A "Going out" with Ms. Keating, Ms. Hess and Ms. Santiago

On Friday, April 15, our lower elementary students from Ms. Keating and Ms. Hess’ class had a “Going Out” trip to Vessup Beach. After hiking down to their final location, they enjoyed lunch under the shade of the National Park trees, spying objects in the water from the dock, and participating in individual and team-building activities. From the joy on the student’s faces when they returned and from the photos below, it was a fun afternoon for all!

NASA Visits VIMSIA May 9

VIMSIA is proud to host a group of six NASA scientists and engineers for a Student Science Day during our regular school hours.  Students will see and experience great science and tech throughout the day courtesy of our NASA guests.  Topics to be covered include: Environmental Engineering, Applied Physics, Medical Science, Structural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Development and Computer Science.

Register for events and/or read more about NASA's visit and how they will be reaching out to USVI students and educators during the first week of May.

VIMSIA Wins Participation award and more at the Rotary Sunrise Triathlon

Saturday morning, April 9th, many of our VI Montessori and Peter Gruber International Academy students participated in the annual Rotary Sunrise Triathlon held at Magen’s Bay. The event, which hosts swimming, biking and running as the competitive events, had over 140 students starting their morning at the beach.

VIMSIA students joined the fun as individuals or as team participants and all did a fantastic job. The VIMSIA winners for the different age groups are listed below:

Age Group 12-15

Individual Boys: 1st Place Taber Helton 26:50; 2nd Place Teagan Kappel 33.13

Relay Teams: 3rd Place Max Wilson, Diego Viegas, Amir Ottley 29:03

Age Group 9-11

Individual Girls: 1st Place Kaia Anspacher 12:23; 2nd Place Gabriela Brunt 13:32

Relay Teams: 1st Place Thomas Brunt, Christian Belcher, Chris Griffith 12:43; 3rd Place Paschal Bryan, Rohan Nagi, Ka’eo Brown 13:40

Age Group 5-8

Individual Girls: 1st Place Sofia Kappel 8:23

Relay Teams: 1st Place Santiago Brunt, Alex Brunt, Andy Bornn 6:59; 3rd Place Fiona Dodson, Aurora Rodriquez, Mariana Brunt 8:01

VIMSIA's Chess Team takes 9th Place at National Tournament

VIMSIA students Amir, Aidan, Kinze and Chris competed at the U.S. Chess Federation National Championships over the weekend.  As a team, these two 4th years and two 6th years were competing against Middle and High School teams from around the country.  There were 1,460 players at the event. The VIMSIA team competed against about 30 teams that were in their section.  They came in with a solid 9th place - with trophies awarded up to the top ten finishers.  Looks like we are going to need that big  trophy case!  Way to go Volts.  Interesting factoid - these four students are also USVI Territorial Soccer Champs.  IB Learning trait = "Well Balanced", and so many more!  

 Kudos to our Chess-letes and thanks to Mr. Allen, Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Gever for being there for them.

Shout out to 5th year Annabelle , who was also to attend but was unable to make the event due to travel difficulties - you'll get 'em next time Annabelle!

Celebration of Literacy

Hannah Ballas, Darby Williams, Aashish Ramchand, and Jako Ethridge, four PGIA students volunteered this past Wednesday, March 30th to read to Grade 6 students at BCB Middle School in celebration of Literacy Week. 

Congratulations to Radiance Peets!

The St. Thomas Virgin Islands Coalition for Drug Free Youth announced its first ever "My Voice – Our Community" poster and jingle competition last month. This competition was designed to give youth in St. Thomas the opportunity to demonstrate their voices and opinions, to make a difference, and have a positive effect on reducing the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol. The competition provided a platform through which youth and schools had a unique and educational way of expressing being drug-free. Across St. Thomas, several students joined in promoting a positive message by creating audio jingles and posters that expressed how to make a difference in reducing the abuse of drugs (marijuana) and alcohol.

We offer huge congratulations to Radiance Peets for winning first place in her age category, 15 to 17 year olds, and representing our school. We are so proud of you!

Chess Tournament Update

The St. Thomas/St. John Chess Club members are in the midst of their first day of competition at the U.S. Chess Federation Scholastic Nationals in Atlanta.  

Mr. Gever is sending us updates as they come in.  Looks like a good first round for Chris.

There are 38 states with close to 1500 students participating!  

One more round today, 3 rounds tomorrow and 2 on Sunday.  We will try to keep you posted!  

Bon Voyage - Chess Athletes Off to Atlanta

Bon voyage and bon chance to our St. Thomas - St. John Youth Scholastic Chess Club members that are off to Atlanta Georgia this morning for the U.S. Chess Federation National Championships.  

17 V.I. students, five of whom are VIMSIA students, will be participating in the event.  VIMSIA will also be representing the V.I. in the team competition.  Kinze, Amir, Aiden, Chris and Annabelle - Upper Elementary students, will be testing their skills against other chess players from around the country.  Huge kudos to Sinclair Wilkinson and VIMSIA Coach Darryl Allen for mentoring these students and providing this great opportunity.  We will keep you posted on results! 

Daily News Post

"It Takes a Village" - Thank You Enrichment Volunteers

PGIA Enrichment happens every Wednesday afternoon.  Ms. Helen is able to coordinate talented volunteers from our community to work with our students' doing something they can all feel passionate about.  

"It takes a village to raise a child"    and we are so blessed here at VIMSIA with our amazing village!  Thank you so much to our volunteers.

Mr. Richard Berry who runs the PGIA Organic Garden

Ms. Pamela New from UVI - Reader's Theater / Shakespeare

Mr. Clay Jones of sevenminusseven -Photography

Master Edward Scott - Martial Arts

Mr. Fong and Ms. Schlesinger - Coding Plus Plus

Ms. Tess - Yearbook

Ms. Francis - VI Culture

Thank you and we love you all!

Montessori Students Speak in United Nations General Assembly

Two of our VIMSIA students were called upon to speak at Montessori Model United Nations last week.

Some Spanish Exchange Students See Snow for the First Time!

Lots of great new experiences for our PGIA students abroad at the Casvi School in Madrid.  One of which, at least for Kira and Aviella, was seeing snow for the first time!

PGIA Exchange Students Visit Spain's Ministry of Education

At the Ministry of education

The center of Villaviciosa de Odon

The Royal Palace

From our chaperone, Ms. Brigitte Bornn ~

Good afternoon, parents.  We had a great excursion today! We were invited to visit for awhile at Spain's Ministry of Education department.  We had a meeting in the legislature with the Ministress herself that was very delightful.  She spoke with our students in Spanish only and our students did very well, asking and answering articulately in Español.  I was so very proud of them! 

MMUN Opening Day!

“Emotionally supercharged by a an ocean of kids, teachers, and chaperones working together for world peace at the opening and tenth anniversary of the Montessori Model United Nations, New York. Kids were told that their voice can make a difference, that their light can change the darkness of war, fear, discrimination, hunger, and the negative changes affecting our global climate . They were each given a light to shine in the darkness of the room as they were told with emblazoned passion they can make a difference ! Wow wow wow !!!”

— Lawrence Aqui, parent and chaperone

Bon Voyage to Our MMUN Delegates!

Bon voyage to our sixth graders from Ms. Batten and Ms. Morrison's classes that are attending the Montessori Model United Nations Conference in New York City this week.  This will be VIMSIA 7th (at least??) year attending the conference.

“On my way to the Montessori Model United Nations, New York, where my daughter Maia will be addressing the topic of Cyber Security in Viet Nam !!!”

— Lawrence Aqui, Parent and Chaperone

From the MMUN Website:

Model United Nations is a simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. In Model UN, students step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization’s agenda. While playing their roles as ambassadors, student “delegates” make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the Model UN conference rules of procedure – all in the interest of mobilizing “international cooperation” to resolve problems that affect countries all over the world.

Before playing out their ambassadorial roles in a Model UN simulation, students research the issue that their committee will address. Model UN participants learn how the international community acts on its concerns about topics including peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development and globalization. Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, goals and foreign policies of the countries they will represent at the event. The insights they gain from their exploration of history, geography, culture, economics and science contribute to the authenticity of the simulation when the role playing gets under way. The delegates’ in-depth knowledge of their countries guarantees a lively and memorable experience.

- Read more

Elementary students hear beloved “wimpy kid” author speak

To celebrate Read Across America Day, elementary students were invited to participate in a webinar with Jeff Kinney, author of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.  Viewings were held in Ms. Batten's and Ms. Huber's classrooms. Kinney spoke about his beginnings as a cartoonist, how he became an author, and showed his virtual visitors around his studio. Participants were able to submit questions, and although none of our students’ questions were chosen, students had a great time thinking up good ones to ask!  All twenty copies of Kinney's books are currently checked out of our library.

Read Across America Day annually takes place on Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March 2.  Many classes also read his books aloud to remember and honor his important contribution to children’s literature.

Bon Voyage PGIA Students to Madrid!

Last week we bid farewell to the Spanish exchange students that were here at VIMSIA for six weeks, and this week we send off our own PGIA contingent to visit their school in Madrid for six weeks.  

Qué increíble oportunidad !  We are so proud of you all for being IB risk-takers and for paving the way for future PGIA language exchange students!  Felicitaciones - que son increíbles !

Service News from PGIA

Nurturing service-oriented, creative members of our society is an important goal of the PGIA.  In the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (DP) students are required to complete personally meaningful projects as part of the Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) program.  In the Middles Years Program (MYP), students participate in the Service and Action (SA) program.  Big congratulations to Xiara, (Grade 12) and Taber, (Grade 7) for being the first students to successfully complete the CAS (DP) and SA (MYP) programs this year!

Dean Vazquez shared, “I am so impressed by both students’ learning experiences and the fact that both exceeded the requirements of our school. I loved seeing them embrace the programs and achieve balance between their academic works and giving of themselves to the community they are a part of. During my meetings with these young people, I was inspired by both, and enjoyed getting to know the great human beings they are.”  

2015 Miss America Visits PGIA

The PGIA had an assembly on Friday, January 22nd where Kira Kazantsev, Miss America 2015, visited and spoke to students in grades 7-12. Kira spoke about healthy relationships and preventing domestic violence.  This was her platform when she was running for Miss America and during her reign.  It continues to be her passion now that she has passed the crown on to her 2016 successor. 

In the Miss America assembly, Kira shared her personal experience with domestic violence in college. She discussed the mission, "Love Shouldn't Hurt: Protecting Women Against Domestic Violence." Kira educated students about signs of domestic violence and how to get help if someone is in an unsafe relationship.

Kira taught students about the 4 points of the crown: Style, Success, Service, and Scholarship. She discussed how these 4 points can apply to many areas of life, and how they can be used as a guide toward accomplishing tasks and reaching goals.

Many people may be familiar with Kira's movement, "Put a nail in it!" In this movement, celebrities, sports stars, and people all over the world, men and women alike, paint their relationship commitment finger (usually the left hand ring finger) the color PURPLE to signify their commitment to ending domestic violence and pursuing healthy relationships. Purple is a color that signifies domestic violence awareness. 

Coming-In

Ms. Batten's class had an exciting “coming in” last week! Julius Jackson, a VI native and Olympic boxer, came in and was interviewed by two students researching Julius and his father, Julian, for their "Night at the Museum" project.  Kaia, (6th year) and Ava Jayne, (6th year)  were able to collect first-hand information to expand their research, using  Media Interview Survey and Observation (MISO) at its finest!  Some other interviews included Verne Hodge, Rock City's Theron and Timothy Thomas, and the family of the late Judge Almeric Christian.  Thank you to all who helped make these interviews happen!

First Year Volt Basketball Team Epitomizes "True Grit"

In our first year for girls' varsity basketball, these Volts showed guts, determination and a wonderful sense of humor, as they took on the 'CANES at Antilles yesterday! 

Due to team injuries/illness, with Germaine and Isa on the bench for support, we began with only four players, (no substitutes on the bench!), against their fully stocked team of five on the court, (and as many on the bench). Nalani, who was playing a fantastic game, was taken down by a block by Antilles defense as she was taking a shot, and sadly her fall, reinjured her knee and she was out for the rest of the game. The team of 3 soldiered on, with a ratio of 3 to 5 players on court, and Radiance, Daicya and Maya excelled in stopping Antilles from driving up their score, with incredible defense, and managed to run the ball down for another goal by Radiance. 

We may not have earned the title of the 'Little Team That Could', but our girls Varsity basketball team certainly encapsulated all the IB principles; of focus, persistence, courage, ethical behavior, and great humor and sports womanship- even when Radiance was fallen on by the opposition, she laughed through almost crying! Maya was a spitfire running the court, always being under the hoop to take on the opposition's shooter, and Daicya, the epitome of fearless and 'island- tough', made it known to the opposition that she was ready to take on anyone with the ball. This is a team that has come from nothing in their first season. Kudos to All: Coach JD, Captain- Germaine, Radiance, Isa, Daycia, Nalani, Maya and Kobe! Go VOLTS!!!

Contributed by Pamela New.