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Governor Albert Bryan announced Thursday that his administration will provide $1,000 to 2020 graduates — both public and private — headed to college or trade school out of a $1 million fund.
"The only requirement you would have is that you have to write a letter saying how your family experienced hardship through this coronavirus," said the governor. He also told the Consortium that the funding would help offset losses parents sustained as a result of the pandemic, and students' inability to work summer jobs because of lockdowns.
The funds will be distributed through the Board of Education, however the governor said the B.O.E. should not be contacted as yet as finalizations were ongoing.
The funding is being made available through the $75 million provided to the territory by the U.S. Treasury as part of the CARES Act. The governor has provided $15.4 million to WAPA for rebates of $250 and $500 for residential and business customers respectively. Roughly $400,000 was provided to St. John ferry operators from the same funding source. The funds can be used for coronavirus-related efforts but not government operations, hence the V.I. government's desperate dash to secure $60 million from Banco Popular and Firstbank to meet payroll costs.
"We wanted to make sure from the Virgin Islands family, the Virgin Islands government that you're going to be able to go to college or trade school and that this coronavirus was not going to get in your way," Mr. Bryan said.
The $1 million at $1,000 for every student means up to 1,000 college or trade school-bound students will be eligible.
The Department of Education has been hosting virtual graduations for the territory's high schools this week. On Tuesday, Central High School students graduated, followed by the St. Croix Education Complex on Wednesday, the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School on Thursday, and Charlotte Amalie High School seniors will receive their diploma today.
