Bon Voyage to Our Students Heading to Israel

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Weizmann Institute of Science has graciously invited our PGIA students back this year for another science camp at their amazing university.  World renowned scientists from Weizmann will have sessions with our students from Sunday through Wednesday, at which point the group will travel throughout Israel and Jordan.  Six students attended this trip last year with life altering results.  There are no words.  This year the students are Skyler, Silas, Aneesh, Megan and Ni'quay.

An excerpt from Vanshika's reflection of last year's trip:

This journey has thoroughly broadened my horizons, both scientifically and culturally. While being introduced to new customs and science, I found deeper meanings for both. Science isn’t simply knowledge, though knowledge is a poignant part of it; it is the ability to apply what knowledge you have and to solve questions that have never been asked before. Curiosity is the origin of all breakthroughs in science, because if scientists weren’t curious, they wouldn’t ask these excellent questions. 

Vanshika last year at the Dead Sea

Vanshika last year at the Dead Sea

PGIA SENIOR SPOTLIGHT FOR KAYLA RIVERS

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1. My best moment at PGIA? Thus far, with memories still to come in my journey through PGIA, my best moment has been during last year’s End Session to China with Mr. and Mrs. Stocking. Having the opportunity to travel internationally with peers- a group that was predominantly comprised of members of my class- was a culmination of all that is PGIA for me: a growth mindset, engaging with issues of importance trans-culturally, learning/applying classroom information outside of a class context and being with the family that I have developed throughout my 5 years here.

 2. Being a student at the PGIA means…growth-intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically, and spiritually.

 3. During my time as a Volt, I’ve shown a growth mindset on a daily basis, but particularly during the second semester of the Diploma Program Higher Level Spanish course when I received the lowest grade in the class on two separate occasions on a particular style of exam that recurs continually throughout the program. Rather than accepting my failure as inevitable, I studied harder, took more practice exams after class and have since received the highest scores in the class.

 4. Dinner for four; you and who else? Martin Luther King Jr, Michelle Obama, and Lupita N’yongo.

 5. On my favorite playlist is: 

●      Rise Up - Andra Day

●      Video Indie Arie

●      Doo Wop- Lauryn Hill

●      This Is How We Do It - Montell Jordan

●      Get Your Back up Off the Wall - Kool & the Gang

●      Who You Are - Jessie J

●      One Love- Bob Marley

●      Three Little Birds - Bob Marley

 

6. Ten years from now, though I don't know in what specific setting, I will be working internationally, loving life, applying the lessons from my undergraduate degree, pushing myself to do better and surrounded by people that make me happy and have my best interest at heart.

7. If I could change one thing about myself, it would be improving on my organizational skills.


8. Words to live by

“Just be the best you, you can be; Always use humor as your therapy; Don’t ever take life too seriously; Just do you because you do you so perfectly”. - Jessie J

PGIA SENIOR SPOTLIGHT FOR CAELIN VANNELLI

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1.     My best moment at PGIA? My first moment on campus was special. I immediately felt at home.

2.     Being a student at the PGIA means…treating others with respect

3.     During my time as a Volt, I’ve shown a growth mindset when I…learned the VIMSIA way.

4.     Dinner for four; you and who else? Ben Carson, Quentin Tarantino, and George W. Bush, Jr.

5.     On my favorite playlist is…Wu tang clan

6.     Ten years from now, I’ll be…making movies and living the American dream!

7.     If I could change one thing about myself, it would be…to have a stronger work ethic

8.     Words to live by… “Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable.” –Woody Allen

 

PGIA SENIOR SPOTLIGHT FOR KENDALL BENJAMIN

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1.     My best moment at PGIA?  Unity in the Community--watching a dream come true is so fulfilling.

2.     Being a student at the PGIA means knowing yourself and your capabilities and doing what you have to do to get to where you want to be in life.

3.     During my time as a Volt, I’ve shown a growth mindset when I collaborated with a friend in order to create Unity in the Community, an idea we had for a school event, and watching it come to fruition.

4.     Dinner for four; you and who else? Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas, and Tupac Shakur

5.     On my favorite playlist is: September - Earth, Wind, and Fire, How Great – Chance the Rapper,  Overtime – Hoodie Allen, Tru – Lloyd, Mo Money Mo Problems – Notorious Big & P Diddy, Chaining Day – J Cole, Poetic Justice – Kendrick Lamar ft. Drake, Don’t Wanna Fall in Love – Kyle, Morris Brown – Outkast, Girls Love Beyonce – Drake

6.     Ten years from now, I’ll be in a pharmacy somewhere helping people with their various ailments

7.     If I could change one thing about myself, it would be caring less about what other people think.

8.     Words to live by: We accept the love we think we deserve – Stephen Chbosky

Cross Country Meet Results

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Elementary Girls Cross Country Runners

Elementary Girls Cross Country Runners

Strong Finish for Kaia!

Strong Finish for Kaia!

Go Andy!

Go Andy!

Kudos to Coach Nurse and our Cross Country Teams.  Each week we see more and more VIMSIA students in the top 12.  The race results for each meet so far are listed below.  Special shout-out to Talisse and Kaia for taking first place in Varsity and JV Girls respectively at yesterday's meet.

Go Volts!

Elementary Race Results so Far

Fun Run

Race 1

Race 2

Volts Volleyball - JV Boys Undefeated

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A quick update from Coach Gibbs on the stellar performance of our JV boys volleyball players so far this season.  

So far this year we have beaten Eudora Kean twice, CAHS (last years champs) once, and BCB once. Each match is a best of three "sets".   We lost our first set to Eudora Kean, but won the next two, to win the match. We have not lost a set since and are undefeated...so far.....in the league! We play all teams once more, and Antilles twice, but so far...we are the team to beat!

Proud of these boys!

Coach Mitch Gibbs

Clothing and Book Drive

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In order to help the homeless of our St. Thomas community, I am holding a clothing and book drive for the Bethlehem House.  I reached out to them and found out what items they are especially in need of.  They need books and clothing, and I would love to be able to give them a generous donation from our school.  I will be putting boxes for clothes and books in the gazebo, the science pod, PGIA library, and art room for donations.  Search your closets and bookshelves for items in good condition that you are willing to part with.  Remember, your donation could mean a lot more than you realize to someone in need!

Sincerely, Darby Williams (PGIA Grade 11)

BrisaMax Scholarship Winners!

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Gloria Zakers-Director of PGIA, Michael Bornn- Head of School, Jamil Kareem- 9th grader, Eisa Jamil- Parent, Karl Dinang-10th grader, Annette Dinang -parent, and Bill Perkins, CEO of BrisaMax Holdings.

Gloria Zakers-Director of PGIA, Michael Bornn- Head of School, Jamil Kareem- 9th grader, Eisa Jamil- Parent, Karl Dinang-10th grader, Annette Dinang -parent, and Bill Perkins, CEO of BrisaMax Holdings.

BrisaMax Holdings has awarded two scholarship recipients to enter the International Baccalaureate Program at Peter Gruber International Academy in St. Thomas.  Recipient winners Karl Dinang, 10th grader, from Charlotte Amalie High School and Kareem Jamil 9th grader, from Memorial Moravian School, will be starting the new 2016-17 school year at Peter Gruber International Academy. 

Michael Bornn, VIMSIA Head of School stated, “We are very excited to welcome these new students to campus.  We are sure that it will be a positive experience for them and our current students. The International Baccalaureate experience will expand the opportunities for both students.”

The recipients were selected based on their academic merits, strong character, and financial need. According to Gloria Zakers, Director of the IB program, "To know the value of education in a world that values most things material, is both pro-active and wise.  I am honored to have these two young men join our family at the PGIA and continue their journey of being lifelong learners.  Thank you so much to Bill Perkins and BrisaMax for valuing education so highly, and believing in us to be the school to deliver on this promise.  Here's to creating a world of caring, responsible global citizens." 

In order to receive and maintain a BrisaMax Holdings scholarship students must remain in good academic standing, uphold themselves with high character, ethical behavior, and positively represent themselves, their school and their community.

Bill Perkins, CEO of BrisaMax Holdings, believes that education is crucial to the future of the Virgin Islands and will continue to offer scholarships as a contribution.  BrisaMax Holdings congratulates the scholarship recipients on their accomplishments and encourages them to continue to excel in their pursuit of being a lifelong learner with a growth mindset.   

IB Diploma Program Results from May 2016 Session

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Graduating Class of 2016.  Photo by scott williams.

Graduating Class of 2016.  Photo by scott williams.

We are an "IB for All" school, meaning that all students at the PGIA are enrolled in this rigorous program, not just a select few. Twenty-five % of this year's graduating class earned their IB Diploma and 100% of the class graduated with a fully accredited MSA diploma. All students are attending their first choice, first tier university with substantial financial aid packages. The International Baccalaureate program has been offered at the PGIA for the last six years.

The International Baccalaureate program is a world-wide international teaching methodology that focuses on creating life-long learners and critical thinkers that are responsible, caring, global citizens. The PGIA is proud to be authorized in both the IB Middle Years Program in grades  7-10, as well as the IB Diploma Program in grades 11-12.

Recent IB studies state that the university enrollment & graduation rate for students who are IB Diploma participants, as well as IB Diploma earners, is considerably higher than that of other curricula. Universities actively solicit IB students to attend their institutions.

"I am immensely proud of the students of the Class of 2016. In these young adults I see such determination, tenacity, grit and optimism. Through rigorous challenges, both academic and personal, they persevered with grace and humility. I am excited to see what impacts they will have on our world and what these upcoming community leaders will do for our efforts towards creating an environmentally friendly and peaceful world." says Gloria Zakers, PGIA Director.  More info on the PGIA IB program can be obtained from Ms. Zakers, at gzakers@vimsia.org. 

 

The Summit's Eastern Caribbean Global Education Tour Visits VIMSIA

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We were so pleased to welcome The Summit's Global Education Tour to VIMSIA on Wednesday.  The Summit is a coalition of impact-seeking organizations in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The tour offered global educational workshops and included excursions to various Caribbean host schools.  It was a pleasure to talk to them about our innovative programs and to tour campus.  I learned that our philosophies of education were very well aligned.  They were very interested in our alternative educational methods here at VIMSIA...and big "Growth Mindset" proponents.  

Good time had by all.  Safe trip home to our traveling educators!  Come back anytime!