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Student Spotlight
From now through the end of the year, we’ll be shining the spotlight on each member of our Class of 2024.
De’Neicia Baxter joined the GHS community in sixth grade, when we opened our doors to all St. John students for a tuition-free education following the devastating 2017 hurricanes. Neicy, as she’s known around the Upper Campus, says she noticed that our teachers care a great deal about the success of their students.
“The teachers are nice and they help you,” she says. “They make class fun.”
Senior class advisor Ms. V. says Neicy’s growth since she first came to GHS has been remarkable.
“To see her growth has just been amazing,” says Ms. V. “She’s so independent, and such a strong, self-driven individual.”
For her capstone project, a new addition to our curriculum this year that encourages students to apply their knowledge in a real-world context, Neicy will be working with Islandia Managing Broker Keleigh Rees. Although Neicy plans to study nursing at the University of the Virgin Islands, she hopes her capstone project will give her the knowledge to one day buy her own home.
“I’m going to manifest this,” she says. “I want to own my own house, so I may go into real estate as a backup plan.”
Neicy says her favorite memory while at GHS was her class’s eighth grade trip aboard the Roseway, because she enjoyed getting closer with her classmates and learning about sailing. She was a member of our middle school basketball team and our high school volleyball, beach volleyball, and cheerleading teams. Neicy is known among her classmates as the one who holds her peers accountable.
“She’s got a really amazing moral compass,” says Ms. V. “She just knows what’s right from wrong. No one needs to tell her.”
Neicy’s advice to next year’s senior class: “Just be yourself and do not procrastinate.”
Upcoming Events
JOIN THE GHS LIGHT UP THE NIGHT TEAM MARCH 30
GHS Facilities Manager John McBarron's wife, Julie, has generously agreed to lead a Gifft Hill School team for Light Up the Night following her own successful battle with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The team's entry fee has already been covered by our fourth grade class, which raised an incredible $4,600 for the St. John Cancer Fund. The team has a fundraising goal of $10,000. Here's how you can participate:
Click here to sign up for a time slot to walk the field.
Click here to sign up for a time slot to staff the GHS event table.
Click here to join the GHS team virtually and establish your own fundraising page to assist with the team's goal.
Click here to donate toward the GHS team's fundraising goal.
Those who will be participating in person at the event should wear green and white. If you're in need of some green and white GHS merch, we have plenty of tops and hats available for sale at the Upper Campus.
Since its inception in 2012, The St. John Cancer Fund has granted nearly $700,000 to St. John residents facing cancer. The fund exists thanks to generous businesses and individuals who have supported this mission and, in turn, members of our community fighting the battle with cancer. Light up the Night is SJCF's primary annual fundraiser. Residents and visitors of St. John gather in Cruz Bay to walk in honor of loved ones who are fighting a battle with cancer, warriors who were lost to cancer, and survivors who won the difficult battle.
Thank you for helping GHS support this important community fundraiser!
SPRING BREAK MARCH 25-APRIL 1
Gifft Hill School will be closed March 25 through April 1 for spring break. School resumes Tuesday, April 2. We hope everyone has a fun and enjoyable break!
GHS Highlights
LOWER CAMPUS STEAM WEEK
It's been a week filled with science, technology, engineering, art, and math at the Lower Campus as our ELC and elementary students took part in STEAM Week! Each class studied different STEAM concepts and applied their knowledge through various projects. From building a seaworthy vessel (kindergarten, pictured) to constructing the tallest possible tower using pretzel sticks and marshmallows (second grade, pictured), our students put their knowledge to the test.
UPPER CAMPUS STEAM WEEK
Our Upper Campus students were fully immersed in the topic of their choosing for our spring STEAM Week this week. Robotics (pictured), survival skills, singing, preserving the island's cultural resources, and going on a deep dive into sports and professional athletes are just some of the opportunities offered to our students this week.
V.I. HISTORY MONTH LOWER CAMPUS ACTIVITIES
We've had a wonderful two weeks of activities at the Lower Campus in honor of V.I. History Month! Thanks to our culture bearers and faculty from St. John School of the Arts, our students have learned Quadrille taught by Lisa Penn, Bamboula taught by Raven Phillips, art taught by Theodora Moorehead, and scratch band taught by Carly Powell. Ask your child about their experiences and which activity was their favorite!
LIME OUT FUNDRAISER SUCCESS
Huge thank you to Lime Out for donating all proceeds raised during the floating taco bar's fifth anniversary celebration this weekend! Lime Out raised nearly $20,000, all of which will go to financial aid for our students.
Photo by Sarah Swan
RE-ENROLLMENT OPEN; FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION DUE TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY
The TADS re-enrollment portal opened March 1. You can now re-enroll your child and apply for financial aid. We are thrilled to share that tuition will remain the same next year. Your tuition payments for this school year must be up to date in order to re-enroll. The financial aid application must be completed by April 5, and you will have until April 12 to pay your deposit and sign your tuition agreement. Our first priority is to families who already have their children at GHS, so you have a full month to re-enroll and complete the financial aid application. After the April 12 deadline, applicants who are re-enrolling will be given consideration alongside new applicants. Please note that several classes are full or have waitlists, so meeting the April 12 deadline is critical to ensuring your child’s continued education at GHS. All current GHS families should have received an email from TADS inviting you to re-enroll, or you can click here to log in to your account and begin the process today.
Sports Central
SOCCER PRACTICE SCHEDULES ANNOUNCED
Second and third grade will practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Upper Campus field. The GHS van will transport students to the Upper Campus for practice. Sign-ups are open. Practices begin and sign-ups end on April 2. This team is for practice only; there will be no games with other teams.
The elementary team (grades 4-5) practices on Mondays and Fridays from 3:30 to 4:30 at the Upper Campus field. The GHS van will transport students to the Upper Campus for practice. Sign-up forms have been distributed and sign-ups ended today. Please contact Ms. Francis immediately if you did not turn in or are missing your form. Any student without a form will be held in the office and their guardian will be contacted to pick them up or turn in their forms until received. Practices have begun and will be optional during spring break. Parents should monitor Class Dojo for updates.
The middle school and varsity teams practice on Mondays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. (middle school) and 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. (varsity) at the Upper Campus field. Sign-up forms have been distributed and sign-ups ended today. Please contact Ms. Francis immediately if you did not turn in or are missing your form. Any student without a form will be held in the office and their guardian will be contacted to pick them up or turn in their forms until received. Practices have begun and will be optional during minimester week and spring break. Parents should monitor Class Dojo for updates.
SOFTBALL GRADES 6-12
Athletic Director Ms. Francis is collecting names of anyone in grades 6 through 12 interested in playing softball. Please contact her at francinefrancis@giffthillschool.org or 340-776-1730 to let her know you're interested.
COMMUNITY PICKLEBALL
Donna Smith and Jeannie Herrema have offered to teach pickleball lessons to any St. John children in grades 4 through 12. Lessons will take place every Friday starting April 5 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Cruz Bay tennis courts. These lessons are offered for free. Players must wear sneakers and bring a water bottle.
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
TIPHANIE YANIQUE TO HOST WRITING LECTURE AT GHS GREAT ROOM
St. Thomas native and accomplished author Tiphanie Yanique will host a writing lecture at the Gifft Hill School Great Room on Saturday, March 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. There is a $10 registration fee and refreshments will be served. Click here to register for this workshop.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURE WEEK CELEBRATION IN CRUZ BAY MARCH 24
The V.I. Department of Agriculture will observe National Agriculture Week with a celebration at the Frank Powell Park in Cruz Bay on Sunday, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend the event, which will include a farmer's market as well as a composting demonstration, support for local farmers, and live music.
UVI OPEN HOUSE MARCH 26
The University of the Virgin Islands will host a spring open house for high school juniors and seniors March 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the university's Elridge W. Blake Sports and Fitness Center.
Prospective students will have the opportunity to tour the campus, learn about UVI's academic programs, connect with the academic deans, and learn about new opportunities.
Please click here to register. For more information, contact Tiyana Walters at tiyana.walters@uvi.edu or 340-693-1097.
V.I. SLICE MODERATE INCOME HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM MEETING MARCH 27
The V.I. Slice Moderate Income Homeownership Program will host a town hall meeting on Wednesday, March 27, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Da Event Lounge in Cruz Bay. The V.I. Slice program provides secondary gap financing for middle-income families in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Town hall meeting attendees will learn about the program, find out how gap financing works, and have the opportunity to speak with V.I. Economic Development Authority representatives and V.I. Slice lenders. Those who wish to attend must register by March 25 at noon by clicking here or by calling 340-714-1700.
AEROSPACE CAREER EDUCATION ACADEMY TO RETURN TO THE V.I. THIS SUMMER
We are very excited to announce that GHS alum Makeda Dawson will once again bring the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals’ Aerospace Career Education Academy to the Virgin Islands this summer. The ACE Academy will take place Sunday, June 23 to Friday, June 28 on St. Thomas and the cost is $150. The program is open to students ages 13 to 18. If there is enough interest from St. John students, Makeda will help coordinate transportation.
While pursuing her career as a commercial pilot at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Makeda says she realized that GHS faculty helped set her up for success by encouraging her to take high-level courses in subjects like physics and math during high school.
“I always wanted to give back to students and help someone else become a pilot,” says Makeda. “It’s difficult for students on St. John to envision themselves in an aviation role because there is no airport. Now, I feel like kids can look at me and say, ‘Okay, if she can do it, I can do it too.’”
Ninth grader Bannon Beaty, who participated in the ACE Academy last summer, says he really enjoyed the experience.
“We learned a lot about how planes fly and what lift and drag are,” says Bannon. “I was surprised when we got into a plane and started flying and they said, ‘Here, take the controls.’ I would recommend ACE Academy to others because it’s a really cool experience. I can now say that I’ve flown a plane and not a lot of people get to do that.”
Click here to learn more about the program or to apply. Registration ends June 11 but may end sooner if the program is full.