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Summary of Observations from Meetings with
Community Leaders in Virgin Gorda
November 3-13, 2006
During meetings with the Virgin Gorda community: business owners, educators, church leaders, government officials expressed a growing concern for the lack of leadership development opportunities for the island’s youth
Virgin Gorda has a legacy of strong leaders who have contributed to the social and economic development of the British Virgin Islands. They have worked hard and are justifiably proud of their accomplishments. Historically, economic conditions have required people from Virgin Gorda to travel to other islands in search of work. During the 1920-30’s, men traveled to the Dominican Republic to work on the sugar plantations. Sadly one boat overturned in a storm -- taking the lives of many men -- and leaving a community of women to raise their children. People in Virgin Gorda are now primarily merchants and entrepreneurs – and increasingly involved in the growing tourist industry.
VG has a history of embarking on innovative educational initiatives. In the 1960’s Laurence Rockefeller built the first resort in Virgin Gorda. Known for his humanistic philanthropy, Mr. Rockefeller left a powerful legacy on the island. Mr. Rockefeller had a deep respect for families and a commitment to education. Since his employees had no training in the hospitality industry and most had not graduated from high school, Mr. Rockefeller provided extensive training and education to his employees. Forty years later, several employees are still working at Little Dix. Mr. Rockefeller also invested in the education of his employees’ children, inviting the Holder’s to create the Valley Day School and donated land for the building. Initially designed as a private school, it soon became an after-school tutoring center for children all over the island. One graduate, Beryl Vanterpool, went onto college and returned to teach special education classes.
In the 1990’s Virgin Gorda experienced an economic boom with the development of private homes, rental properties and resorts. However, the educational opportunities for children on the island lagged behind. Businesses found the lack of a skilled workforce to be a serious obstacle to their ability to contribute to island’s economic success. As a result, 60% of Virgin Gorda’s workers come from other islands.
Virgin Gorda has a history of limited educational opportunities, requiring students to travel to other islands in search of a quality education. Until the 1980’s there was no high school in Virgin Gorda. Since the small boats to Tortola were dangerous for students to travel alone, many received only a primary education. Teachers chosen from among the community had only high school education, none graduated from college. The common rote system of education needs supplementing in order to prepare students to develop the critical thinking and leadership skills for the 21st century global economy.
Most business owners in Virgin Gorda send their children off-island (Tortola, St. Thomas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Barbados, U.S. and U.K.) for their secondary and even primary education. While it costs $200 a month to ferry students to Tortola to attend school, parents feel this is a necessary expense so their children can benefit from educational activities and participate in various competitions. Upon graduation, the best and brightest youth travel to the U.S. and U.K. to attend college. While some return, most find jobs elsewhere. The resulting “brain-drain” results in significant loss of talent to the Virgin Gorda community.
In order for Virgin Gorda to effectively address the emerging challenges of the inter-island/Caribbean economy of the 21st century, there is an urgent need to invest in the island’s next generation of leaders. Young people must be identified, trained, rewarded and given incentives to return to Virgin Gorda to contribute to the social and economic well-being of the Island. Given the island’s hands-on economy, there is an especially strong need to provide enrichment opportunities such as school-to-work internships and apprenticeships for Virgin Gorda students to develop practical skills and apply their education to help build a strong and sustainable economy.
Stone Soup Leadership Institute
P.O. Box 5324, Larkspur, CA 94977 * 415.912.6957
soup4world@aol.com * www.soup4world.com
Recommendations
The Virgin Gorda Youth Leadership Initiative (VGYLI) formed with community leaders from business, education, churches, government and youth to address these issues identified in the report and their growing concern for the lack of leadership development opportunities for the island’s youth.
It was requested that a proposal be developed for the Ministry of Education & Culture requesting support to continue this important community planning process and develop a comprehensive leadership training program that provides educational opportunities, collaborates with youth organizations, organizes community projects and develops public-private partnerships to prepare Virgin Gorda youth to become leaders of the 21st century.
It was recommended that the Virgin Gorda Youth Leadership Initiative be led by the Virgin Gorda community, and be open to other young people from the BVI. It was also recommended that the meetings be held on Saturdays so that other outer islands including JVD and Anegada could attend.
It was suggested that HLSCC offices in Virgin Gorda be used for the development of the VGYLI – and that the Initiative utilize technology to connect with youth and communities on other BVI islands.
It was recommended that VGYLI develop a strategy to use the media to spotlight positive actions and activities with and for young people. Since young people like to “be the star”, it was suggested that if youth were featured in print, radio and TV for positive actions, more youth would aspire to greatness.
Business owners were supportive of developing school-to-work internships and apprenticeships with successful entrepreneurs who could positively contribute to the island’s economic future.
There was a request that BVI officials travel to Virgin Gorda to participate in the VGYLI’s next meeting: December 2 at 1 p.m. at The Mineshaft.
Participants expressed gratitude to Elton Sprauve for hosting the first meeting at The Mineshaft as well as to Germaine Fritz, homeowner, A Dream Come True for her early support for the community planning process conducted by the Stone Soup Leadership Institute and to Leon Andrews, L & S Car Rental and the Kanters, Sea Palms in Mango Bay Resorts for their in-kind contributions.
Historical Background
March, 2006: the Vieques Youth Leadership Initiative organized the first Vieques-Tortola Economic-Cultural Development Delegation with Vieques Mayor Damaso Serrano Lopez with BVI Chief Minister Orlando Smith, BVI Chamber President Violet Gaul, BVI Tourism Lynette Harrigan and others. VYLI youth leaders Josue Cruz and Eliasib Utreras made a presentation to the Chief Minister, inviting him to send BVI youth to attend VYLI’s 3rd annual Summer Institute. The Delegation were honored guests at H. Laverty Stoutt College welcomed by President Michael O’Neal at the College’s Technology Center which hosted a teleconference with people in Missouri. Banco Popular Vice President Ian Smith attended the reception. VYLI young entrepreneurs were the first to participate in the Caribbean Artisan Festival. To read report: http://www.vyli.com/bvi_report/
BVI officials were impressed with VYLI youth leaders and asked the Stone Soup Leadership Institute to submit a proposal to develop a similar program in the BVI.
June, 2006: Two BVI representatives participated in the VYLI 3rd annual Summer Institute – a youth delegate from Jost Van Dyke and a mentor from from Virgin Gorda. It was a wonderful learning experience for everyone. To read VYLI’s Summer Newsletter: http://www.vyli.com/pdf/vyli_newsletter2.pdf
July, 2006: Two BVI restaurants --Brandywine Bay and Peter Island to VYLI’s 2nd annual Taste of the Islands.
August, 2006: VYLI youth leader, Josué Cruz was invited to observe the CYPCC Youth Exchange held at Lambert’s Beach. Marianne Larned, Executive Director of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute was asked to make presentation on International Youth Day. Soon after, the Institute received support to begin an exploratory community planning process from which evolved the Virgin Gorda Youth Leadership Initiative.
Observations from
Meetings held during November 3-13
Community Meeting held on Saturday, November 11 at The Mineshaft
Business Owners
Elton Sprauve, The Mineshaft
Ester Wheatley, The Fat Virgin
Kaunda Leonard, Kaunda Kysy Tropix
Leon Andrews, L&S Car Rental
Julia Donovan, Graphic Designs
Educators
Martha Holder, founding teacher, Valley Day School
Steve Lennard, HLSCC
Paul Diamond, Robinson O’Neal School
Emily Fletcher, The Mineshaft/Junior Achievement mentor, BVI representative to VYLI Summer Institute
Dr. Tunbi Adeogba, National Curriculum Redesign Project
Government Officials
Michael Donovan, Chief Inspector, Virgin Gorda
Verne Wheatley, BVI Gov’t sister island coordinator
Churches
Rev. Dr. Michael Clarke, Pastor, St. Mary’s
Fr. Larry Finnegan, Pastor, St. Ursula’s
Tony Winchester, fireman and deacon, St. Ursula’s
Invited/Informed
Rupert Vanterpool, Bucks Market
Franca Pickering, BVI CC + St. Ursala’s
Germaine Fritz, homeowner, A Dream Come True Villa
Recommended to be invited to future meeting
Beryl Vanterpool, Valley Day Clinelle Vanterpool, Teacher
Carol O’Neil, Principal Hilroy George, Principal
Mrs. Stevens, Principal Robinson O’Neal Ingrid Waters, Teacher, Robinson O’Neal
David O’Neil, Speedy’s Lorraine Williams, Social Services
Cawly Vanterpool Mrs. Henderson, Top of the Baths
BVI Government and Regional Officials informed/requested to recommend participants
Chief Minister Orlando Smith
Arlene Smith, Dept. Education and Culture Robert Chalwell, Dept Youth Affairs & Sports
Dr. Michael O’Neal, President, HLSCC Dr. John Wright, HLSCC
Sergio Estridge, HLSCC Stacy Matthews , Youth Empowerment
Violet Gaul, BVI Chamber Lynette Harrigan, BVI Tourism
Ian Smith, Banco Popular Maxwell George, First Caribbean
Recommended Youth Organizations from which to nominate youth for leadership initiative
Interact/Rotary, Lions, Junior Achievement, St. Ursula’s youth group, St. Mary’s School
The Stone Soup Leadership Institute
The Stone Soup Leadership Institute (SSLI) is a 501c3 international education organization which develops educational tools and training programs and provides technical assistance and strategic support for community initiatives for young and emerging leaders to help build a better world. Founded in 1997, we’ve worked in the Island communities of Martha’s Vineyard, Hawaii, Vieques and the Philippines and inner-cities of Baltimore, Cincinnati and Oakland. The Institute’s Honorary Chairman is Walter Cronkite. Read his message: http://www.vyli.com/muhammed_yunus/index.php
Our educational curriculum has been designed to provide comprehensive long-term systemic educational leadership development. It has been used in diverse settings in 120 communities around the world to encourage critical thinking skills and enhance the learning of middle and high school students and develop youth leaders who are prepared to build a more sustainable world. Piloted by the YMCA – with college and high school students mentoring/tutoring/volunteering with younger students, it has been used in diverse settings such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club, churches and other after-school programs, as well as by numerous schools and colleges to enhance cultural and language arts, social studies, character education and leadership development along with applied math (entrepreneurship).
These stories from Stone Soup for the World: Life-Changing Stories of Everyday Heroes, manageable in length and clear in message, transcend culture, ethnicity and gender. The young reader takes away a vision of victory and a greater willingness to engage in the struggles of life. This curriculum can be a valuable tool for those working with middle and high school students seeking to enrich their lessons and their lives. Based on this splendid collection of stories from 29 countries, the exceptional curriculum exemplifies values and qualities, lists stimulating question, activities and project ideas for higher order thinking skills, cultural and ethnic diversity, conflict management, universal human rights and global interdependence.
Global TeachNet, National Peace Corps Association & Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
The Institute’s First Bi-Lingual Initiative in the Caribbean
Vieques Youth Leadership Initiative
The Vieques Youth Leadership Initiative’s mission is to train young and emerging leaders to build a new Vieques. Our projects educate, empower and challenge young people to make their dreams come true. Founded in 2004, VYLI is a project of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute. During the last three years, VYLI has conducted a community planning process and developed a comprehensive youth empowerment program that engages young people to become part of the solution instead of the problem. VYLI’s annual Summer Institute is the centerpiece of a year-round program which features initiatives in cultural and entrepreneurship, technology, school-to-work opportunities (internships, apprenticeships) and eco-tourism. We are proud of we’ve accomplished in such of short time, with so few resources and overcoming so many obstacles.
• Increased youth pride, self-esteem and developed work ethic, team work and leadership.
• Trained young-emerging leaders, reduced school dropouts and rewarded academic excellence.
• Multiplier effect/replicable model: trains young people to be leaders: Each one, teach one.
• Provided school-to-work transition and job training for youth employment.
• Successful island model for grassroots problem-solving leadership development.
We’re especially proud that the Viequense people have embraced this initiative as their own – creating a local Board of Directors with youth, business, education and government leaders. With our annual Summer Institutes we’ve expanded access to educational opportunities and built bridges with the North American residents. The multiplier effect of VYLI’s model is to train young people to be leaders who then work with other young people. We’ve begun reversing the “brain drain” by hiring VYLI graduates who attend college off-Island to return home to help their communities. We’re inspiring a whole new generation of heroes who are working together to help rebuild their island. In this third year, we will institutionalize our year-round program, incorporate VYLI as its own 501c3, secure a larger building and funding base; build partnerships with businesses, foundations, government and non-profit organizations.
Important Issues Identified by the Virgin Gorda Community