While changes in federal program funding are taking place in Washington, a representative of the National Endowment for the Humanities was looking over the progress being made in the Virgin Islands by its latest group of recipients. A virtual Showcase of the Humanities took place Tuesday under the direction of the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, the local administrator of grants supporting arts and culture.
Tuesday’s showcase was held in honor of Virgin Islands History Month. “Observed annually in March since, 2006, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands as the Humanities Council of the Virgin Islands is proud to present the third Virtual Humanities Showcase. This event highlights the rich history, heritage, and culture of the Virgin Islands through projects funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities,” said foundation spokesperson Sean Liphard.
Eight grant recipients presented the projects they completed encompassing dance, documentary production, the creation of a primer teaching the alphabet, and a study of oral history traditions.
Reviewers also viewed a presentation on a project designed to teach youths how to express their concerns over gun violence. Another ambitious project involved planning to establish a library at a St. Croix private school.
Meg Ferris McReynolds, the endowment’s assistant director for state/federal partnerships, opened the virtual workshop with words of praise. “Thank you for all of your good work,” she said.
CFVI’s executive manager commended the group for its stewardship of federal grant funding. “These celebrations show how you — CFVI grantees — use NEH funding wisely,” said Grants and Programs Director Beth Nuttall.
Presenters included the Unbreakable Film Academy, where filmmaker Peter Bailey of NightCap Media pairs high school and college students with media professionals to develop their skills.
Angela Golden Bryan from Fireburn Heritage, Inc. explained how students at the Claude O. Markoe Elementary School created an ABC book using local plants and cultural items they learned about on field trips.
From the UVI Social Sciences Department, Molly Perry described a project encouraging students to capture oral history accounts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Virgin Islands. “With this grant, we are building an oral history hub for our students,” Perry said.
Monique Clendinen Watson presented the latest phase of an ongoing effort to convert the old barracks in Christiansted into a cultural center.
There was a film presentation produced with help from the Virgin Islands’ quelbe band, Ten Sleepless Knights, showcasing bamboula and bomba dance traditions. That was followed by The Caribbean Media Center for the Arts account of a dance workshop series called “Dance is a Universal Language.”
The Center for Educational Growth, described as a nonprofit virtual online school, presented the results of their grant-funded Film Over Gun Violence Program.
Presenter George Cannon told those attending the project that it “addresses the social issue of gun violence in the Virgin Islands.” Participating student filmmakers produced two short films that were aired in public on St. Croix, attracting an audience of over 400 people. Two high school seniors who worked with the project decided to pursue filmmaking as they went on to college, Cannon said.
Tracey Cole from the St. Croix Montessori School announced a ribbon-cutting ceremony set for April 30 to build a school library. That event, she said, was preceded by a program introducing students to library science. “The library at its core is about more than just knowledge … It’s a space where our students can learn academically, socially and emotionally,” Cole said.
The last presenter, a representative from the Boston-based American Ancestors program, described a youth genealogy program carried out with help from educators on St. Croix. As the organization’s youth genealogy coordinator, Axe said the program’s goal was “not only to teach students research skills but also historical skills.”
Training for participating educators was held at the UVI 13D Innovation Center. One hundred and fifty applicants from 10 different schools sought eligibility for the teacher training workshop.
The session was followed by one-on-one coaching to help each teacher set up genealogy curriculums in their classrooms.
Prospects for continued grant funding to promote artistic and cultural programs may be uncertain as word of a leadership change at the national endowment appeared in a major U.S. newspaper on the day the Virgin Islands showcase occurred.
