This past week, the St. Croix Central High School Class of 1993 held its week of activities for its 30th-anniversary class reunion and presented its anniversary scholarships worth $10,000.
The class presented five scholarships of $2,000 each to recent graduates of their alma mater’s Class of 2023. The recipients were Bry’Nice Berley and Le’Shay O’Garro, who will both be attending Nova Southeastern University; Una Alexander, who will be heading to Howard University; and Yordy Valdez Gil and Elicia Watley, who will both be attending the University of the Virgin Islands in the fall.
Scholarship committee chairperson Emile Henderson III said the committee had received a number of applications, and the five students who were selected really stood out.
“They were all great applications, and these five were clearly all exceptional students with a great academic standing and community service,” Henderson said. “As a class, we believe in supporting academics, but we also believe in being pillars of the community, so we want to support the students for realizing the importance of being good citizens as well.”
Class President Fiona Stokes congratulated the students on their exceptional academic and community-minded performances and thanked their parents, teachers and other supporters for being a part of the village that watched them and helped them grow.
“The anniversary scholarship is something that is very important to us. We started raising money in November, and our classmates from near and far contributed generously,” Stokes said. “Our classmate, Eduardo Torres, owner of Eddie’s Glass, was also a tremendous help with his corporate donation that helped us realize our goal, and we are thankful.”
Stokes said she believes that the students selected will do great things and follow the examples set by the Class of 1993 to sow seeds into the classes coming behind them. The Class of 1993 has previously presented scholarships to graduation seniors in 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018 totaling more than $20,000.
The scholarship award presentations at a welcome reception on July 8 kicked off a week of activities for the class through July 15 which, included a church service, attendance at Mango Melee, social night at the Beer Garden, karaoke at Levels, bowling, a motorcade from Christiansted to Frederiksted, Day Sail to Buck Islands, day of service planting and painting in Central High’s courtyard, beach party and an Old School Party and a Remembrance Service for 22 of the class’s members who have passed away over the last 30 years.
Stokes said the class thanks Viya, the Elections System of the Virgin Islands, V.I. Lottery, the Department of Tourism, Eddie’s Glass, LEVELS Bar and Lounge, the Office of Senator Kenneth L. Gittens, NATTY Garments and Hammer Down Soundz for their assistance in making the scholarship awards and the week’s activities a huge success.
