Twin sisters Aminah and Safiya Prasad, standout student-athletes from St. Croix, have been awarded scholarships to Spire Academy in Ohio, where they will train under world-class sprint coach Kerron Stuart.
The opportunity places the rising juniors among an elite group of athletes from across the Caribbean and positions them to represent the Virgin Islands in both U.S. national and Caribbean regional track and field competitions.
At Spire, the sisters will be coached by Stuart, a Jamaican sprinter who is a three-time Olympic medalist, seven-time All-American, and six-time World Athletics Championship medalist in the 100m and 200m.
The scholarships recognize the twins’ strong records in both athletics and academics. As Magnet students at St. Croix Educational Complex, Aminah and Safiya recently completed their sophomore year with a combined GPA of 101.5, ranking near the top of their class. Their athletic résumés include competition for the St. Croix Mustangs and the Virgin Islands Track and Field Federation, where they regularly secured medals at local and regional events.
Safiya’s most recent victories include gold medals in the 400m hurdles and 800m at the Puerto Rico AAJI Championships, while Aminah claimed bronze in a competitive 200m final. Both also represented the Virgin Islands at the 2025 CARIFTA Games.
What began as a one-week training camp at Spire Academy evolved into a full scholarship offer after coaches and administrators recognized not only the sisters’ athletic abilities but also their academic dedication and leadership. The scholarships will allow them to board full-time during their junior and senior years, a development considered a milestone for Virgin Islands athletics.
“We never anticipated this! We only had a week to prepare—come back to St. Croix, pack, and move them into their dorms,” said their parents, Isatou and Ganesh Prasad. “We didn’t have time to process it all, but we are proud of our daughters and what they’ve accomplished. We hope this paves the way for future Virgin Islands athletes. There is so much talent here, and we look forward to paying it forward. We want to thank Coach Keith Smith and Juan Robles for helping to instill in them the love of the sport and helping to build their running fundamentals. We are also working with a few corporate sponsors to build a strong partnership to help support VI high school track and field athletes to attend summer camps aimed at improving skill-level and networking with coaches and other athletes in the states. This decision was beyond our girls; it’s about the betterment of our community and paying it forward.”
Both sisters are already looking toward the future, with aspirations to compete in NCAA Division I track programs. Safiya plans to pursue Veterinary Medicine, while Aminah is considering careers in Medicine or Engineering. Despite the excitement, they admit to one adjustment they are less enthusiastic about: leaving behind the St. Croix sunshine for Ohio’s snowy winters.
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