STEM Pathways + Citizen Science for Underrepresented Students

In 2017, I visited Virgin Islands National Park on St. John, USVI for a Harvard University research trip and fell in love with the people and the place. I was devastated one month later when two Category 5 hurricanes hit the Caribbean. Following, Gifft Hill School, the only preschool through twelfth grade school on the 27 square mile island, experienced a teacher shortage, a need for curriculum/infrastructure, and counseling for at least 47% of students that were experiencing PTSD from climate trauma. Within the year I moved to St. John and I helped to build sustainable infrastructure and STEM curriculum.

Additionally, I partnered with several agencies (i.e. NPS, Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, Island Green Living, University of Virgin Islands, Harvard University, Iowa State University, and the Clinton Foundation) to create a STEM network and pathways. Gifft Hill students participate in green STEM training, citizen science projects, climate monitoring, endangered sea turtle monitoring, agriculture, renewable energy job training, and coral reef advocacy. They are a National Wildlife Federation Eco-school that is pursuing the U.S. Green Building Council green school certificate. Over 90% of their students receive full scholarships and will be first generation college students.