CFVI Awards $73,000 in Education Enrichment Grants to USVI Educators
US Virgin Islands – The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) is pleased to announce that a total of $73,000 in Education Enrichment Grants has been awarded to educators to enhance learning opportunities for U.S. Virgin Islands students. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, education in the Territory has been disrupted, as schools were damaged/destroyed and countless students and faculty were displaced. Recognizing great need across educational settings, the enrichment grant opportunity was made available to local schools serving grades Pre-K through 12th. This is the largest single cycle of teacher grants made by CFVI to date and will enable students and local schools to take one step closer to recovery. Funding for these offerings was made possible by a generous grant from Fundación Banco Popular (through the Puerto Rico Abraza a las Islas campaign), with additional support from Island Foundation, Inc., the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and CFVI.
CFVI President, Dee Baecher-Brown, expressed her excitement about the grants and her appreciation for educators across the Territory. “We are thrilled to be providing critical support to the hard-working teachers and staff who – despite the challenges since the storms – are seeking to enhance their instruction and provide students with enriching experiences this school year,” said Baecher-Brown. “We are honored to partner to provide the educational resources our children need to succeed in and out of the classroom.”
Recipients of the 2017-2018 enrichment grants include 20 teachers and professionals working in 14 schools and pre-schools across the Territory. These grants ranged from $500-$5,000 to support projects and programs covering a variety of subjects and topics, including literacy, the arts, physical education, reading, writing, and cultural immersion. Grants were awarded on a competitive basis for projects that sought to enrich students’ educational experience and outcomes.
“We are pleased to help and contribute to the education of our young people in the Virgin Islands,” said Oran C. Bowry, Senior Vice President and Division Manager of the Virgin Islands Region of Banco Popular. “For Popular and Fundación Banco Popular, education is the best investment tool we can make for the future of generations. We are proud to support organizations like the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands and we hope to continue working together to create a better tomorrow.”
Education Enrichment Grants were awarded on a competitive basis for projects that sought to enrich students’ educational experiences/outcomes. Proposals that represented collaborative endeavors (e.g., public-private partnerships, or schools sharing split session programming), or literacy, English language learners, at-risk youth, or service learning were given priority during the review process.
2017-2018 Education Enrichment Grant Recipients
Name | School | Island | Project |
Althea Albanzas | Lockhart Elementary School | St. Thomas | Reconstructing Therapeutic Kindergarten to March 21st Century Classrooms |
Thelca Bedminster | Jane E. Tuitt Primary School | St. Thomas | Dancing in the Rain: Learning How to Weather the Storms Through Dance |
Jenny Brathwaite | St. Croix Central High School | St. Croix | JAG Internship / On the Job Training |
Joan Castor-Willock | John H. Woodson Jr. High School | St. Croix | AVID Tutorials (Enrichment) |
Kisha Corbett | Jane E. Tuitt Primary School | St. Thomas | My Neighborhood |
Jacqueline Francis | Jane E. Tuitt Primary School | St. Thomas | Empowering the English Language Learners |
Linda Garvin | St. Patrick’s Catholic School | St. Croix | Reading Jump Up Program |
Matthew Hamilton-Kraft | Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School | St. Thomas | Young Voices of the Virgin Islands
BCB Middle School Global Citizenship, Leadership and College Prep Program |
Katrina Hamilton-Kraft | Ivanna Eudora Kean High School | St. Thomas | Kean-BCB Mentoring |
Paula Heller | AZ Academy | St. Croix | Unlocking Student Talent: Using Assessment to Drive Instruction |
Laurise Oliver | Alexander Henderson School | St. Croix | Hurricane Maria’s Adventures! |
Marlon Parohinog | Julius E. Sprauve | St. John | It’s Hip to be Fit in JESS |
Kerish Robles | Ivanna Eudora Kean High School | St. Thomas | Culinary Expansions: Culinary Arts Program |
Cherrie Saliot-Warner | Ivanna Eudora Kean High School | St. Thomas | Life Skills Program for Students with Special Needs |
Mackisha St. Prix | Leap and Learn Academy | St. Croix | Increasing Literacy Through Unique Experiences |
Karissa Thurland-Perez | Alfredo Andrews Elementary School | St. Croix | Enhancing Literacy and Math |
Eli Torres | St. Croix Central High School | St. Croix | Educational and Cultural Trip to Puerto Rico 2017 |
Kristina Torres | St. Croix Montessori School | St. Croix | Healthy Play Spaces |
Kimbolie Torres | Ulla F. Muller Elementary School | St. Thomas | Y.E.S. (Youths Experiencing STEAM) |
Merle Vanterpool | Lockhart Elementary School | St. Thomas | Early Act/Reader’s Theatre/Environmental Clubs |