Motto | Our Tomorrow Begins Today |
---|---|
Type | Community College |
Established | 1990 |
President | Dr. Richard Georges |
Academic staff | 35 Full Time |
Administrative staff | 110 |
Students | 600+ |
Address | Paraquita Bay Campus, P.O Box 3097, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands , Paraquita Bay, Tortola , 18°25′26″N64°34′43″W / 18.4240°N 64.5785°W |
Campus | Paraquita Bay |
Colors | Green & Gold |
Nickname | HLSCC |
Affiliations | Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions; American Association of Community Colleges; Middle States Commission on Higher Education; Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges |
Mascot | Stingray |
Website | www.hlscc.edu.vg |
The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (often referred to locally as HLSCC) is a community college in the British Virgin Islands. At present there are only two tertiary institutions in the territory: The University of the West Indies, and H. Lavity Stoutt Community College which has a higher enrollment.
The college was originally established in 1990 as the British Virgin Islands Community College under the College Act, 1990. The institution was subsequently renamed in favour of Hamilton Lavity Stoutt, first Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands and founding chairman of the college's Board of Governors. [1] In 1993 the College moved into a new three-storey facility at its Paraquita Bay Campus, where it still principally resides. The first campus building encompassed some 10,000 square feet and had 15 classrooms and laboratories on the upper floors, and 4,700 square feet for administrative offices on the ground floor.
Eileene L. Parsons was a bursar at the school before she became a politician and minister. There is an auditorium at the college which is named in her honour. [2]
The current study body is over 600 students. The college is currently led by President Dr. Richard Georges, an alumnus of the school. Many students attend the college for a period of one or two years to either complete an associate degree or obtain a certain amount of course credit before transferring to a college in the United States. HLSCC was accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 2015.
As part of Government education policy HLSCC is free to attend for native BVIslanders. This in turn has led to significant funding pressures. [3] [4]
St. John's University is a private Catholic university in Queens, New York City. It was founded in 1870 by the Congregation of the Mission with a mission to provide the youth of New York with a Catholic university education. Originally located in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, the flagship campus was moved to its current location in the Queens borough during the 1950s. St. John's has an additional New York City campus in Manhattan. The university’s Staten Island campus closed in May of 2024. Additionally, the university has international campuses located in Rome, Italy, Paris, France, and Limerick, Ireland.
The Virgin Islands Party (VIP) is a political party in the British Virgin Islands. It is presently led by Natalio Wheatley. It is the oldest active political party in the British Virgin Islands, and it has won more general elections (seven) than any other political party in the British Virgin Islands.
The University of the Virgin Islands is a public historically black land-grant university in the United States Virgin Islands.
Hamilton Lavity Stoutt was a British Virgin Islander politician and the first and longest serving Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands. He won five general elections and serving three non-consecutive terms of office from 1967 to 1971, again from 1979 to 1983 and again from 1986 until his death in 1995.
Ralph Telford O'Neal, OBE was a British Virgin Islander politician. He was the longest ever serving elected representative in the British Virgin Islands, and served as Chief Minister or Premier of the British Virgin Islands for three terms.
The Premier of the Virgin Islands is the head of government for the British Virgin Islands. As a British Overseas Territory, the Premier is appointed by the Governor on behalf of the British monarch, currently King Charles III. Until 2007, the head of government was known as the Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands, but a constitutional change in 2007 renamed the position as Premier.
Education in the British Virgin Islands is largely free and is a requirement for children ages 5 to 17. The British Virgin Islands has a total of 15 public primary schools and 4 secondary public schools. In addition to the public schools, there are 10 primary private schools and 3 secondary private schools. The school year is from September to June. The British Virgin Islands is a part of the British Overseas Territories and therefore the educational system is very similar to the traditional learning system in the United Kingdom. Primary schools are focused on establishing the basics of an academic curriculum and host students between the ages of 5 and 12. After the completion of primary school, students move on to secondary school and pre-university. Secondary school is for students between the ages of 13 and 17. Following the completion of secondary education, students may write their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate. There are approximately 2,700 students who attend primary school for the first 7 years of their required education; however less than 1,800 students successfully finish the following 4 required years of secondary school and complete their certificate exam. Students who chose to continue their education after the secondary education certificate may move on to an additional 2 years of schooling. Passing the exams entitles students the right to continue their studies even further at the University of the Virgin Islands. At the university, students can obtain associate, bachelors, and master's degrees in the departments of business, education, liberal arts and social sciences, or science and mathematic.
Sheroma "Brass.Angel" Hodge-Philip is a Virgin Islander model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss British Virgin Islands 2010, the official representative of the British overseas territory to the 2011 Miss Universe pageant.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 20 February 1995. The result was a victory for the incumbent Virgin Islands Party (VIP) led by Chief Minister Lavity Stoutt. The VIP won a plurality of six seats, and thus were able to form a minority government as no other party or coalition could muster a larger number of seats. The BVI United Party (UP) won three seats, and the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) won two seats. The two other seats were won by independents. Shortly after the election Alvin Christopher joined the VIP upon being offered a Ministerial seat, giving the VIP an outright majority.
General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 2 June 1971. The result was a victory for a coalition of the VI Democratic Party (DP) together with independent candidate Willard Wheatley over the newly formed Virgin Islands Party (VIP) led by former Chief Minister Lavity Stoutt, and incumbent BVI United Party (UP) led by Conrad Maduro.
"Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands" is the official territorial song of the British Virgin Islands. The song was composed by brother and sister team Kareem Nelson Hull and Ayana Hull, both Virgin Islanders. It was adopted as the territorial song by resolution of the House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands on 24 July 2012. As a British Overseas Territory, the Virgin Islands retains "God Save the King" as its official national anthem.
Conrad Antonio Maduro is a British Virgin Islander politician and longtime leader of the United Party. Remarkably, Conrad Maduro has led his party to victory at three different general elections, but has never been appointed Chief Minister.
Eileene Lucia Parsons OBE is a former British Virgin Islands Government Minister. She was one of the first woman ministers and the first deputy speaker of that government. In local press she is frequently referred to as being a "cultural icon" for her work with the BVI Heritage Dance Company and other local cultural groups.
Events from the year 1995 in the British Virgin Islands.
Ethlyn Smith was a civil servant from the British Virgin Islands, who became one of the first two women elected to the House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands. After a career of more than two decades as an accountant and public administrator in the civil service of the British Virgin Islands, Smith retired and entered politics. She contested her first election in 1995 as an independent, winning the 5th District. She was reelected to the post in 1999, serving until her defeat in the 2003 elections.
Eileen Parsons OBE who served as a member of the House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands, including as Minister for of Health, Education and Welfare, Deputy Premier and Deputy Speaker during the course of her political career.
Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) is a grade 7-12 secondary school in Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
Richard Georges is the first poet laureate of the British Virgin Islands. He is the current president of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and a founding editor of MOKO: Caribbean Arts & Letters. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Georges was raised and currently resides in the British Virgin Islands.
Jennie N. Wheatley MBE was a writer and historian from the British Virgin Islands. A long-standing member of the country's intellectual community, she worked to preserve and share the islands' history and culture.