Gifft Hill School

Gifft Hill School is a non-profit independent school located on Gifft Hill on the island of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. The school serves toddler-age students through 12th graders.

History

The school that's known today as Gifft Hill School has its roots in two St. John schools.

In 1978, Pine Peace School was founded by four community members as a preschool that served a handful of students. The school grew quickly, adding both students and grades with each passing year. After moving four times in four years, Pine Peace settled onto donated land on Gifft Hill, where the Lower Campus, home to the toddler class through fifth grade, remains today. Through the 1980s and 1990s, the school expanded to include sixth grade, gained accreditation, and expanded its campus facilities.

The Coral Bay School was founded in 2000 and served 13 students in grades 7 through 9.[1] Over the next four years, the school grew to 85 students in grades 7 through 12, gained accreditation, and graduated its first senior class, with 100% college acceptance.

In 2004, the Coral Bay School purchased land on Gifft Hill adjacent to Pine Peace elementary school. That same year, Pine Peace and the Coral Bay School merged to become one, and Gifft Hill School was born.[2]

Campus expansion and development

In 2005, GHS broke ground on a building that would serve as the school’s Upper Campus.[3] In 2009, Glen and Jo Ann Hall donated a four-acre parcel of land adjoining the Lower and Upper Campuses, giving the school a home of 14 contiguous acres.[4] In 2010, the school’s Trayser Field was completed and dedicated to St. John contractor Fred Trayser, who donated eight months of work by his crew to create the field.[5]

Athletics

In 2006, GHS formed its first girls varsity basketball team.[6]

In 2010, a half-court basketball court was built and dedicated as the Nekwan Sprauve Memorial Basketball Court, in honor of a GHS student who died at age 15 due to sickle cell anemia.[7]

In 2018, the GHS elementary basketball team played an undefeated season and won the St. Thomas-St. John Interscholastic Athletic Association championship.[8]

In 2022, the girls middle school volleyball team won the St. Thomas-St. John Interscholastic Athletic Association Volleyball League championship after an undefeated season.[9]

PBS Visionaries

In 2017, Gifft Hill School was featured in November on the 21st season of the PBS Visionaries program, hosted by Sam Waterston and produced by Bill Mosher.[10][11][12][13]

2017 hurricane season

On September 6, 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated the island of St. John with a direct hit as a Category 5 storm.[14] Less than two weeks later, Category 5 Hurricane Maria passed just south of St. John.[15] Although damage to Gifft Hill School's Upper Campus was too extensive to open to students right away, the school opened the Lower Campus to all grades just five days after Maria impacted the island.[16] The Board of Trustees waived tuition for the 2017-2018 school year and welcomed all students on St. John to attend.[17][18][19]

Eco efforts

In 2010, Gifft Hill School initiated a partnership with Iowa State University to form the Education and Resiliency Through Horticulture program, which gives ISU students the opportunity to engage in service learning projects with GHS students.[20][21][22]

In 2016, GHS was awarded the EPA Environmental Champion Award in recognition of the school’s commitment to environmental sustainability and for leading by example in the Virgin Islands.[23]

In 2020, GHS was recognized as a Bronze Level Eco-School by the National Wildlife Federation.[24]

Giving back

A commitment to "compassionate community," including community service and giving back, has long been a part of the school's ethos.[25] For many years, the school hosted GHS Gives Back Day, where all students connected with various community organizations for a day of service.[26][27][28][29][30][31]

Outside of GHS Gives Back Day, students supported the island's only no-kill animal shelter, the Animal Care Center of St. John, with a fundraising drive,[32] by hosting a bake sale,[33] and by painting a mural on a wall at the organization's new facility.[34]

Students have volunteered for environmental efforts including removing invasive lionfish from St. John waters,[35] and creating hand-painted signage using upcycled materials for the Island Green Living Association's ReSource Depot.[36]

Notable alumni

Alexa Putnam, 2006, competed internationally for the U.S. Virgin Islands in the sport of skeleton.[37][38]

General references
  • "GHS History". giffthillschool.org. St. John: Gift Hill School. Retrieved 27 May 2022.

References
  1. "NEW SCHOOL OPENS IN CRUZ BAY". St. John Source. 2000-09-07. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  2. Gifft Hill School (PDF). Gifft Hill School https://www.giffthillschool.org/_files/ugd/26cc97_3b2760e377344642abdbefd0d41d2b84.pdf. Retrieved 17 May 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. "Life at GHS | Gifft Hill School | Independent School in St. John, USVI". Gifft Hill School. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  4. "Life at GHS | Gifft Hill School | Independent School in St. John, USVI". Gifft Hill School. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  5. staff, Tradewinds (2010-06-06). "Gifft Hill School Dedicates Althletic Field to Fred Trayser". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  6. staff, Tradewinds (2006-12-17). "First Girls Varsity Hoops Team Forms at GHS". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  7. staff, Tradewinds (2010-09-18). "GHS Dedicates Nekwan Sprauve Memorial Basketball Court". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  8. "Gifft Hill takes 1st basketball title". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  9. Daniel, Mark J. (2022-05-14). "Rays, Lady Hawks, and Lady Barracudas Crowned 2022 IAA Volleyball League Champions". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  10. staff, Tradewinds (2016-03-14). "PBS Documentary Filmmakers Find Gem in Gifft Hill School". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  11. staff, Tradewinds (2016-11-09). "Gifft Hill School to Appear in The Visionaries Series on PBS". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  12. Staff, SUZANNE CARLSON Daily News. "Gifft Hill school to be featured on PBS". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  13. Staff, ASHLEY MAYRIANNE JONES Daily News. "Production crew heads to Gifft Hill School to film documentary". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  14. "Irma reduces St. John, a once-lush gem in the U.S. Virgin Islands, to a wasteland". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  15. Raphelson, Samantha (2017-11-14). "2 Months After Maria And Irma, U.S. Virgin Islands Remain In The Dark". NPR. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  16. "Life at GHS | Gifft Hill School | Independent School in St. John, USVI". Gifft Hill School. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  17. staff, Tradewinds (2017-11-13). "GHS Thanks Donors of Supplies; Financial Support is Still Needed". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  18. staff, Tradewinds (2017-11-17). "New GHS Teachers Weather the Storm". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  19. staff, Tradewinds (2017-10-18). "In the Wake of Disaster, Island Children Find Happiness at School". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  20. staff, Tradewinds (2010-05-21). "Gifft Hill and Iowa State Partner for More Sustainable St. John". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  21. "EARTH PROGRAM". Department of Horticulture. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  22. staff, Tradewinds (2014-02-08). "GHS EARTH Turns Focus to Farm to Table Culinary Effort". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  23. Staff, Daily News. "Gifft Hill School honored as environmental champion". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  24. Correspondent, ANDREA MILAM St John. "Gifft Hill School recognized as Bronze Level Eco-School". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  25. "Life at GHS | Gifft Hill School | Independent School in St. John, USVI". Gifft Hill School. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  26. staff, Tradewinds (2010-11-26). "GHS Students Give Back by Pitching in at Library, ACC, Seniors Center and More". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  27. staff, Tradewinds (2016-09-18). "Gifft Hill School Announces 7th Annual Community Service Day". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  28. staff, Tradewinds (2016-11-08). "Gifft Hill School Gives Back Day Success". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  29. staff, Tradewinds (2018-11-15). "Following Public's Generosity, Gifft Hill School Is Paying Forward". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  30. Correspondent, ANDREA MILAM St John. "Gifft Hill School says thanks, gives back to St. John". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  31. "Gifft Hill gives back". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  32. staff, Tradewinds (2010-10-01). "Pennies for Puppies: Students Saving Pennies To Support ACC Puppies". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  33. staff, Tradewinds (2013-10-19). "GHS Students Baking for ACC Flea Market". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  34. staff, Tradewinds (2012-01-20). "GHS Students Spruce Up Doggie Play Courtyard at Canines, Cats and Critters". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  35. staff, Tradewinds (2013-01-31). "GHS Students Help Eliminate Lionfish Threat with CORE Officials". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  36. "Students' signage spruces up ReSource Depot". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  37. "Skeleton - Alexa Putnam (United States Virgin Islands)". www.the-sports.org. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  38. staff, Tradewinds (2006-01-02). "V.I. Olympic Hopefuls Surprise Families, Friends with Christmas Visit". St. John Tradewinds News. Retrieved 2022-05-27.


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