Commissioner McCollum shares a laugh with Jason Charles, director of corporate affairs and giving at St. Thomas-based Alpine Securities, at Meet & Greet held at Government House on November 29.
Virgin Islands Department of Education Commissioner Sharon Ann McCollum, Ph.D., hosted a special meet-and-greet reception at Government House on Tuesday, November 29 to thank donors for their support of education initiatives and to display the Department’s unique programs in five targeted areas, including literacy, agriculture, career and technical education, music and sports.
The first-time event saw enthusiastic participation from more than 78 executives representing EDC companies from across the territory, as well as education supporters from various community groups and organizations. Participants visited each of the five display stations to learn more about the Department’s offerings.
“This was an informal gathering of EDC companies so they can see some of the non-traditional things we are doing, as well as an opportunity for us to say ‘thank you’ to them,” explained Commissioner McCollum. She went on to say that the event, which is expected to become an annual one, also sought to strengthen the Department’s ongoing effort to build public-private partnerships in support of education programs.
In the exhibition hall, the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge was prominently featured as part of the Literacy display. The annual program challenges students in grades K-6 to read five or more books during the summer months. The display also featured a host of other ideas for literacy programs, but that require funding to get off the ground, including the once-popular Communications Showcase.
The expansive Agriculture exhibit featured a handcrafted, 3-D model of a structure on 20 acres of local farmland as an idea for the division’s four-year projection plan. The structure would feature an aqua and hydroponics building, administrative and training center, farm, orchard, composting station and other amenities that lend themselves to sustaining the Virgin Islands agriculture product.
The Career and Technical Education (CTE) display highlighted Charlotte Amalie High School’s Academy of Finance, which has been in existence since 2010. As part of the coursework, students learn concepts of investment banking, among other topics. One of the Academy’s goals is to change the local culture to one of investing—to include strategies for raising capital, as well as understanding stocks and bonds.
The Ivanna Eudora Kean High School Marine Industry class also displayed impressive aspects of its program as part of CTE. There, students learn how to operate various welding tools, thus giving them skills that make them employable upon graduation. Displayed were a host of student-made steelwork in the form of domino pieces, a large die, and a hand that will be used as part of a steel sculpture to be erected on the school’s campus. Woodworking pieces displayed included colorful and elaborate paddle ores, also constructed by marine industry students.
The Department’s Physical Education division highlighted its sports offerings, with guests engaging education officials in discussions on tackle football, tennis, swimming and golf. While tennis, swimming and golf are not sports currently or widely offered at the territory’s public schools, plans for including or expanding these sports are being explored.
The Music division exhibit focused on technology and live musical performance, featuring a three-person ensemble of former music students and a current faculty member that provided the evening’s musical entertainment. The division also plans to implement a music certificate program in the 2017-18 School Year, and will be including music therapy as a course offering in the future.
Governor Kenneth Mapp briefly greeted guests and was pleased with the overall outcome of the event, as was Commissioner McCollum. “Governor Mapp has been very supportive of bringing this effort to pass,” Commissioner McCollum said. “It was an excellent evening and we look forward to doing this again to inform our business community of everything the Department of Education has to offer our students and the financial needs we face in realizing or maintaining these programs.”
The meet and greet was coordinated by the Department of Education’s newly established Office of Special Funding, which exists to build and maintain relationships with outside donors, as well as manage private donations given to support education initiatives.
To make a contribution to Department of Education programs, contact Karen Turnbull in the Office of Special Funding at (340) 774-0100.
