Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) students celebrated a great show weekend in the VIMSIA Musical Theater room, after the completion of two very successful shows of "Beauty and the Beast". Both evening shows were packed by community members with standing room only! Thank you to all the parents and students who contributed to the success of this production. Congratulations to VIMSIA's Theater and Arts department.
WTJX-TV presents a special screening of PBS's "International Jazz Day From Cuba." More than 50 world-renowned artists come together for an extraordinary International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert from the Gran Teatro de La Habana in Havana, Cuba. International Jazz Day is the one day each year that jazz is celebrated worldwide, bringing together people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities in all 196 UN and UNESCO member nations. The concert’s many historic moments include a first-time collaboration between bassist Esperanza Spalding and Cuban music legend Bobby Carcassés, and stellar emceeing from host Will Smith and music legend Quincy Jones. Other highlights include a swinging rendition of Gershwin’s “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” by vocalist Kurt Elling and Chilean sax phenom Melissa Aldana, a haunting take on “Bésame Mucho” from Korean vocalist Youn Sun Nah and violinist Regina Carter, and an explosive original performance by more than a dozen of Cuba’s top veteran jazz musicians. Come out, feel the rhythm with WTJX-TV and see it on the big screen Monday, May 21st at the VI Montessori School, St. Thomas at 6 pm.
The last scholastic chess tournament of the year was held at CAHS on Saturday, May 12. The tournament rules followed the Swiss system, G30 which means each player played four rounds with 30 minutes on the clock per game. According to the Swiss system, the more you win the harder each progressive round gets. Prizes and trophies for this tournament were sponsored by the Rotary Club of St. Thomas II.
The STT/STJ Chess Association has received enough funding to go on a trip this year. The top 16 players from the islands will be invited to participate in a tournament in Florida in December, all expenses paid. All the winners listed here will be invited to participate in this event, except for Emmanuel Estrella, who is a graduating senior.
Tournament Winners:
9 and under: First place, Eli Blondeau from Antilles School; Second place, Ger’ Lanni from Sibily School and Third place, Drake Walters from Montessori School.
12 and under: First place, Ajay Mirpuri from Antilles School; Second place, Miles Tolud from Montessori School; and Third place Jermaine Jones Gomez School
13 and over: First place, Marco Emile from Ivanna Eudora Kean School; Second place, Emmanuel Estrella (CAHS) and Third place Jean Virey (Eudora Kean)
Rohan Nagi was also selected to represent the VI in Florida this coming December. Congratulations to all participants.
It’s that time of year when millions of teens prepare for the much awaited prom night. That’s right, it is prom time and high school students across the nation are eagerly making plans for undoubtedly the most important dance of their high school years.
Last Saturday marked a memorable event and a dream come true for our seniors and juniors. With the support of gracious sponsors and donors and the collaboration with All Saints Cathedral and Gifft Hill schools, a special prom took place. Students enjoyed dancing, karaoke, rap improvisation and the company of good friends. PGIA students voted Daicya and Jalen as Princess and Prince, Kobe and Amoi as Queen and King. They also voted Candice and Caleb as Best Dancers, Silas for Best Hairstyle, Vanshika and Karl as Best Couple, Jalen and T'Leah as Best Dressed. We'd like to thank our supporters: Yacht Haven Grande, DJ Tony T, Mr. Kevin Wattley from Winx Flix, Chef Nibbs, Plaza Extra Supermarket, Nicole Tulk and friend Ellen, Blooming Things Flower Shop, and Mrs. Liza Margolis who is a parent and the Senior Coordinator of Donor Relations and Events at UVI.
PGIA students would like to especially thank Eman Passarella for her leadership, time and support!
With new times, come new traditions. On Wednesday, May 16 Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) seniors were welcomed into the Alumni Association through an induction ceremony. Each senior was welcomed into the association by a current alumni of VIMSIA. This ceremony was created to formally represent the transition from the status of undergraduate member to alumni status within VIMSIA. It was a surprise to all when our guest alumni were also inducted into our newly established Alumni Association. All members received an alumni pin, certificate of recognition and a VOLT bracelet. A special thanks goes out to our guest alumni: Tess Monsanto, Vernon Araujo, Alayna Belshe, Melissa Bump, Shane Brunt, Ched Sharpless and Tommy Brunt. Congratulations to all!
Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy is proud to announce this year's keynote speaker, Caroline Adams Miller.
For three decades, Caroline has been a pioneer with her groundbreaking work in the areas of goal setting, grit, happiness and success. She is recognized as one of the world’s leading positive psychology experts on this research and how it can be applied to one’s life for maximum transformation and growth. Caroline helps people identify, come up with a plan for, and persist in pursuing their toughest goals — leading to their success, happiness and flourishing, while inspiring those around them. Achieving hard, meaningful goals is one of the most rewarding things we can do in both our personal and professional lives. Although she didn’t have a word for it at the time, Caroline used "grit" to help overcome her personal battle with bulimia. Today, she helps others develop the traits they need to get to the finish line.
In her keynote presentations and workshops, Caroline blends personal experience, real life examples and cutting-edge research in positive psychology, to come up with practical applications that create fresh awareness of how to cultivate change. Caroline leaves her audiences with tangible takeaways and actions they can use to create their own happiness and success. Angela Duckworth, winner of the 2013 MacArthur Genius grant for her research on grit, said of Caroline: “I don't know anybody who has thought more than [Caroline] about how to apply the scientific research on grit and achievement to our own lives!" Caroline’s TEDx Talk “The Moments That Make Champions” explores the three things that we can choose to do differently to improve our chances of developing grit.
THANK YOU VIMSIA PARENTS AND PTA!
On behalf of the entire Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) faculty and staff, we’d like to thank the VIMSIA parents and PTA for the amazing Teacher Appreciation Luncheon and all their hard work. What a wonderful spread of delicious appetizers, entrees and tasty desserts.
"VIMSIA parents are the best, everything was so great! Thanks so much to you and the PTA for this awesome lunch." – Matthew Enright
“OMG - this food is amazing! So unbelievably good! Our parents rock.” – Peggy Hunt
“Amazingly generous and delicious. Thank you” – Chet Passerella
“I'm so full and happy!! Thanks PTA- and I love my purple rose!!” – Jamie Truax
“Muchas gracias! Toda la comida estaba deliciosa and the roses, what a nice gesture!” – Camilla Serrano
“Thank you Parents for the love, time and effort you put into making us such a scrumptious lunch! What a treat!” – Simone Summer
“So delicious! Thank you!” – Jana Ferguson
“Extremely yummy, made from scratch and a diverse spread. Much gratitude from me and my belly.” – Kelly Butler
“Mhmm thanks. It was so yummy yum yum !!” – Estefany Ledee
"I was blown away by the great variety of delicious food, the roses, and the thoughtful notes from parents. Thank you to all our parent community!" - Melissa Bump
"Exceptional spread of delights! Thank you VIMSIA parents" - Mandy Boyle
"Very grateful, thank you!" - Gloria Zakers
"As evidenced by all the deliciousness presented today the recipes would be greatly received. Many thanks to our parents for a wonderful spread!" - Caroline Morrison
Karen Gauriloff a junior at Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) is headed to Guatemala to participate in the Guatemala Archery Tournament along with teammate Joshua Derrickson.
After five years of playing around with a bow and arrow, Gauriloff decided to take up archery competitively only one and a half years ago. Under the direction of Anne Abernathy “Grandma Luge”, a luge athlete from the United States Virgin Islands and the oldest female athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics, Gauriloff has trained extensively practicing four hours a day building strength, stamina and working on consistency – a key factor to scoring in archery.
“There are three main parts to the competition” says Gauriloff. “First there is the qualification round, second is Match Play where you must compete against another archer, and lastly the Mixed Team round” which Gauriloff and Derrickson will compete in together. Feeling both excited and nervous, Gauriloff enters the competition setting her goal to score 500 points out of a possible 720 points.
It is an archery tradition for archers to trade pins with their competitors as a sign of good sportsmanship. Thanks to the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Gauriloff is headed to Gautemala with USVI pins, towels, bags and t-shirts to represent her home. “I’m looking forward to adding to my pin collection, I have twenty so far” added Gauriloff.
If Gauriloff moves on, she may have a chance at representing the US Virgin Islands at the youth Olympics. Currently an eleventh grade student, through hard work and dedication Gauriloff managed to graduate a year early from VIMSIA and will attend Allegheny College, PA this Fall. The VIMSIA community wishes Gauriloff the best of luck!
On Tuesday, April 24 VIMSIA celebrated our Seniors' commitment to higher education with our fourth annual Signing Day event. This event is a product of Former First Lady Michele Obama's Reach Higher Initiative that focuses on promoting higher education for all students.
This year's Senior class had quite the year having endured two Category 5 hurricanes and all of the unforeseen challenges that came afterward. They showed perseverance, grit and strength of character despite it all. The VIMSIA school community could not be more proud!
Please join us in congratulating our students on their acceptances to over 40 colleges and universities across the country! While some students have committed, others are still in the decision making process. We wish them nothing but the absolute best as they venture out into the world!
Ver’Nele Callwood, who plans to attend the University of the Virgin Islands.
Nalani Figueroa, who is deciding between University of the Virgin Islands and Barry University.
Leah-Maria Gaskin, who has been accepted to attend Baldwin Wallace University.
Karen Gauriloff, graduating from VIMSIA one year early, will attend Allegheny College.
Candice LaPlace, who plans to attend the University of the Virgin Islands.
Joshua LaPlace, who plans to attend the University of the Virgin Islands.
Vanshika Lulla, who plans to attend George Washington University
Amoi Ottley, who has been accepted to Bryant University.
Kobe Potter, who is deciding between Elon University and American University.
T’Leah Serieux, who plans to attend the University of the Virgin Islands.
Silas Wisehart, who has been accepted to Binghamton University and the University of Montana.
Hannah Ballas, who is planning to attend Trinity University.
Grant Farrell, who is deciding between Emmanuel College and Spartanburg Methodist College
Elisabeth Goldberg, who is planning to attend University of Alabama.
Seidon Nemeth, who is deciding between Academy of Art University, Lawrence Technological University, Savannah College of Art and Design, and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
Anya Vizzielo, who is deciding between Savannah College of Art and Design and University of Suffolk in the UK.
Darby Williams, who is deciding between New York University and University of Michigan.
Beauty and the Beast has been both a huge undertaking and a labor of love however I believe you will all appreciate the end result. There have been many challenges along with much growth, development and rewards made over these past few months.
Our young actors, crew and directors have had a crash course since Irma and Maria in what it takes to put on a full pledged musical. Commitment, responsibility, collaboration, sacrifice, determination and true grit to get the job done. All skills that they can use throughout their lives and be successful in all of their future endeavors.
Just as importantly, I believe they have had moments of fun and a lot of enjoyment during this entire process and great satisfaction in knowing that they are now ready to present, for your viewing pleasure, VIMSIA's version of Beauty and the Beast....
Hope you enjoy the show
C.A.Passerella
Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) Admissions Director and College Counselor, Kara Ebe, spent this past week at the Boston/Extended Area Network of Schools (BEANS) tour featuring Brandeis University, College of the Holy Cross, Emerson College, Simmons College, and WPI!
The BEANS Tour provides counselors with the opportunity to explore five outstanding colleges with your colleagues from around the world. Counselors will meet with admissions representatives, current students, faculty, and explore the cities of Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts!
“This is a tour of five schools which provides you with a unique opportunity to see different schools and engage directly with their admissions directors and faculty then take it back to your students to share” said Ebe. Everyday attendees visited one of the five schools for an admissions overview –detailing requirements, a tour of the campus, an opportunity to engage with or hear a student led panel and a professional development session.
The host institutions determine the final participants based upon a numbers of factors—among them are geographic diversity. Because BEANS is a fly-in program, the committee typically looks for counselors from areas outside of New England, New York, and New Jersey. Additionally, they look to provide opportunities to colleagues from secondary schools that have not recently been represented at BEANS.
Ebe was flattered by the encouraging and supportive reception from the BEANS Tour participants in response to the recent hurricanes. “Everyone of course asked about the hurricanes, but people are just so intrigued about us -especially those that didn't know we're IB. Immediately once they heard we're IB they started to inquire about VIMSIA and were impressed by what we have to offer” explained Ebe. “We haven't missed a beat with the rigor of what we offer our students, not only academically but now we have these student who are super resilient because of what they've been through” Ebe added.
"I vividly remember attending my Brownie meetings, saying the Girl Scout pledge with three fingers held high and of course earning badges" said Pam Engle, parent at Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA), who recently started Girl Scout Over Seas Troop #44511 on the East End. "I still have my old Brownie vest with badges and pins and can't wait to get my daughter started and help empower young girls on island" she added.
The troop will meet every other week beginning in May and is open to girls in the community from K-5. "The support from not only the school but the community has been amazing! I was worried we wouldn't have enough parent volunteers but was proven wrong. We’ve already received various parent sign-ups - I guess many moms were also Girl Scouts and want to pass the opportunity or tradition down to their daughters" explain Engle.
Through the Girl Scout program —a variety of fun and challenging activities, like earning badges, selling cookies, going on exciting trips, exploring the outdoors, and doing community service projects. At Girl Scouts, girls will have the opportunity to lead their own adventure , and work with other girls to pick and choose the exciting, hands-on activities they want to do. The idea is to learn by doing!
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Montessori-Girl-Scouts-818526068332098/?ref=bookmarks
Sign Up Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPQyL3-2NwEuOoZNbUiaNR48eSWuCDLwk12uBmGQhn89eEvQ/viewform
Coach DeGannes and silver medal winner Evan Jones
Congratulations to Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy’s (VIMSIA) Shane DeGannes, School Nurse and Athletic Director, who was recently appointed the National Coach for the Virgin Islands Junior Track and Field team by the Virgin Islands Track and Field Federation. “I’m excited and honored to be named the National Coach for our Junior team. I’ve been working for the past seven years trying to get the community to believe that I’m here for the sport of Track and Field and Cross Country and I think it has finally been validated by the Federation by sending me with the National Team” exclaimed DeGannes.
DeGannes was honored and thrilled when asked to accompany the dedicated members of the Junior Track and Field team along with two other Virgin Islands coaches to the Flow Carifta Games hosted in the Bahamas. Evan Jones and Talisse Thompson, a VIMSIA “lifer”, both trained with DeGannes with Evan placing in the top three. Jones won the silver medal in the boys under twenty 1500m run. “I’m stoked to have coached him” DeGannes commented, adding that “we haven’t won a medal since 2010 and it was time!”
Three runners from St. Croix and four from St. Thomas represented the Virgin Islands in the Flow Carifta Games. DeGannes recently developed his own club for runners called the St. Thomas Track Club. Both Evan and Talisse ran representing St. Thomas Track Club.
Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, a Montessori graduate, chose to visit Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) today to not only discuss topics related to women in government but to talk to the students of VIMSIA about the power of peaceful protest.
As the only registered school on island to participate in the National School Walkout, students asked Plaskett what Congress’ reaction had been to the March for our Lives movement and whether or not it had sparked any changes in opinions after all the demonstrations. “What you have to understand is that the March took place right before the members went away for Easter break, so we have not returned back to congress since the march happened” answered Plaskett. “What I can tell you is that I went to the one that was in Washington and I saw a lot of members there, and at that march all the young people -like yourself- had stickers on them with the year that they would be able to vote as well as people registering all the young people who were old enough to vote to be able to vote” said Plaskett. Many members of Congress who want gun laws changed made the conscious decision to not get involved, and to not let the movement be taken over by lawmakers or by old people, and in turn pollute the message. “This is a young people’s movement and for it to be effective it had to be their movement and their voice” said Plaskett. Students were urged to not get discouraged and to continue voicing their concerns with whatever means possible as change will take some time.
Plaskett released an official statement further explaining why she chose to visit VIMSIA. “Of course I have a personal affinity to the Montessori program and the way it educates young people, but also there are several things about this Montessori school that I think are very important” said Plaskett. “The first is that you really -in a private school setting- have been great about creating a diverse community that’s not just diverse ethnically but socioeconomically and I think that’s a very good model that so many of us should look at throughout this community. The second of course is that VIMSIA is one hundred percent solar which is awesome and a very good model for us to use here in the Virgin Islands” Plaskett stated.
Students were applauded by Plaskett for setting the tone and leading the way in the Virgin Islands with the National School Walkout and the issues surrounding gun violence. “What is more important than marches is what happens after a march, it’s not helpful to march and then not do anything afterwards” said Plaskett. Adding that “while you were able to voice your opinions on the issues of violence in your communities, what is going to be more important is to follow up on what you’re going to do in the communities to support those changes.” Students continue to take leadership roles with safety and environmentally friendly initiatives putting VIMSIA on the map as one of the leading schools in the territory.
Volunteers from the American Red Cross visited the Upper Elementary Classes at Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) to present the Pillow Case Project, an initiative geared towards disaster readiness.
Originally started in Louisiana after hurricane Katrina, the project was sparked by the actions of college students who were forced to evacuate their dorms with personal belongings and had no suitcases available… only their pillow cases.
Each student received a pillow case purchased and sponsored by Disney and distributed by the American Red Cross’ School Safety Program. Scenarios such as house fires and natural disasters were discussed at length and students were taught the correct emergency readiness steps.
Volunteers placed emphasis on the fact that students are capable of having individual power with emergency situation and feel prepared by taking personal and safety items with them such as a stuffed animal, first aid kit, MRE, medicines, toiletries, snacks, change of clothes, etc. A representative from the American Red Cross informed VIMSIA that after hurricanes Irma and Maria many children on island mentioned that their parents did not take the warnings seriously and as a result the children ended up with no food or shelter leaving them worried and disappointed.
Anthill Collective generously offered to paint an amazing graffiti mural in the Music Room at the Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA). Scottie Raymond, Brian Clark and Jared Mattes, artists from Anthill Collective, are on St. Thomas for a few days and have chosen to paint three murals, possibly four if time permits. They are working closely with the Youth Development Academy and will be painting at Mandela Circle. VIMSIA was fortunate enough to be picked as one of these places.
The Anthill Collective is based out of Vermont and its artists have been working together for the last five years, travelling all over the world spreading color and art. The Anthill Collective, named after the fact that ants are notoriously much stronger when the work together, is on a mission to "make things beautiful, spread color to places that would have otherwise been neglected and make it something that people can enjoy" said Raymond, adding that they want "to take art outside of the white cube." All three well renowned artists originally got their start creating graffiti under bridges and on trains, but as they met and worked with various artists around the world their skills progressed and they ended up forming their own company.
With the help of VIMSIA parent Dan Lewin, the Anthill Collective artists made the connection with VIMSIA Art Coordinator Jana Ferguson. It was Ferguson's responsibility to facilitate the project and set up a workshop with the students where they gave input for the mural design -such as featuring VIMSIA's beloved (and recently passed) blue and gold macaw "Sweetie Pie." Grades 7-12 students worked with the artists all day Thursday, helping with layout sketches, rolling paint, and blending and practicing different spray techniques.
"We love these opportunities because every now and again you get that one kid in a class full of kids that says 'this is my thing,' and we can offer them that without them having to have that scary run away from the police." said Raymond.
Ferguson was thrilled that Peter Gruber International Academy students were able to participate and take part in this amazing masterpiece. "I want students to experience gratitude for having Anthill Collective travel here to add art to our island. The team wanted to beautify St. Thomas after our Irmaria experiences in order to contribute to our community. The three of them came to donate their time and skills and we just got lucky because of our parent connection” said Ferguson. Adding that she hopes students will "look at art from different avenues - not everyone loves what is considered traditional art - so I hope this opens their eyes to all the different opportunities out there."
VIMSIA would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Anthill Collective for not only selecting VIMSIA as one of their projects, but for inspiring students and parents.
Ms. Ludick's Upper Elementary class organized a bake sale in efforts to fund their end of year class trip. Thank you to all those who supported by donating desserts and eating them!
Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy (VIIMSIA) took part in the National Student Walk Out on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. ABC’s Good Morning America has confirmed that out of the 2,500 school participating, VIMSIA would be one of five schools streaming a live feed in Mountain and Central time zones.
The #NationalSchoolWalkout, spearheaded by EMPOWER, the youth branch of the Women’s March group that organized women’s marches against President Donald Trump across the country, calls for students, teachers, school administrators, parents and allies to take part in a for 17 minutes at 10 a.m. across every time zone on March 14, 2018 “to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods,” according to EMPOWER.
Peter Gruber International Academy (PGIA) students had the choice to participate in this movement or sit out - as it was a student drive initiative. "As a school that values peace, we felt the need to support our students and provide them a platform to voice their concerns - if they so choose" commented VIMSIA's Dean of Students, Michele Weichman. With the support of faculty, teachers and administrators, PGIA students coordinated a peaceful ceremony to pay their respects for the Marjory Stoneman Douglass victims. Almost each student took time to create posters with demands and messages of hope. Seventeen students volunteered to create posters for the 14 students and 3 staff members that were killed during the brutal mass shooting. Throughout the 17 minutes of silence, students called out the name of each victim on the top of every minute and displayed their posters to their peers - many of them mentioned what each student did such as: soccer player, loved the arts, etc. It was a touching way to commemorate the lives of all who passed, and it was evident by the tears and somber faces in the audience.
“We commend our students’ desire to exercise their First Amendment right to protest as they stand in solidarity with the survivors of the Valentine’s Day massacre. The Department views this as an opportunity to teach valuable life lessons about government, citizenship, gun control and school safety,” Education Commissioner Sharon McCollum said in a statement Tuesday. Mapp said he supported students who elect to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights on this issue.
“Sadly, gun violence has become a reality our young people, in particular, must face as victims and witnesses to tragic school shootings, whether in their neighborhoods or on their campuses,” Mapp said. “It’s important that we cultivate civic responsibility amongst our youth and an obligation to the common good is an important part of civic engagement" he continued.
VIMSIA students would like to thanks Michele Weichman, Gloria Zakers, Michael Bornn, Pamela Engle, Dianne Love and all the faculty and staff for their support.
National School Walk Out
Leah Gaskin, Kobe Potter, Ver'Nele Callwood, Vanshika Lulla, T'Leah Serieux, Nalani Figueroa. BACK ROW: Candace LaPlace, Silas Wisehart, Amoi Ottley
RED HOOK, ST. THOMAS - March 7, 2018 - Senior students from Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) had the great privilege of attending the twelfth annual Gruber Awards of Science honoring Dr. Elinat Segev.
Each year the Gruber Foundation awards scientists in the fields of Cosmology, Genetics, and Neuroscience, whose groundbreaking work provides new models that inspire and enable fundamental shifts in knowledge and culture. Additionally, one new scientist receives the Young Scientist Award – aimed to recognize brilliant early career scientist from around the world – which is given out by the foundation and supported by personal funds donated by Peter and Patricia Gruber. The award provides vital funding for gifted scientists at the beginning of their research activities, and helps enrich their work.
The ceremony began with opening remarks from VIMSIA Head of School, Michael Bornn who thanked colleagues from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel for being the first to reach out post hurricane and spoke about the undying personal connection between the Peter Gruber International Academy and the Weizmann Institute of Science.
With the use of real-time live streaming, Marshall S. Levin, Chief Executive Officer for the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, welcomed this year’s award recipient Dr. Elinat Segev. Dr. Segev completed her BSc in Biology and Geology magna cum laude (2003), followed by a MSc in Earth Science (2005), and a PhD in Microbiology (2012) all from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology at Harvard Medical School from 2012 until joining the faculty of the Weizmann Institute in July 2017. Dr. Segev was accompanied by Prof. Israel Bar-Joseph, Vice President for Resource Development and Public Affairs, Weizmann Institute of Science through teleconference.
Levin highlighted the grand significance of this year’s Gruber Awards, since the original plan was not to host the awards due to hurricanes Irma and Maria. Additionally, Levin added that “although it’s the twelfth year for the award, it’s our tenth anniversary hosting the awards here” at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas. “We talked about not doing it because the island is suffering so much" said Patricia Gruber, wife of the late Peter Gruber. Piggy-backing off of Bornn’s comments about strong relationships and continuity, Levin added that this was the ultimate sign of support to push forward with the awards, especially knowing what the entire islands sustained during two Category 5 hurricanes and mentioned "we didn't want to disrupt that continuity and connection” in spite of the devastatin impact of two Category 5 hurricanes.
The Weizmann Institute of Science is well known throughout the USA and the world; however, Levin touched upon the W.O.W’s “Wonders of Weizmann” educating guests that Weizmann has had two patents per week for the last ten years, has developed seven of the top twenty-five drugs in the world and is ranked number ten in the world (out of 750 institutions) based on citation index metrics. Levin stressed the uniqueness of the Weizmann Institute adding that "people are not told what to study or what to do... it's a research institute and graduate school where they work in teams."
Dr. Segev welcomed questions from the audience. The majority of the questions were asked by VIMSIA students, with the most significant question being “what advice do you have for females wanting to pursue a career in science?” Dr. Segev answered that there absolutely is a struggle and a significant difference between males and females in science – a male dominated field. She added that it wasn’t until her mid-forties that she realized the differences and how grateful she is to be working at an intuition that advocates for equal rights and provides various methods of support, such as forums and workshops. “Women in science do face challenges. When science is part of our identity, finding a balance is difficult. Getting advice from the right people, seeking supporters, working in an arena that provides funding and resources are all ways to find balance” said Segev, adding that it’s important to “find your mentors and do not give up. If done in the right environment, you can be very successful at science and at life.”
Patricia Gruber - a philanthropist with a forward-looking approach to improving the human condition - spoke of her late husband, Peter. Together they established the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation in support of scientific research and human rights efforts, providing fellowships and scholarships. The prize program now resides at Yale University. Patricia mentioned “interactions with Weizmann are magic,” adding that while “working with a crew of creative people, anything can happen!” The common theme throughout the awards was that “Weizmann hires your brain and they want you to have fun” because no one is going to tell a Weizmann scientist what to study. Patricia added that “all of this, and all of us are a testament to resilience. Endurance is one thing, recharging is another.” The Weizmann Institute family cherishes Peter’s memory and his legacy of shared vision for the benefit of all humanity. The news of Levin’s retirement was made public by Gruber, adding how significant their work relationship has been. “He connects with people …. and wants to understand what’s important to you, and reaches deeper and deeper until he connects" says Gruber.
Given the close ties with the Weizmann Institute, VIMSIA seniors were invited to the private lunch following the awards at Grand Cru. PGIA Senior students in attendance: Leah Gaskin, Kobe Potter, Ver'Nele Callwood, Vanshika Lulla, T'Leah Serieux, Nalani Figueroa, Candace LaPlace, Silas Wisehart and Amoi Ottley
In celebration of Montessori Education Week, parents, faculty, staff and students wrote their own personal testimonies about their Montessori experience showing their support and Montessori spirit!
Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy - a Montessori and International Baccalaureate Toddler through grade twelve private school in the beautiful U.S. Virgin Islands. Ask for Admissions 340-775-6360.
VIMSIA 6936 Vessup Lane, St. Thomas USVI 00802 info@vimsia.org Phone: 340.775.6360 Maps and Directions Staff Portal
