.png)
Barracuda Bulletin: Week of March 13, 2026
- andreamilam
- Mar 16
- 8 min read
Student Spotlight
Eleventh grader Teddy Herrema joined the GHS community in seventh grade. He says he appreciates the personal relationships students are able to have with their teachers.
“It’s interesting how you become friends with people who aren’t in your grade because of the small class sizes,” says Teddy. “I appreciate that.”
Eleventh grade class advisor Mr. D. says Teddy is an “unquestioned leader in the junior class.”
“He is relied upon by his classmates,” says Mr. D. “He approaches this with a touch of humor which they appreciate. He manages to see that business gets handled and fun is had.”
Teddy’s leadership skills extend to the class’s senior trip fundraising efforts, Mr. D. continues.
“Every time we meet and decide what everyone’s roles are, Teddy is on top of reminding everyone what needs to get done and helping us figure out how we’re going to do it,” says Mr. D.
Teddy says his favorite subject this year is history because he likes the teacher, Mr. Charlie, as well as the class environment.
“It’s been good for developing critical thinking skills,” he says of the class.
Teddy enjoys our Farm to Table and art electives. He’s a member of the National Honor Society, student council, and the Identity, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability Club. He also volunteers his time to look after staff children during after-school staff meetings. In his free time, Teddy enjoys swimming, relaxing, spending time with friends, and going to the beach.
Upcoming Events
REPORT CARDS GOING HOME TODAY
Students will be coming home with their second trimester report cards today. For families with more than one child on the same campus, report cards will be combined in one envelope and sent home with the oldest child. If siblings attend different campuses, their report cards will be sent home separately. Students whose tuition accounts are in arrears will not receive their report card today. Please contact businessoffice@giffthillschool.org to bring your account current.
RE-ENROLLMENT AND FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION DUE APRIL 5; DEPOSIT AND SIGNED AGREEMENT DUE APRIL 12
Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year opened 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 should have received 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.
STEAM WEEK/EIGHTH GRADE DENIS SULLIVAN NEXT WEEK
Our second of two STEAM Weeks for the 2025-2026 school year is coming up next week. At the Lower Campus, students dive into developmentally-appropriate projects that focus on the subjects of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. At the Upper Campus, students dedicate a week to immersive, hands-on learning in a topic of their choosing. STEAM Week offerings are led by a combination of GHS faculty and guest teachers from around the nation.
Additionally, our eighth graders and some additional high schoolers who haven't previously had the opportunity will depart on one of our signature experiences: a week aboard the Denis Sullivan, during which students will become ocean scientists and tall ship sailors, and develop invaluable life and social emotional skills.
LOWER CAMPUS MARCH BIRTHDAY ASSEMBLY MARCH 18
We'll celebrate March birthdays at our monthly Lower Campus birthday assembly Wednesday morning, March 18, 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 pre-K students, who will present at the assembly, are welcome to attend, as are parents of students with March birthdays.
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
AUCTION VIDEO 2026
Each year, the very talented Bill Stelzer captures life at GHS in a heartwarming video that we share at our auction, giving attendees a window into the incredible education we deliver to about 42% of the island's school-aged children. Give it a watch and see the many ways our students grow and learn to approach complex problems resourcefully, to understand and advocate for the environment, and to honor the culture and history of Caribbean peoples.
GALA & AUCTION SUCCESS!
To the GHS and St. John community: we are blown away by the way you supported Gifft Hill School at our 40th Annual Green & White Gala and Auction this past weekend! Whether you donated a bottle of wine to our Wall of Wine, stood up in support of financial aid, volunteered your time, or bid on our fabulous silent and live auction items, you showed up for education on St. John, and we are so grateful. Extra special thanks to our event sponsors: Caribbean Solar Company, Caribbean Villas of St. John, Holiday Homes of St. John, Kinsella Marine, and Trayser Construction. From all of us, including the 65% of our students who are able to access a GHS education thanks to our robust financial aid program — thank you, sincerely.
KUDOS TO OUR VIRGIN ISLANDS HISTORY/WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH CHALLENGE WINNERS!
Congratulations to Keng Fong, '32, and Catalina Kinsella, '32, for winning Ms. Francis's Virgin Islands History/Women's History Month challenge! Students were tasked with writing about an impactful Virgin Islander in V.I. history or woman in world history. Catalina wrote about Lorraine Berry, a 12-term senator and two-term senate president who drafted nearly 400 pieces of legislation including funding for the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute and the V.I. Cardiac Center. Keng wrote about Ingeborg Hyacinth Nesbitt, a director of nursing whose contributions were honored with the naming of a St. Croix health clinic in her honor. Special shout-out to runner up Nhtalya Jacobs, '28, who created a flyer about Bertha C. Boschulte, a teacher and principal who dedicated her life to helping students succeed.
Sports Central
KUDOS TO HUGO SAGE!
Congratulations to Hugo Sage, '35, for scoring a goal in the elementary soccer game against All Saints on Thursday. Go, 'Cudas!
SOCCER GAMES THIS WEEK
Our elementary soccer team has regular season games in the coming week. Everyone is welcome to come out and cheer on our student athletes. Go, Barracudas!
Elementary Soccer
Monday, March 16, 4:45 p.m. - GHS vs. Seventh Day Adventist at Castaways
Varsity Soccer
Friday, March 13, 4:45 p.m. - GHS vs. VIMSPGIA at IEKHS
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
GREAT MANGROVE CLEANUP MARCH 14
UVI, in partnership with DPNR and CBCC, will host another annual Great Mangrove Cleanup event on St. John Saturday, March 14 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in Coral Bay. Since 2018, these community cleanup events have removed more than 26 tons of marine debris from mangrove forests across the territory. Last year, 70 volunteers helped to remove 6,048 lbs of garbage from this site. Please consider joining this cleanup to help preserve our mangrove forests. This is also a wonderful opportunity to earn community service hours for your participation in this effort. Please register using this link.
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.
KATS FUNDRAISER MARCH 21
Lime Out will host a "seven years on the sea" celebration on March 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with all proceeds going to the Kids and the Sea sailing program. The event will feature live music with Moss Henry.
VINP FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL MARCH 27 AND 28
The Virgin Islands National Park will host the Folklife Festival Friday, March 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 28, from 2:00-6:00 p.m. at Annaberg. This two-day event will showcase the cultural traditions of the Virgin Islands with a focus on Quelbe music. A shuttle service from the VINP visitors center in Cruz Bay will be available on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m. Please see flyer below for more details.
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