The Virgin Islands Department of Education (DOE) has established a memorandum of understanding between nonprofit Partnerships in Hope-St. John, USVI, Inc. that would revitalize the closed Guy H. Benjamin Elementary School in Coral Bay and use the 10,032 sq. ft. facility as a multipurpose community center to house various educational, recreational and vocational training programs for residents.

The partnership is in line with the Department’s 2015-16 theme: Transformation Through Teamwork. “Great things can happen when people come together to support our students and our communities. We are pleased to join with Partnerships in Hope-St. John and use the Guy Benjamin School for the benefit of all residents on St. John,” said Education Commissioner Sharon Ann McCollum, Ph.D.

As part of the agreement, Partnerships in Hope-St. John, a South Carolina-based nonprofit corporation working to enhance the lives of children and families on St. John, will help facilitate the securing of funds to “retrofit, renovate and/or rebuild” Guy Benjamin School, as well as aid in identifying funds for recreational, educational and vocational training programs, among other responsibilities. Additionally, the agreement states that the Department of Education will assist Partnerships in Hope-St. John with developing the activities and programs expected to be offered at the facility.

Glen Hall, St. John resident and president of Partnerships in Hope-St. John, said members of his organization simply sought to “find a need and try to help fix it.” According to the organization’s website, its mission is to “strive to cooperate with other supportive organizations making the hope for better tomorrows a reality today, on St. John, US Virgin Island.” Furthermore, Partnerships in Hope-St. John, which is comprised of business men and women, teachers, pastors, philanthropists and service industry workers, is guided by eight principles, two of which are “always have our children’s needs as a priority” and “only offer help where it is wanted and needed.”

“One of the main things that we want to try to do is to help kids on the island learn how to read before first grade,” Hall said. “It’s very difficult for anyone to be successful if they don’t know how to read. So, we want to start early.”

The Coral Bay Community Council (CBCC), headed by Sharon Coldren, is also on board with the effort to revitalize Guy Benjamin School. For more than a decade the group, along with the Coral Bay Yacht Club and other local organizations, has helped raise thousands in funding to support the school. Of the seven buildings that make up Guy Benjamin’s campus, CBCC first envisions housing a community meeting room and a computer learning center in one building. The group’s other suggestions include reopening some buildings as a preschool, a senior center or as a small museum, among other uses. On November 19, the 400-member Council will clean the school’s grounds as part of its community clean-up day activities.