A partnership between Antilles School and the V.I. Department of Education gave local high school students the chance on May 17 to swap campuses and read to students within elementary school classrooms on St. Thomas.
The exchange was part of Antilles’ first “Canes Care” Day of Giving, a pilot project spearheaded by members of the Upper School Student Council who wanted to provide meaningful community service to organizations around the island. The students expressed particular interest early on in reading within public elementary schools on island and invited juniors and seniors from Charlotte Amalie and Ivanna Eudora Kean high schools to read to students in Antilles’ Early Learning Center and Lower School.
“We are so thrilled that this literacy initiative was executed among public and private school students,” Education Commissioner Dr. Sharon Ann McCollum said. “There is always value when students can interact with each other in meaningful ways, and today’s Reading Exchange afforded our students that opportunity. We look forward to participating in and expanding this activity next year.”
From Antilles, 50 students were split into two groups that moved between the E. Benjamin Oliver, Yvonne Milliner-Bowsky, Lockhart, Ulla F. Muller, Jane E. Tuitt and Gladys Abraham elementary schools, while CAHS and Kean each sent 10 students to Antilles for reading sessions with the toddler through fifth grade classes.
“The student reading exchange today was a huge success,” St. Thomas-St. John Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Michael Harrigan, said. “At all levels, it was an exceptional and positive experience, as it promoted literacy as well as collaboration amongst the schools. In fact, the student reading exchange was so well-received that planning has already begun to continue the literacy initiative in the fall.”
Besides the Literacy Exchange, Antilles continued its Day of Giving with beach clean ups, volunteering at pet shelters and participating in an island-wide emergency preparedness drill, among other activities.
“Continuing our tradition of service learning and creating relationships that foster positive community relations – particularly with other schools – is the true vision behind ‘Canes Care,’” Marva Bennett, Antilles’ Middle and Upper School Division Head said. “All the schools participating today were united in their sense of purpose, and I also found that everywhere I went, I saw the students were having fun, and that the experience was fulfilling and re-energizing for them.”
Antilles School expresses heartfelt thanks to Dr. McCollum, Michael Harrigan and the entire team from the V.I. Department of Education; Jenny Hawkes of My Brother’s Workshop; the Humane Society; and Mr. Irvin Mason, Sr., along with VITEMA.
