Mandalas in Art Club
/This week in Art Club students discussed the meaning, function and materials associated with creating mandalas.
Here are some of their creations from their homes and surroundings!
Blog
Library Concierge Check-out is Here!
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Order your print books ahead of time, and pick up your order on the car deck.
To reserve books, go to our library and log in to your student account.
Full instructions are available through the library page and in the classroom folders on Google drive.
Happy Reading!
VI Youth Art Month Online Gallery Showcases Student's Work
/The Virgin Islands Youth Art Month Online Gallery has been so successful that they are opening up submissions again. What began as a solution to the cancellation of their 12th annual art show has expanded into this wonderful platform sharing art work from VI youths. The YAM Student Art Online Gallery can be viewed on the group’s Facebook page.
The gallery currently has artwork from VIMSIA students including, Sofia Kappel, Zia Gibbs, and Deja-Marie Simon.
Deja-Marie was recently quoted in the St. John Source article about the exhibit. “Art helps me draw or paint out how I feel. It is a very good stress reliever. When I start to have anxiety, I just draw to calm down,” Simon said”
To read the article and find out more about how to participate in the next round of submissions click here
Deja-Marie Simon - 17 years old 11th grade VIMSIA St. Thomas USVI Digital Art
VIMSIA TEAM COMPETES IN NATIONAL CYBER-SECURITY COMPETITION
/Four VIMSIA students have been hard at work to complete the challenges and requirements to compete in the Girls Go CyberStart national online cybersecurity competition. Out of 15,652 young women registered for the competition VIMSIA’s team is one of the 300 teams that qualified for the national championship level. Team members Lindsay Barr, Rosalie Faulkner, Mireille Boumedine and Vidhika Khemani along with their advisor Rebecca Hoffart began meeting in February and have been meeting via Zoom since VIMSIA’s campus closed on March 13th.
Girls Go CyberStart is a program of SANS Institute, a non-profit organization which provides premiere cybersecurity training. Teams of high school girls from all over the country compete in a completely online competition, solving challenges in various areas relevant to cybersecurity: programming, web insecurities, cryptography, etc.
You can find out more about the competition here: https://girlsgocyberstart.org/
The national championship will be held online May 20-21. Advisor Rebecca Hoffart says, “Competition will be unbelievably tough. It's a great chance for the team members to test their skills, think outside the box and try some creative techniques to solve the challenges that will be real brain breakers. As a first-year team, we will learn as much as we can and do the best we can. I am ridiculously proud of them and ridiculously proud to be their advisor in this competition.”
VIMSIA is proud of this team of young women. Lindsay, Rosalie, Mireille, and Vidhika are competing against elite high schools with long-established, top-notch computer science programs. They have put in hard work and creativity to get this far in the competition and that is a huge accomplishment.
Alumni Spotlight: Leah Trotman Wins Truman Scholarship
/Congratulations to Leah Trotman VIMSIA Class of 2017
Leah was recently recognized in the St. Thomas Source for being one of the 62 recipients of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship for graduate studies.
Excerpt from the St. Thomas Source:
Trotman is now working on her bachelor’s degree in international relations with a minor in public health. Agnes Scott College, located 15 minutes from Atlanta, was the perfect choice for Trotman, she said, “because of its focus on the social challenges of our time and how we can engage as global citizens.”
She said a faculty member, Kai Issa, has been her mentor as she’s pursued her studies in global leadership.
Trotman is the daughter of Joycelyn Hewlett, a journalist and attorney, and LeRoy Trotman, an educator and musician. She attended All Saints Cathedral School through sixth grade and then the Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy, where she received an international baccalaureate degree. With its international scope, her high school program gave her the opportunity to travel to several places, including China.
Leah Trotman walks near Iguazu Falls in Misiones Province, Argentina while abroad in 2019. (Photo by Charlotte Howland)
In her college freshman year, she traveled to Guatemala; in 2019 she spent a semester in Argentina at the Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, a Jesuit university where Pope Francis studied. At the end of her studies, she traveled extensively in Argentina and Chile.
“It transformed who I was as a learner,” she said. “Taking time to explore these countries taught me how to separate self-worth from productivity – it was really a fun time.”
She capitalized on the fluency in Spanish she acquired during high school, becoming confident enough to debate one of her professors about the thorny issue of racism, something that definitely exists in Argentina, she said.
“People commented on my hair and skin color – that also happened to me in China, where people grabbed me and pulled at my braids,” Trotman said.
She used that experience to fuel her research on racism in Argentina, where comments on her racial difference seemed to come “more out of love or curiosity.”
She said growing up on St. Thomas gave her the confidence to deal with some of these difficult experiences.
“When you’re born in the Caribbean, you’re surrounded by people who look just like you at all levels of power. No one ever told me I couldn’t do anything.
Navigate 2020 Virtual Conference and College Fair
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You are invited to the Navigate 2020 Virtual Conference and College Fair. This event will host three days of live-stream expert presentations for students and families and a concurrent virtual college fair with fully interactive booths. Students can chat live with colleges. This event is free-of-charge to attendees and is designed to help students and colleges connect safely during the COVID-19 crisis. Register and Learn More
Focus and Relax with Zentangles
/The Art Club explored zentangles using words that they wanted to share with our VIMSIA community.
What is Zentangle?
The Zentangle Method is a relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing patterns. Learn more about the Zentangle method here
Please feel free to copy, print and color the Art Club’s zentangles to help you relax and reflect on the positives of this time in your life.
Tribute to the Class of 2020
/A video tribute to the Senior Class from Ms. Weichman - Enjoy!
Hey Seniors!
I was thinking about you all today and how it must be difficult to be away from campus and your friends during the end of your senior year. I admire your courage and your ability to forge ahead despite the circumstances. I decided to make this video as a tribute to all of you and all the hard work that you have put forth. Please know that I am thinking of you and sending you virtual hugs. I hope you enjoy the video!
~ Ms. Weichman
How's It Growing? Week 3
/Let’s Talk Lettuce
Its fresh, its crunchy and you can grow it indoors or outdoors.
Here is a timeline of Lettuce from seed to plant. Growing from seeds can be easy and fun and you can see the results sooner rather than later.
Seed sprouted March 31, 2020
Seed planted March 23, 2020
Lettuce is ready April 23, 2020
How's It Growing? Week 2
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GARDEN SUCCESS
The Harbison family shared photos of their garden’s bounty with us after our call for photos in last week’s Volt. They are successfully growing corn and eggplant with more to come from their garden.
Photo: Shane DeGannes
PLANT OF THE WEEK: Amaranth
Plenty of Amaranth seeds are available at the Seed Bank on the car deck of VIMSIA. This very easy to grow plant can be eaten raw and they’re delicious sauteed too. Enjoy planting these seeds in pots and/or your outdoor garden.
Read more here about tips for growing Amaranth.
Happy Earth Day #VIMSIAGreen
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VIMSIA celebrated Earth Day this year by inviting students to take action around their home or to raise awareness for an environmental cause they care about.
Caroline, a senior in the PGIA says, “Living on a beautiful island with pristine beaches really helps me to remember how wonderful our earth is. Although my Earth day awareness photo is focused on something or someone smaller. BEES!! Although these little guys may seem minuscule they immensely aid crops with reproduction which assists us in our agricultural system. Also, they pollinate our flowers that add more beauty to our world. However, many bee species today are endangered and face extinction. Go bees!”
Kira focused her Earth Day thoughts towards the sea, “On this Earth Day, I hope everyone remembers how important our beautiful Earth is and makes conscious decisions, remembering that every choice we make has an impact on the planet.”
Her painting represents the “damages ocean acidification has on our marine animals.” Kira reminds us that, “Ocean acidification is damaging to our oceans and the species that live in it, but luckily we can help to prevent ocean acidification by cutting our carbon pollution. Go to this website to find out how you can help prevent ocean acidification.”
Students in the 8th grade share their drawings and reflections on Earth Day.
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
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image from NASA
The pandemic slow down has made many of us look more thoughtfully at the world around us. It’s the perfect time to celebrate Earth Day! Go on a neighborhood safari with your children, create from recycled materials, or take action to help the planet. NASA also has amazing resources. Find all these ideas and more in our Earth Day 2020 Collection.
More Books in the Giveaway + Celebrity Storytimes
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The print book giveaway continues with an infusion of lots more books for teens, and plenty now for adults as well, including popular fiction, literature and nonfiction. Now is your chance to read Dune before the new movie comes out – there are several copies available!
In the online world, you may have seen that Michelle Obama is the latest celebrity to be reading aloud to children. Check here to find more author and celebrity storytimes.
Upcoming Virtual College Admissions Events
/Coalition for College Virtual College Fair
Thursday, April 23rd, 4 – 6 p.m. or 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. EST
Hear from admissions officers –“Tips on Creating Your College List”
Behind the Scenes: How Admissions Decisions Are Made”
Then virtual “rooms” where representatives from more than 40 colleges will share an overview of their schools and answer your questions, live.
http://coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/april-2020-virtual-fair.html
College Block Party
Tuesday & Wednesday, April 28th & 29th, 6 – 9 p.m. EST
This is a FREE, two-day, after-school online event for high-school students from all grade levels, parents, and counselors. Drop-in, whenever you can, to get your questions answered.
Participating Colleges Include: Colgate University, Smith College, University of California Berkeley, Emory University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Tufts University!
How's It Growing?
/Welcome to “How’s It Growing?” VIMSIA’s online community of dirt lovers. We are hoping that “How’s It Growing?” will give us all the opportunity to share our successes in the garden, yard, farm, balcony pots, wherever you find your dirt. With the Stay at Home focus, many of us have taken to the dirt - to tend long-neglected flower beds, start herb gardens, focus on our fruit trees. Whatever your dirt passion is, let’s all share our stories and tips.
Seed Bank
One aspect of this effort includes a “Seed Bank” box at school. Please feel free to come by the car deck and take some seeds that others have gathered from their growing efforts. The seeds are in some kind of container in the Seed Bank box, and pretty well labeled. Take what you need and go get dirty.
We would love to hear from you and your kids about your efforts to grow. Please send any photos and stories to Coach Nurse - sdegannes@vimsia.org. We will post them on the Blog weekly.
Plant of the week: Papaya
Thank you to Paul Perkins, who donated a bunch of papaya seeds to our Seed Bank. These tropical trees are very easy to grow and are often “volunteers” as Ms. Morrison used to day. That is, they may end up popping up just about anywhere - as the seeds are easily distributed by the winds and the birds.
Here is a great link for growing Papaya.
Papaya have a ton of health benefits - and are a great meat tenderizer!
Photo credit Tropicalperaculture.com
Emotional Support: New Resource Collection
/Ms. Samantha Kaffenbarger, VIMSIA’s Guidance Counselor, has a new collection within our Digital Library. These resources cover topics ranging from anxiety to self-care.
Missing The Library? The Book Giveaway is Open!
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Please help yourselves to the many books available at the “No Backsies” book fair located on the car deck. There are hundreds of books for children, many new or gently used, and also some well-used ex-library copies. If you are stopping by to pick up a packet from a teacher, that’s a great time to take home some new reading material as well.
Rules:
-Use the hand sanitizer provided before touching the books.
-Take as many books as you like.
-Do not bring any books back.
-Please do not bring your own books to share. We can have a community book swap in the future when germ spreading is less of a concern.
Happy Reading!
Green Body & Home - What is Argentyn 23?
/This week we are going to focus on Argentyn 23 from Natural Immunogenics, a bio-active silver hydrosol, a professional-quality immune booster that the whole family can use.
There has been some negative things said in the past about "colloidal silver", however this is due to products that were contaminated by the presence of salt, protein, compounds and stabilizers. All those things can degrade the silver while making it potentially toxic.
Argentyn 23 has no added salts or proteins. You'll only find pure silver in pharmaceutical-grade water that is then bottled in amber glass to maintain purity. The below article from Dr. Hirt, MD, from The Center for Integrative Medicine explains why this supplement is something we might want to have at home for both prevention and during an active infection, as Dr. Hirt states, it "Kills the "worst of the worst" pathogens".
https://www.drhirt.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ARGENTYN-23.pdf
The “Green Body & Home” blog posts are brought to you by the PTA. They provide general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.
Campus is Blooming!
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While campus is not teaming with students it sure is blooming! Our outdoor work spaces have received a lot of attention over this past week. The garden by BEC had a complete face-lift. The Montessori Pond by the library has a new lily and the desert roses are also sporting new buds
BEC Outdoor area gets a revamp!
What’s New in the Library?
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We continue to add more collections of resources which you can find through our virtual library. New additions this week include health information from Coach Nurse, elementary science experiments from Ms. DiFrancesco, and a collection of online safety and digital citizenship resources.
Ms. Schlesinger will soon be offering zoom information sessions for families on how better to utilize the library and its resources. Stay tuned for dates and times.