Giving Tuesday - So it Begins!

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Giving Tuesday at VIMSIA started out this morning with a buzz (a coffee buzz, that is). Thank you Cathy and Ramsey Smith of Virgin Islands Coffee Roasters and Lattes in Paradise for providing coffee and cups. Our cool coffee sleeves were designed by our very own talented Montessori students.   Enjoy your morning - more to come!

Haven't made your donation yet?  We'll make it easy for you - click here!  Remember to post your giving activity on your Facebook page and Twitter accounts - #givingtuesday.  Thank you! 

Design Class Cardboard Boat Races!

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Dr. Staples' 10th grade design class has been working on designing and building cardboard boats this year.  Each group was tasked with designing and building a boat out of 4 cardboard Home Depot boxes and tape.  

Today was race day at Secret Harbor.  Our PGIA students kept the tourists well-entertained this afternoon.   Big thanks to John Phillips at West Indies Wind Surfing for lending us the kayak paddles.  

We will let the videos tell the story.  Suffice it to say - learning can be fun!

The PGIA's 10th grade design class was given an assignment to build a boat out of cardboard and a few other specific items. The project culminated in this boat race held at Secret Harbor. Great project! Kudos Dr. Staples.

DP Dancers - Workshop on the Royal Caribbean with Cast of Mama Mia!

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Ms. Helen Sidiropoulos and he DP Dancers partook in an educational tour & dance workshop with the cast of Mama Mia on the Royal Caribbean Allure Cruise Ship. Our students learned part of the original choreography of the finale piece of Mama Mia and performed it on the Amber Stage on the Allure Ship this past Wednesday. This was all made possible by Harbour Pilot Captain John Amaro & the production staff of the Allure Cruise Ship. It was truly an unforgettable experience and our students were very inspired and grateful to have the opportunity to perform with professional dancers!

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)

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!

Yucatàn End Session Group Visits the Cenotes

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Sean on his trek down (through this itty bitty space!) to an underground cenote

Sean on his trek down (through this itty bitty space!) to an underground cenote

Dear parents:

We write tonight after a day filled with excitement and great memories. Students selected experiences that included a visit to three cenotes in Cuzama or a visit to the Great Mayan Museum of Merida followed by a local spa session. 

The cenote group took a colectivo to get from our hotel to Cuzuma. Once there, they got in motor taxis to make their way to the three cenotes. There, they navigated the deep misteries and secrets of Mayan culture. The experience was one of a kind and they all had a great time. 

The Mayan Museum group was taken by the amazing exhibit and the interactive presentations throughout the building. Our students got a chance to share time with a local school group who was also there for a visit. Students were in awe of the beauty of each item they saw and spoke with the curators as much as they were able to. After this, a visit to a local spa gave them a chance to experience the manners and charm of a yucateca host. 

As you can see, this was a day to be remembered. Tomorrow we head to Chichen Itza, we will tell you all about it in a few days. 

Feeling grateful for the opportunity,

Dean Vazquez and the crew

Chichen Itza Visit for Yucatàn End Session Group

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Dear parents:  

A quick note today to keep you posted. We had a great day yesterday. It started early with our visit to the temples and city of Chichen Itza. 

We had an educational tour of the ancient city, followed by lunch, local shopping, and pool time at the Mayaland Hotel. The day ended with the light and sound show in the Chichen Itza grounds. 

We got back around 11:30 pm and it was another amazing day. 

Happy Sunday!

Dean Vazquez 

Letter from the Yucatàn End Session Group

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Cancun Underwater Museum

Cancun Underwater Museum

 
Maya with one of the statues they will see on their underwater museum tour

Maya with one of the statues they will see on their underwater museum tour

We have now had two full days of great fun and adventure. We have gotten to know Cancun, traveling by public bus and really experiencing how the everyday folk here moves about and interacts with the city. 

Yesterday we saw the MUSA underwater sculptures and park, a sight to be remembered. Following that, we visited a local mall, ending the day with a bouncing indoor park experience called "Sky Zone".  

It was great to see students throughout the days speak Spanish to the locals, read signs and look for directions, make accounts about their money considering the exchange rate and such. Many were looking for items to bring back that would be just the right fit for their loved ones. Indeed a cultural immersion they will remember for life. 

Today, the Yucatecos head to Merida and the adventure shall continue. We will remain in touch and will share pictures soon. 

With excitement, 

Dean Vazquez 

Bon Voyage to our Yucatàn End Session Crew

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Viajes seguros, safe travels, to Mr. Elger, Señora Vazquez, Ms. Ferguson and their 17 PGIA student travelers as they are on their way to Mexico for a week of Spanish language immersion, arts and local culture.  Exploring Chichen Itza, snorkeling in the Cancun Underwater Museum MUSA and in the cenotes of Mexico's Yucatàn Peninsula, swimming with whale sharks....and, of course, que estarán hablando en español!  Jealous anyone?  I am!

Amsterdam Update

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Good night everyone,

Today was a day that began for me when I was in second grade and discovered the artist/crazy mathematician MC Escher. We took a day trip to The Hague to visit the Escher Museum and saw many of his original works. There were also many interactive exhibits that were simply fascinating. So so so so cool!  We saw the church where Farenheit is buried, the grave of Spinoza, the congress buildings for the Netherlands, a beautiful park, cool sculptures around the city, and an antiques market. We ate a leisurely lunch in a huge square and enjoyed people watching. We travelled back to Amsterdam and had dinner at De Food Hallen, the same place we ate on our first night because it was that good. We all tried different things tonight and everything was oh so yummy. We are all going to miss the food! Tomorrow, Vanshika will be with her aunt, Donovan will take the girls shopping, and I will visit with a Dutch family we were close with during our time in the Republic of Georgia. We will all meet at the Pancake Boat for a canal cruise and all you can eat pancakes! Until then...hugs and misses from Amsterdam.

Lots of love,
The Amsterdam Girls

PGIA Graduates Largest Class Ever!

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Peter Gruber International Academy Class of 2016

Peter Gruber International Academy Class of 2016

Sunday, May 22, was a glorious day at VI Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy.  Seventeen bright and beautiful graduates of the PGIA took their final walk as high school students.   These 17 promising young people are ready, nervous, anxious, excited, scared - you name it - to start the next chapter of their lives.

All 17 students will be attending university in the fall.  They were accepted to over 50 universities and received scholarships of over $4 million.

Marcus Norkaitis leads the class as Valedictorian.  Naren Advani is Salutatorian.  Nicholas Figueroa was chosen by his class as the class speaker.  Jessie Wyatt was awarded the Masjid Nur Organization's International-Mindedness Scholarship.  Mrs. Elger had the honor of addressing the students as their choice for teacher speaker - not a dry eye in the house!  Mr. David Edward Garcia, a "pent-lingual" teen motivational speaker and comedian was the keynote speaker...and he was a hit!

Imani Sidiropolous-Kearney returned to the PGIA from her first year at Johnson and Wales to graduate with her classmates. Imani attended Johnson and Wales during 2015/2016 to complete her senior year of high school and begin her undergraduate studies.  

Our graduates will be attending:

  • Naren Advani, Elon University (Elon, NC)
  • Kiyalyn Bump, Dalhousie University (Halifax, Canada)
  • Shakima Esprit, The University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, USVI)
  • Ca-Jani Fahie, Indiana Institute of Technology (Fort Wayne, IN)
  • Nicholas Figueroa, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, FL)
  • Abraham Hamed, Valencia College (Orlando, FL)
  • Christian Kean, American University (Washington DC)
  • Naomi Laing, University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
  • Germaine LaRonde, King University (Bristol, TN)
  • Xiara Lima, Lynn University (Boca Raton, FL)
  • Christopher Murphy, The University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, USVI)
  • Marcus Norkaitis, Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
  • Dakarai Potter, Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • Khalese Potter, American University (Washington DC)
  • Isabel Setorie, Drew University (Madison, NJ)
  • Imani Sidiropolous-Kearney, Johnson and Wales (continuing)
  • Jesse Wyatt, St. John's University (Queens, NY), or Lincoln Christian University (Lincoln, IL), or Ball State University (Muncie, IN)

SCUBA End Session

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We managed to complete the skin diving and two first confined water training dives on Tuesday. All students successfully demonstrated their water skills. Here are some pictures from our first day in the water. Our first encounters included a squadron of 4 squid and this spider crab. Looking forward to another set of dives today and tomorrow.  - Marc Corbeil, Math Teacher and Scuba Instructor. 

Update from our Amsterdam Crew!

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Good night everyone,

We began the day with emotions of children...bliss, glee, and terror! We spent three hours biking in the park, one of the largest in the city. Two of us were fairly novice riders, hence terror. Three of us were gleeful. And one of us was experiencing pure bliss! This was the reason she came to Amsterdam. It was also great people and dog watching. We returned the bikes and grabbed lunch. We walked the long way to the Anne Frank House shopping, seeing tulips, and taking in mathie sights along the way. We waited in line and then experienced sadness, grief, and empathy as we toured the home. "It was definitely a learning experience," said one student. "It made it real," said another. It impacted me greatly...there really are no words. We then went to Donovan and Klaus' house for a typical Dutch home cooked meal. Their neighbor, Ms. Kitty, came over for dinner as well. She began telling her story of being in an internment camp in Indonesia when she was a child and coming to the Netherlands as a refugee. Amazing conversations ensued over delicious food. We left the apartment and went shopping because the stores were open late. Tomorrow we have a busy busy day ahead. We are definitely making the most of our experiences here. Misses to each of you and hugs from the Amsterdam girls.

Take care,
Elizabeth

Having a great time in Amsterdam!

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Good night everyone,

What an incredible day we've had!  We started off at the I AMSTERDAM sign...such a cool landmark. We then visited the Van Gogh Museum...breathtaking. We ventured across the street to a modern art museum that provoked varied reactions among the group and prompted some interesting discussions. We headed to a market for lunch but ended up eating at a cafe to avoid a light shower. We then took in the market and walked to one of the biggest squares in Amsterdam. We explored the red light district which is also the medieval center and discussed many math related landmarks. Again, very cool discussions ensued. We shopped and bought various treats on our walk back to the hotel. We rested for a bit and then headed to dinner at an Indian restaurant. Delicious! Tomorrow we visit a local museum, the Anne Frank House, go to Donovan's house for dinner and shop, shop, shop! It was a long day of walking and seeing lots of sights.  It was also a little cold. The girls were all amazing troopers and are really soaking up the experience in very unique ways. I'm really enjoying seeing this experience through their eyes.  I'll send more pictures tomorrow but enjoy these for now!

Hugs from Amsterdam

Amsterdam End Session Arrives

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Good night everyone,

We are here safe and sound. We were greeted by Donovan. We took a train in to the city and then a tram to our hotel...which is so cool and artsy. We all love it. We showered, which felt amazing!  Donovan then walked us to the Food Hall which used to be a tram repair shop.  Gorgeous architecture. The hall had every kind of food you can imagine and live music. It was awesome people watching and AMAZING food. We soaked it all up. On our way back to the hotel we stopped at the grocery market to get a few things for breakfast. Cool choices and delicious looking fruit.  I then tucked everyone in with goodnight hugs and off to dreamland we are heading.Tomorrow we are visiting the Van Gogh Museum first. I'm not sure what all Donovan has planned after that but I know it'll be amazing. All six of us are in love with the city...a bit colder than we thought but still really awesome!

I'll write more tomorrow. 

Hugs

Mrs. Elger

Bon Voyage - Amsterdam End Session on their way!

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Bon Voyage to our "Math in Amsterdam" End Session group.  They are off for a week in Amsterdam with former PGIA Math Teacher (and self-proclaimed Math Geek) Mr. Donovan Carroll.  Mr. Carroll has developed a program called, you guessed it, Math in Amsterdam!  Five of our PGIA students are traveling with Ms. Elger to meet up with Mr. Carroll in Amsterdam and get their own personal course, direct from the Master!  They return to PGIA campus with Mr. Carroll in tow, to bring his math skills back to St. Thomas for another week of Math in St. Thomas?!  

Mr. Carroll will also be presenting a Mathemagics presentation on campus June 6 or 7 - watch for details.

Safe Voyage, to our PGIA international travelers!