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Barracuda Bulletin: Week of January 23, 2026
- andreamilam
- 4 days ago
- 8 min read
Student Spotlight
Eighth grader Armani Pickering has been part of the GHS community since preschool. He says he likes that our small class sizes allow students to connect with their teachers.
“He’s made amazing progress this year, earning a spot on the honor roll for the first trimester,” says eighth grade advisor Mr. Bill. “He’s really learned to self advocate and has maintained a positive attitude.”
Armani says math is his favorite subject because it’s something he looks forward to using in the real world. He’s found a love for theater at GHS through our STEAM Week programs.
“I gave theater a try and I wasn’t sure I would like it, but I started to get into it and now I pick theater every STEAM Week,” says Armani.
Mr. Bill shares that Armani is a good friend his peers can trust.
“He provides a sense of comic relief while being serious when he needs to be,” says Mr. Bill. “Armani is a good listener. He asks good questions and is an entertaining, engaging presenter.”
Upper Campus counselor Mr. Martin echoes Mr. Bill’s sentiments.
“Armani is a very caring individual,” says Mr. Martin. “He’s a very curious young person who’s grown exponentially during his time at the Upper Campus. During his middle school journey, he’s shown great examples of resilience and determination, both socially and academically. He is quietly confident and a good addition to the eighth grade class.”
Armani is a member of our middle school flag football team. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, and playing NBA2k26, a basketball video game in which he’s ranked sixth in the Virgin Islands.
Upcoming Events
PAMPERED CHEF PARTY BENEFITING GHS THIS EVENING
We're excited to announce a Pampered Chef party benefiting Gifft Hill School on Friday, January 23, at 5:00 p.m. at La Vita in Peter Bay. All are welcome to attend. Those who cannot attend in person can email orders to coolheet@aol.com. See flyer below for additional details.
SAT PREP COURSE TO BEGIN MONDAY
GHS will offer an SAT course to help students prepare for the SAT test. The class will be on Mondays and Thursdays from January 26 through March 12 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Upper Campus. There is no school February 16 or March 9, so those classes will instead take place February 18 and March 11. The course will cost $100 which includes the latest version of the Kaplan SAT Prep study guide with practice tests. Please sign up early, as the course is open to all St. John high school students and space will be limited. Please click here to sign up.
SCHOOL CLOSED JANUARY 30
School will be closed to students on Friday, January 30, for a teacher workday. We hope our students enjoy a safe and relaxing long weekend!
TRI-SCHOOL PARENT SESSION FEBRUARY 5
Gifft Hill School is proud to partner with VIMSIA and Antilles in the first-ever tri-school parent education session, scheduled for February 5 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend and hear from learning specialist Rachel Davies and reading and dyslexia specialist Jeanette Moore. Here is the Zoom link for those who would like to join: https://vimsia-org.zoom.us/j/86266993484?jst=2
RUN 8 TUFF MILES WITH GHS ON FEBRUARY 28
Our PE teacher and running club lead, Coach Emma, invites all GHS students to sign up for the 8 Tuff Miles road race on Saturday, February 28. Teachers are available to run with your child if needed. Parents whose children are signed up for the race, please let Coach Emma and Ms. Francis know at emmajohnson@giffthillschool.org and francinefrancis@giffthillschool.org.
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:
Bring a bottle of wine to either campus's front office to help us build our Wall of Wine
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.
GHS Highlights
DR. KING'S LEGACY LIVES ON
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy lived on at GHS this week, where Mr. Charlie's high school students discussed his role in the American Civil Rights Movement and heard snippets from some of his most notable speeches. Ongoing dialogue like this helps students build understanding, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for the power of the voices in our society today that continue to inspire change.
THANK YOU, VIRGIN ISLANDS BOARD OF EDUCATION!
We'd like to thank Ms. Sylvanie Rhymer with the Virgin Islands Board of Education for visiting with our seniors this week to inform them about college scholarships offered by the BOE. Ms. Rhymer's visit represents one of the many ways we work to prepare our students for life beyond high school.
Sports Central
KUDOS, VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM!
Congratulations to our varsity basketball team, which bested Antilles in the MLK Varsity Basketball Tournament! Go, 'Cudas!
BASKETBALL GAMES THIS WEEK
Our elementary and varsity basketball teams have regular season games in the coming week. Home games are denoted with an asterisk. Everyone is welcome to come out and cheer on our student athletes. Go, Barracudas!
Elementary Basketball
*Friday, January 23, 4:00 p.m. - GHS vs. JESS at Pine Peace
*Monday, January 26, 5:00 p.m. - GHS vs. Gomez at Pine Peace
Tuesday, January 27, 4:00 p.m. - GHS vs. Bowksy at Alvin McBean
Varsity Basketball
Friday, January 23, 4:00 p.m. - GHS vs. IEKHS at IEKHS
Monday, January 26, 4:00 p.m. - GHS vs. IEKHS JV at IEKHS
*Tuesday, January 27, 5:00 p.m. - GHS vs. CAHS JV at Pine Peace
WINTER/THIRD TRIMESTER SPORTS NOW ENROLLING
We are seeking student athletes for our winter season and third trimester coed teams. The season will run from February 23-May 8. Registration and dues of $100 per trimester must be turned in no later than February 6. Please contact francinefrancis@giffthillschool.org for the necessary forms or with any questions or concerns.
Soccer
Our coed elementary (grades 3-5), middle, and varsity soccer teams will practice on Mondays and Fridays from 3:30-5:00 p.m. (elementary) and 5:00-6:45 p.m. (middle and varsity) at Trayser Field beginning January 26. Water bottle and sneakers are needed.
Elementary Volleyball
Our coed elementary volleyball team for students in grades 3-5 will practice on Mondays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at Trayser Field. A water bottle, sneakers, and knee pads are needed.
Running Club
Running club is open to all students in grades 1-12. Third trimester practices begin March 13 and practices are on Fridays from 3:15-4:30 p.m. at Trayser Field and various locations. A water bottle and sneakers are needed.
Junior Varsity Sailing
Our junior varsity sailing team is open to all students in grades 6-12. Third trimester practices begin March 10 and take place on Tuesdays from 3:00-6:30 p.m. at KATS, with an optional practice on Mondays from 3:00-6:30 p.m. at Upper Campus classroom 9B. A water bottle and sneakers are needed.
Varsity Sailing
Varsity sailing is open to all students in grades 9-12. Third trimester practices begin March 10 and take place Mondays from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Upper Campus classroom 9B and Thursdays from 3:30-6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at KATS. A water bottle and sneakers are needed.
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
FRIENDS OF VINP ANNUAL MEETING TOMORROW
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park announces its annual meeting tomorrow, Saturday, January 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Cinnamon Bay's Raintree Cafe. Deb Yalanda, who worked in Cuyahoga Valley National Park for 32 years and until July 2025 was the president and CEO of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, will deliver the keynote address, in which she will look to the future and envision the National Park system in 2036. Shuttles and light refreshments will be provided. Those who plan to attend must click here to register.
BLAKE AND KAREN RAPIER SPACE CAMP SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE FEBRUARY 20
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.
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