.png)
Barracuda Bulletin: Week of February 27, 2026
- andreamilam
- Mar 2
- 8 min read
Student Spotlight
Sixth grader Tianna Jn. Baptiste joined the GHS community in second grade. She said she noticed that GHS is home to a diverse group of students and that the school offers a lot of opportunities.
“The teachers always try to answer your questions,” says Tianna. “My peers and I treat each other pretty positively. I like how funny my classmates are.”
Sixth grade co-advisor Ms. Heather says Tianna is an incredibly diligent worker who pays attention to the details.
“She’s done really well in the transition from Lower Campus to Upper Campus this year,” says Ms. Heather. “She fills out her planner every single day and knows exactly what assignments she has for each of her classes by the time she comes to advisory at the end of the day.”
“She always greets her peers and the staff with so much positivity,” adds sixth grade co-advisor Mr. Charlie. “She’s incredibly patient, very kind, and she’s a really strong listener both instructionally and conversationally.”
Tianna says she’s enjoying the extra freedom she has at the Upper Campus. English is her favorite subject.
“Tianna is a quiet leader,” says Mr. Charlie. “She models exactly what success should look like for a sixth grader while still having fun.”
Tianna is a member of our middle school volleyball and flag football teams, and she’s a member of our cheerleading club. Outside of school, she plays the tenor pan with the Love City Pan Dragons and takes piano lessons at the St. John School of the Arts. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting and training her dogs.
Upcoming Events
RUN 8 TUFF WITH GHS!
If your child is signed up to run 8 Tuff with GHS, please read the following message from Coach Emma:
Ms. Sammy, Sarah, and I are all running and very excited for race day! Please note that families must arrange transportation home for their child following the race, and we hope to see parents at the finish line! We are unable to supervise students after the race concludes (unless you’d like to pay babysitting fees—which, after running 8 miles, will be very high).While we will be running alongside students, everyone runs at a different pace, and we may not have eyes on every runner for the entirety of the race. If this feels stressful or does not work for your family, please reach out so we can find a solution together. We will also be encouraging students to run in groups that closely fit their pace.For safety, we plan to place an additional bib on each runner with a parent/guardian phone number in case of emergency. Additionally, we will share this with runners at running club, but please also reiterate, that should a runner need to stop, the best thing they can do is make it to a water stop where adults can help them.
We will plan to meet on Saturday at 6:30am by the swings to get our whole group together! Keep an eye out for me or Ms. Sammy! That should give you enough time to drop your runner and head out to Coral Bay (if you aren't running with them). Finally, if your child has not been running consistently over the past few weeks, we strongly encourage having a parent run with them. We have several eager runners who are excited to race, and we want to best support those who have put in extra time to prepare.Thank you for your support—we’re looking forward to a great weekend!
ENROLLMENT OPENS MARCH 1
Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year opens on March 1. We value your family and we are grateful for the trust you place in us to educate your children. If your child is already enrolled at Gifft Hill School, you will receive an email on March 1 with the link to complete your re-enrollment. If you are applying for financial aid, please complete that at the same time. We give current students one month to re-enroll before we begin filling open seats in each grade level, so be sure you complete re-enrollment and submit your financial aid application by April 5! To hold your spot, your tuition deposit must be paid and your agreement signed by April 12. Families that miss this deadline will be given consideration for remaining seats in the class alongside new applicants. Please keep in mind that current GHS families must be in good standing in order to re-enroll. Please contact businessoffice@giffthillschool.org with any questions.
GHS AUCTION MARCH 7
Our 40th annual Green & White Gala and Auction is set for Saturday, March 7, from 5:30-10:00 p.m. at our own Trayser Field. This is our school's largest and most impactful fundraiser of the year. The evening will feature live music with Quelbe Resurrection, silent and live auctions, local food and drinks, and all the beloved traditions plus a few exciting surprises. Here's how you can help support this event:
Donate products, services, gift baskets, hotel or villa stays, airline tickets, etc. to help us build packages for the silent and live auctions. Click here to complete the donation form.
Sign up to volunteer at the event. Please contact Andrea Milam at 340-776-1730 or andreamilam@giffthillschool.org if you're interested in pitching in.
Bid on prizes and packages in our silent auction from the comfort of your own home. We'll be adding items in the coming weeks to our Handbid site.
Attend the event! Tickets are $200 in advance or $250 at the door. Click here to purchase your tickets.
Whatever form your support takes, we are so grateful to all those who make our auction a success every year! Every dollar raised helps support the rigorous, experiential education we offer to about 40% of the island's school-aged children, 65% of whom are able to attend GHS thanks to financial aid.
HELP US BUILD OUR WALL OF WINE!
Our annual Green & White Gala and Auction is coming up on Saturday, March 7. One of the fun features of this event is the Wall of Wine, an incredible prize that's won through a lively game of heads or tails. Each year, we reach out to our community to ask for donations of bottles of wine for this prize. If you're able, please drop your donated bottles to either campus front office. Thanks so much for your support!
FARM TO TABLE DINNER MARCH 19
Our culinary program will host its final Farm to Table dinner of the 2025-2026 school year on Thursday, March 19, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. This final dinner will present Rastafarian-inspired cuisine and the event is open to all community members. Seats are limited and ticket sales will close March 10. Not only is the food served at our Farm to Table dinners consistently delicious, but our culinary and front of house students always knock it out of the park when it comes to delivering an elegant evening that will leave you impressed by their skills and pleasantly sated. Come see for yourself why our guests call this event "the best restaurant on St. John!" Click here to purchase your tickets today.
GHS Highlights
BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPIRIT WEEK
Our Identity, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability Club helped us celebrate Black History Month at the Upper Campus this week through thoughtful discussions on Black history and activities including double dutch, karaoke, a luncheon featuring dishes rooted in Black culinary traditions, a fashion show fashion show highlighting iconic looks that have shaped Black fashion across the decades, and Black history trivia. Thank you IDEA Club for helping our community honor and learn from this month in engaging and meaningful ways!
UPPER CAMPUS VARIETY SHOW
Kudos to our communication arts club for hosting a fun and lively variety show Wednesday night! From musical performances and improv skits to magic tricks and a showcase by our cheer team, our students wowed the audience with their talents. Thanks to our community who came out to support the show!
2026-2027 SCHOOL CALENDAR NOW AVAILABLE
The 2026-2027 school calendar is now available. Please click here to view it.
Sports Central
VARSITY BASKETBALL SEASON HAS CONCLUDED
Congratulations to our varsity boys basketball team for playing their absolute best this season! Extra kudos to our seniors on their final season at GHS: Taire Barnes, Isaias Obando, Angel Perez, and Kadeem Thomas.
SIGN-UPS OPEN FOR THIRD TRIMESTER SAILING
Sign-ups are now open for third trimester sailing. Students who are interested should see Coach Sam or Ms. Francis to sign up.
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
FREE KITE-MAKING ACTIVITY MARCH 1
The Unitarian Universalist Church will host a free kite-making workshop on Sunday, March 1, at 10:00 a.m. at the Gifft Hill School Lower Campus. Participants can paint and personalize their kite with the help of an instructor. A potluck will follow the kite-making activity, then kites will be flown at the Upper Campus at 1:00 p.m. For more information, call Viki at 407-579-2592.
COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY MARCH 6
High schoolers in need of community service hours are invited to help move plants in preparation for the Audubon Society plant sale from the Gifft Hill area to The Marketplace on Friday, March 6, from about 3:30-6:30 p.m. Pick-up and drop-off from GHS or Cruz Bay may be available for those who sign up. Volunteers are rewarded for their work with cookies, pizza, and of course, community service hours. Those who are interested should call Dave at 716-472-6888.
UVI-NASA PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING PRE-COLLEGE SUMMER INSTITUTE APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 16
The University of the Virgin Islands is pleased to announce the UVI–NASA Physics and Engineering Pre-College Summer Institute, a one-week residential summer camp designed for high-achieving USVI students with an interest in physics and engineering.
The program will run from June 28 – July 4, 2026, on the UVI St. Croix campus. This immersive experience will provide students with hands-on exposure to the engineering design process, an understanding of engineering careers, and insight into how physics supports engineering disciplines. Participants will engage directly with UVI professors, current UVI students, and practicing USVI engineers.
Program highlights include:
On-campus housing and meals provided
Travel provided for students from St. Thomas and St. John
Limited enrollment of 15–20 students
Eligibility for students rising to grades 9–12
Application Deadline: March 16, 2026
To apply, students must:
Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
Submit a 250-word essay explaining their interest in participating
Complete the mandatory application via the QR code on the flyer
Provide a letter of recommendation from an academic reference
The essay and letter of recommendation must be emailed to michael.francois@uvi.edu with the subject line: NASA Camp. Please note that incomplete applications will not be accepted.
V.I. DEPT. OF LABOR SUMMER YOUTH WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Virgin Islands Department of Labor is pleased to announce that the application period for the 2026 Summer Youth Work Experience Program is now open!To be eligible, applicants must complete this form, be between the ages of 16-25, and upload all supporting documentation (listed below). In an effort to match applicants with their desired occupation and/or field of study, VIDOL staff request that customers complete the Career Interest section of the application carefully. To ensure that VIDOL staff will be able to contact you, please confirm the accuracy of your phone number and e-mail address before submitting your application. THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS APRIL 17, 2026.
Applicants must submit the following supporting documents:
Proof of Citizenship or Legal Residency Status (Passport, Birth Certificate OR Permanent Resident Card)
Proof of enrollment in High School/College, Basic Education or Adult Continuing Education (Report Card, Diploma or Degree)
Valid Picture ID (School or Driver’s License)
Resume (if available)
Important Note: All required documents must be submitted by April 17, 2026. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For questions or additional information, please contact Youth Services.
AEROSPACE CAREER EDUCATION ACADEMY NOW ENROLLING
The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals' Aerospace Career Education Academy, set for June 22-26, is now enrolling. The program is open to students ages 12-18 who are interested in aircraft systems and components and aircraft repair. The cost is $175 per student. See more information and learn how to register below.
Comments