I’d like to take a moment to talk to the thousands upon thousands of Virgin Islands students who will be soon be starting the new school year on St. Croix, on St. Thomas and on St. John.
Whether you are in the early grades of elementary school or going back to junior high or high school, this is an exciting time of the year.
New teachers, new classmates, perhaps even a new school make this a very busy and sometimes overwhelming time of the year, but I am sure that things will settle down and you will find yourselves ever more comfortable as the year progresses.
And as this new school year begins, I want to wish each and every one of you a successful and fun year.
I would also like to say as the summer ends, that I am very proud of the hundreds upon hundreds of you who took my Reading Challenge this summer. I want to say well done to all of you. I also hope that you keep up your reading throughout the school year and throughout your lives.
Over the past few years, I have met so very many of you. Every time I visit one of your schools I am filled with pride because those visits remind me that our territory’s future is bright. I know it is not always easy to be a student. It is not always easy to be young. Sometimes we adults really just don’t understand your challenges, or the very real pressures that are so many of you are under. Sometimes we just don’t get it.
But believe me when I tell you what we do get and that is a very real sense of pride and satisfaction when you reach your full potential, when you succeed at what you set out to do. So, as you start this new school year, let me wish you all a wonderful year.
Respect yourselves, respect your teachers, respect your friends, and you will earn respect in return.
Put forth your best efforts and I promise you that you will feel that satisfaction that comes from knowing that you’ve done your best.
Let’s all make this the very best school year ever.
