Denise Gomes, VIDE program manager, presents at the first V.I. Peer Exchange Network meeting on May 10 at UVI, St. Croix. The gathering brought together educators from the U.S. Outlying Areas and Territories.
A small, dynamic group of educators from the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) on Tuesday, May 10, 2016, huddled in a Peer Exchange Network (PEN) at the Albert Sheen campus of the University of the Virgin Islands to brainstorm, and share ideas and information on integrating cultural aspects to achieve academic success.
It was the first day of the federally-funded Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy (SRCL) Project that focuses on the “Culturally Responsive Literacy Approaches to College and Career Readiness” for students in the American Territories. The conference, dubbed V.I. PEN was held in the Virgin Islands for the first time. Representatives from the SRCL grantees on the U.S. Mainland and the Territories come together at least every four months in a PEN sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. As a hosting grantee, the V.I. Department of Education (VIDE) co-sponsored the V.I. PEN along with U.S. DOE. Representatives to the V.I. PEN came from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam and Washington, D.C.
Participants from the Virgin Islands promoted the uniqueness of their islands during their lively interactive Power Point presentations. St. Croix Superintendent of Schools Colleen Mae Williams, speaking on behalf of the V.I. Department of Education, welcomed the educators from across the seas, telling them, “Even though we are miles apart, we have so much in common, and I think that’s going to come out as we dialogue and talk for the next two days,” she began. “The cultural aspect of this whole process is something that I think will enrich all of us because we are going to see how we are interconnected and I think our culture at some point intertwines even though we are miles apart.”
Superintendent Williams, in pledging the government support for SRCL, added, “Our Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner and the governor are very much in tune with the needs of our children and they are looking forward to as much collaboration as possible with all of our partners whether it is on the outlying areas or the U.S. Mainland because we all have the same goals in common to improve the literacy for our children and close the gaps that occur throughout our education spectrum. “
Superintendent Williams comments were reinforced by former high school teacher, Denise Gomes, a VIDE Program Manager and chief organizer of V.I. PEN in the Territory. Gomes’ presentation titled, “Preparing Students in American Territories for the 21st Century Literacy” hit home when she discussed the diction and customs unique to the Virgin Islands. Gomes also shared a V.I. SRCL success story in progress where the V.I. school districts are working with the Head Start program to build the oral language development skills of four-year-old students transitioning into Kindergarten.
Other VIDE presentations in V.I. PEN focused on Special Education, Bilingual Education, literacy building strategies and cultural education.
Valrica Bryson, VIDE Director of Cultural Education, in her interactive session brought everyone to their feet to engage in storytelling and game playing island-style.
The overseas participants also presented strategies that they are using at home to integrate culture into the curriculum to increase literacy achievement. Topics shared included the use of song, stories, and technology for achievement. They also shared success stories.
The guests were treated to a Crucian lunch, accompanied by island music coming from the Elena Christian Jr. High School Steel Orchestra directed by Ms. Shasha Alexander, and were curious about the rhythmic sounds originating from the steel drums. They spent a lot of time closely examining the instruments.
The second day of the V.I. PEN workshop was an educational field day for the off-island participants. They visited the Juanita Gardine Elementary School and the nearby Head Start Center in Estate Richmond to see first-hand the results of professional development provided through the V. I. SRCL grant.
“I think the participants fully enjoyed the conference and benefitted immensely from the topics presented,” Ms. Gomes said. Gomes participated in several PEN conferences on the U.S. mainland recently and one in Guam last year.
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American Samoa educators, Atalina Coffin, left, and Netini Sene work on developing common educational strategy for the U.S.Outlying Areas at V.I. PEN conference May 10 at UVI’s campus, St. Croix. |
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Guam delegation, Joy Woodward, left, Madrid Borja, center, and Celina Higa show off their souvenir bags at V. I. PEN conference at U.V.I.’s campus. |
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VIDE Director of Cultural Education Valrica Bryson explains the link between storytelling/songs and literacy at V.I. PEN conference on May 10 at UVI’s Albert Sheen Campus. |
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Guests from American Samoa carefully record steel band music as the Elena Christian Jr. High Steel Orchestra performs during a break at the SRCL V.I. PEN conference at St. Croix’s UVI campus on Tuesday, May 10. |
