The term “summer school” took on a new meaning over the past five weeks for 48 seventh graders enrolled in St. Thomas’ first ever Junior University program, which came to an end Friday with graduation ceremonies at the University of the Virgin Islands.
Faced with the choice of either participating in the program or repeating the seventh grade, the group hit the classrooms this summer to pick up the academic and life skills they needed to matriculate in school. Classes were held at UVI’s St. Thomas campus, whose faculty and student teaching staff pitched in with the lessons.
An initiative of the District Office of the Insular Superintendent within the Education Department, Junior University was also hosted by UVI’s “Brothers With a Cause," an all-male organization on campus created by university President David Hall to give the students all the tools and resources they need in order to graduate. Like “Brothers With a Cause,” Junior University targeted male students in transition between junior high and high school.
Hall and the rest of the Junior University faculty were present at Friday’s graduation ceremony, which marked the students’ successful completion of the program. But speakers warned that even though the five weeks were up, the students would still have to continue putting in the hard work needed to get them through high school and in to college.
“Don’t even call it college,” St. Thomas-St. John Insular Superintendent Jeanette Smith-Barry said. “Call it higher education and don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do it.”
Friday’s program included several presentations where the students highlighted what they learned in their classes. One set of presentations were a series of videos called “radio plays,” where groups acting out scripts showed off their reading and creative expression skills. Another group discussed a poster project on “brainology,” where they identified each portion of the brain and how it functions. That class, led by UVI psychology professor Kathleen Dudemaine, focused on brain health and nourishment.
“We’re all here because we knew we had a purpose, we had a vision,” Cira E. Burke, director of intervention services for the Education Department said during the ceremony. “The vision that we can never give up on our children, never give up on our students.”
Students and other speakers also paid tribute during the program to UVI professor and Junior University coordinator Ricardo Caldwell, who recently suffered a stroke.
Addelita Cancryn Junior High School seventh grader Akwany Dore was the featured student speaker during the ceremony, and made the audience laugh by talking about the food the students got to eat each day and how the university’s cold classrooms gave them an excuse to go outside on sunny days. Dore said in a later interview that he was scared once he found out that he had failed seventh grade and was afraid of disappointing his parents.
“My mother made me do this program because it was important for us that I get into eighth grade,” Dore said. “But I am glad I did it. I feel proud of myself now. I’m still upset that I did badly and had to come, but I feel lucky that I was one of the students that was chosen.”
Dore said his favorite part about the program was learning from UVI’s teachers.
“They were so nice and helped you whenever you needed them,” he said. “And when you asked a question, even though there were other people asking questions too, they always made sure to come to you and listened to what you had to say.”
Dore said the program has made him want to do better in school and inspired him to work hard to get to college, where he wants to major in veterinary medicine. During the program, speakers said they knew many of the other students had the same kind of goals.
“When I look out at you all today, I see potential, I see promise, I see people of hope, of strength and courage,” said Haldine Davies, UVI’s program activities director. “I see people who will lead the Virgin Islands for years to come"
