available from Cruz Bay departing at 9:00 a.m. and leaving Cinnamon at 11:40 a.m.