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Barracuda Bulletin: Week of May 16
- andreamilam
- May 19
- 9 min read
Student Spotlight
Fourth grader Hudson Sage has been part of the GHS community since first grade. He says he loves the challenge of monthly reading and math goals, and that his class gets to go to the beach for field trips.
“He is always thinking,” fourth grade teacher Ms. Laura says of Hudson. “He loves engineering and science and has really developed a love of math.”
Hudson’s confidence and skills in math have grown tremendously this year, Ms. Laura adds.
“Growth is about embracing the challenge, and it’s been awesome to watch,” she says. “It makes me excited to see what he can do as he builds upon his ability to assimilate new information with the information he already has and is excited to share.”
Hudson says Ms. Laura taught him some tips and tricks when learning about fractions that really helped him grasp the concept. He loves sharing his hobbies and interests which center around engineering, Legos, and inventing new things.
“He has a real comedic side, from silly slapstick to always looking for a witty angle in his interactions,” says Ms. Laura. “He’s got a new surprise in store for the talent show this year but I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”
Hudson is our 2025 recipient of the Dr. Hans Tiller Scholarship, established to encourage students to pursue a passion for the sciences.
Hudson says he likes that his classmates are “fun and nice.” His favorite specials are art and PE. Outside of GHS, Hudson takes part in sailing lessons with Kids and the Sea. In his free time, Hudson says he enjoys coming up with jokes, building, drawing, and calling friends.
Upcoming Events
GHS ALL-WHITE BASH MAY 17
All St. John high school students are invited to an all-white bash on Saturday, May 17, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the St. John School of the Arts. The evening will feature live music by X-Static the Band and Hunter. Tickets for GHS students are $25 and can be purchased from your student council representative. Tickets for non-GHS students who fill out this form prior to the event are $35. Tickets at the door are $40 for all attendees.
RISING SIXTH GRADE PARENT MEETING MAY 20
All fifth grade parents are invited to tour the Upper Campus, meet with Upper Campus Principal Heather McGuire, and learn more about your child's transition to middle school next year at our rising sixth grade parent meeting on Tuesday, May 20, at 5:00 p.m.
MAY/JUNE/JULY BIRTHDAY ASSEMBLY & LC RUNNING CLUB AWARDS MAY 21
We'll celebrate May, June, and July birthdays at our monthly Lower Campus birthday assembly Wednesday morning, May 21, at 8:45 a.m. in the Lower Campus Great Room. During this ceremony, we will also recognize our Lower Campus running club members with athletic awards. 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 fifth grade students, who will present at the assembly, are welcome to attend, as are parents of students with May, June, or July birthdays and parents of Lower Campus running club members.
LOWER CAMPUS AWESOME AUTHORS MAY 23
Students in our toddler class through fourth grade are excited to share their bare books with parents at our Awesome Authors event on May 23 at 9:00 a.m. Bare books are blank books students fill with original stories and illustrations, making for a wonderful keepsake. Each grade works with a different theme, allowing students to explore their creativity while developing writing and artistic skills. Parents, when the Lower Campus parking lot is full please utilize the Upper Campus gravel lot. Please do not park across the street by the yellow house and along that stretch of road, as it is private property.
GRACE & GRATITUDE BRUNCH MAY 24
Join us for our Grace & Gratitude Brunch, an event hosted by our Farm to Table Culinary and Back of House students as a "thank you" to their parents who've supported them throughout the school year.
In addition to parents, this event is open to anyone who would like to attend! The brunch will feature a wide array of breakfast foods at various stations and buffets with elements of Caribbean cuisine.
Our Farm to Table events are run by our students. Enjoy dishes from our culinary class which showcases fresh, seasonal produce grown in our gardens and ethically, sustainably sourced local proteins on the menu. Experience exceptional service from our select group of students while mingling with residents and visitors. Click here to buy tickets by May 21.
Questions? Call Andrea at 340-776-1730 or email andreamilam@giffthillschool.org.
LOWER CAMPUS END-OF-YEAR COUNTDOWN
Students at the Lower Campus will celebrate the approaching end of the school year with an end-of-year countdown starting Monday, June 2. Details are in the graphic below. All clothing must be school-appropriate.
CRUZ BAY BUS TO RUN FOR UC STUDENTS AT EARLY DISMISSAL DURING FINALS WEEK
Upper Campus students will take their finals on June 10, 11, and 12, and on these days, dismissal is at 1:00 p.m. Varlack Ventures has agreed to run a Cruz Bay bus for the 1:00 p.m. dismissal June 10-12. Both buses will run as usual at the Lower Campus through the end of the school year. Thank you, Varlack!
LOWER CAMPUS TALENT SHOW JUNE 11
Our Lower Campus talent show is set for June 11 at 9:00 a.m. Here's what students and parents need to know to help us prepare:
- Sign-ups can be done through your child's teacher. Students should start working on their act as soon as they're signed up.- The deadline to sign up and submit music if needed is May 23. Music submissions must be made to Ms. Rachael with an Apple Music or YouTube link.- Auditions will take place on May 28 to give Ms. Rachael a chance to screen the acts.- Dress rehearsal will be on June 10.
GHS Highlights
WINTER & SPRING SPORTS AWARDS
We recognized our winter and spring athletes at our sports awards ceremony Thursday morning. Kudos to our athletes who work hard to balance academics with athletics, and a special thank you to our cheerleaders for bringing school spirit to the assembly!
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Our teachers felt the love during Teacher Appreciation Week last week! From a breakfast spread and cookies from our admin team to beautiful bouquets and a taco lunch sponsored by our Barracuda Boosters Parent Association and Lime Out, there was a special treat each day for our hardworking faculty. Thank you to everyone who made our teachers feel appreciated.
COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS
All high school students must earn 25 hours of community service per year. Those who are unsure about how many hours they have should contact Ms. V. There are two opportunities coming up for students who need to earn more hours for the year:
GHS Farm to Table Brunch Event, Saturday, May 24: Contact Ms. V. or Chef Parris if you would like to participate in this event in either Front or Back of House.
Beach to Beach Power Swim, Sunday, May 25: Contact Friends of VINP's Membership and Events Coordinator Jennifer Stone at jstone@friendsvinp.org to sign up.
Sports Central
KUDOS TO OUR SAILORS!
GHS Sailing Coach Sam Normington took five youth sailors from St. John to the BVI Dinghy Championships on Tortola this past weekend, and our young sailors took second (Anais Craig, '28), third (Bannon Beaty, '27), fourth (Audie Weaver), fifth (Zach Wilson), and sixth place (Elena Magnie)! Kudos to our sailors and thanks to Coach Sam for working hard to launch our sailing program and get our sailors in shape for competition.
KUDOS TO OUR ELEMENTARY SOCCER PLAYERS!
Our elementary soccer team is currently second in the league! They'll compete in the playoffs later this month. Match dates and times will be announced soon.
KUDOS TO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER PLAYERS!
Congratulations to our undefeated middle school soccer team for their tie against Antilles this week! GHS's goal was scored by Colt Smith, '30, with an assist by Knox Stone, '30.
KUDOS TO OUR VARSITY SOCCER PLAYERS!
Although our varsity team was bested by VIMSIA this week, kudos go out to Tommy Nicholas, '26, for scoring a goal for GHS.
SOCCER GAMES NEXT WEEK!
The soccer game schedule for the coming week is below. Everyone is welcome to come out and cheer on our players. Good luck and go, Barracudas!
Elementary
May 22-23 - playoffs, days/times/locations TBA
Middle School
Wednesday, May 21, 4:00 p.m. - GHS vs. All Saints/VIMSIA at Castaways
May 22-23 - playoffs, days/times/locations TBA
Varsity
Monday, May 19, 4:45 p.m. - GHS vs. CAHS at IEKHS at 4:45 p.m.
RUNNING CLUB STILL OPEN TO NEW MEMBERS
Running club is still open to students in grades kindergarten through 12. Practices take place on Tuesdays from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. at the Lind Point Trail. GHS will transport students to the trail. Pickup is at the VINP visitors center pavilion. Those who haven't signed up should see Ms. Francis to do so.
RUNNING CLUB TRAILBLAZERS RACE MAY 17
Running club will host a trailblazers race on Saturday, May 17 at 7:00 a.m. Registration is at 6:45 a.m. with a post-race party from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. The route will follow the Lind Point loop starting and finishing at the VINP visitors center, with runners going around the hill rather than up the stairs. Runners will sign waivers and St. John Rescue will be on call.
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
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR POWER SWIM MAY 25
Volunteers are needed for the Friends of VINP Joe Kessler's Beach to Beach Power Swim on Sunday, May 25. Volunteers can help on land with beach setup, registration, timing, and lunch/prizegiving, or on the water in boats, kayaks and SUPs. Anyone interested in helping should contact Jennifer Stone at jstone@friendsvinp.org. High school students who volunteer will earn community service hours.
PARENTING, HEALTH, AND LITERACY WORKSHOP MAY 25
First-time parents of infants and toddlers are invited to attend a parenting, health, and literacy workshop on Saturday, May 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Beyond Vision Foundation Inc. in Nisky Center. Admission to this event is free but space is limited and attendees should RSVP to Ms. Thomas at 340-201-9701 or to Ms. Callwood at 340-344-8754.
CASTAWAYS SOCCER SUMMER CAMP
Castaways will host three weeks of soccer summer camps, one for ages 7 to 11 and two for ages 8 to 17. Please see flyer below for more details.
SUMMIT STEM FELLOWSHIP NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Summit STEM Fellowship is a virtual summer fellowship empowering the next generation of leaders in STEM. Open to rising 9th-12th grade students, the fellowship aims to identify top students around the world and connect them with mentors from Stanford, MIT, Harvard, and other top institutions, to explore different opportunities and career pathways in STEM. The fellowship is a flexible 10-15 hours/week commitment, allowing students to participate alongside other summer activities. Two sessions are offered: June 23-July 11 and July 14-August 1. The fee is $875 and financial aid is available. Admissions are rolling, and students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. For more information and the program application, please visit www.summitstemfellowship.org. For questions, please email info@summitstemfellowship.org.
UVI ENTREPRENEUR BUSINESS INSTITUTE TAKING APPLICATIONS UNTIL MAY 30
The University of the Virgin Islands' Entrepreneur Business Institute is a free summer program for rising tenth graders through 12th graders that will take place July 6-19. Students will live on campus for two weeks and will be provided with the opportunity to enjoy a pre-college experience and learn about the challenges and advantages of entrepreneurship. Students will engage in team exercises to improve their team-building and project management skills, and will experience mentorship from successful business leaders. Participants will receive a $250 stipend upon successful completion of the program. Scan the flyer's QR code for more information or to apply.
WORLD OCEAN SCHOOL OFFERING SUMMER PROGRAMS
World Ocean School, which runs the Denis Sullivan program that all GHS eighth graders are fortunate to take part in, offers summer programs for students ages 12-19.
Program at a Glance:
Summer Ambassador Program (Ages 12-15) August 1-8, 2025
Advanced Summer Ambassador Program (Ages 16-19) August 17-26, 2025
No sailing experience required – just curiosity and a willingness to grow!
See flyer below for more details.
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR FRIENDS SUMMER TRAIL CREW
The Friends of Virgin Islands National Park summer trail crew work opportunity, which runs from June 9 to August 1, is now open for applications. This paid opportunity is open to those ages 15 to 18. Work consists of maintaining hiking trails and historic sites, working in the Friends nursery, and learning about kayaking, boating, traditional uses of plants, marine ecosystems, and more. Click here to apply online or see Ms. Burks at the Upper Campus front office for an application.
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