Head Start Learning Center Opens on St. John

A grand opening event was held on St. John Wednesday for the first of six Head Start learning centers being built in the Virgin Islands. Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. led a group of top officials gathered to celebrate.

Officials congratulated the contractor, Human Services — the agency that oversees Head Start programs — and the Office of Disaster Recovery for working through challenges of completing the first learning center. Building six new learning centers to prepare children from birth to age five for primary school was part of the territory’s recovery plan from the damages caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Federal funding totaling $42 million has been secured for the V.I. to build replacements for six centers that sustained heavy storm damage. “This project was completed in one year’s time — and that’s in St. John years,” said J. Benton Project Executive Eric Cusin. “To the JBC team, excellent work.”

Human Services Commissioner Averil George commended the agency’s administrators and staff for the roles they played in keeping the Head Start construction projects moving forward. Families and children stand to benefit from Head Start services, she said, but the project also helps the local construction industry create new jobs, support higher wages and offer new opportunities. “One down, five more to go,” the commissioner said.