Three students from the Gifft Hill School will be on hand when Barack Obama takes the oath of President next Tuesday. One of them is Evanna Chinnery, a 17-year-old senior at the school, who previously has attended the Presidential Classroom, a 40-year-old program that sponsors civic education programs for
outstanding high school students, using Washington, DC as a classroom.
Chinnery was invited to attend the Inauguration as part of the Classroom's activities and was encouraged to bring two friends. She chose fellow seniors Malik Stevens and Jessica Samuel. All three have to pay their own way, about $2,300 each.
Chinnery is hoping to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston after graduation from Gifft Hill. She's already spent a summer studying at the school.
The trio from St. John will witness the swearing in ceremony, participate in seminars and debates, and also attend an Inaugural Ball.
Meanwhile, it’s a good bet that others on St. John would like to attend the Inauguration, even though the weather forecast is for clouds and 38 degrees.
One of them would be Luigi Costello, owner of Verace, the jewelry store at Wharfside. The longtime St. John resident and retailer is a huge Obama fan, so much so that he’s launched his business's first-ever store-wide sale: 50% off everything in stock and a 20% off on any special order. Three days only, January 19-21. Not on island? That’s OK, they ship!
Do you know of other Obama-related events/sales/activities on St. John?
The Gifft Hill School Web site is http://www.giffthillschool.org/