We are seeking your assistance in providing placement for students participating in this year’s program. Please indicate on the attached form your commitment to accepting students and in which department. A program timeline is also attached for your review. Please complete this form in its entirety and return to lisa@usvihta.com by June 4.

If you require any additional information regarding the program, please feel free to contact the USVIHTA office at 340-774-6835. As always, thank you for your support. Read the full letter here.

Last week, committee members met with the National Jury for Blue Flag and reviewed the three applicants - Tamarind Reef Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas and Emerald Beach Resort. All were approved to be submitted to the International Jury for final review and certification. There was also a discussion on VI Clean Coast - DPNR-CZM and VICS partnership to eliminate single use plastics. Mini grants are available to assist with the transition to reusable alternatives. Visit https://dpnr.vi.gov/czm/programs-viczmp/vi-clean-coasts/ for more details. Additionally, members discussed the new glass crushing program at UVI and noted we would like to upscale the program. There are opportunities for partnership. Contact Howard Forbes Jr. for more information - howard.forbes@uvi.edu. We’re also looking to engage the tourism sector in preserving our natural resources.

Do these initiatives align with your passions? Do you have new ideas you’d like to present to further our mission? Contact lisa@usvihta.com to inquire about joining the Environmental Committee! Commitment includes participating in one-hour bi-monthly meetings.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism has big plans to strengthen its position as a leading Caribbean destination for marine tourism. Speaking after last weekend’s St. Thomas Yacht Club Invitational Regatta, Joseph Boschulte, USVI Commissioner of Tourism, said the department’s focus on welcoming mariners throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has returned strong dividends for the destination. He said the territory had already begun to strengthen its marine tourism offerings when the pandemic provided additional opportunities to tap into the charter yacht industry. In 2019, the direct contribution to the U.S. Virgin Islands economy made by charter and sport-fishing vessels was estimated at approximately $45 million. Read more.

Join My Brother's Workshop for events this June! Click here to read the full notice.

During the month of June, the U,S, Virgin Islands is teaming up with FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) to train emergency and healthcare first responders and first receivers to respond to All-Hazard Disasters, both natural and manmade events. Throughout June, the CDP’s Caribbean Area Initiative (CAI) will offer 30 days of dedicated training support to the U.S. Territories in the Caribbean. The training and tabletop exercises taught by experts from the Center for Domestic Preparedness (https://cdp.dhs.gov/) and local Virgin Island experts, are offered in partnership with the Virgin Island Emergency Management Agency, the VI Department of Health, local Universities and FEMA, at no cost to territorial Emergency Management and Health Sector responders and their organizations. Read more. Click here for registration and schedule information.

Sal Khan is the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, a nonprofit educational organization that offers free lessons in math, science and humanities in multiple languages, as well as tools for parents, teachers and districts to track student progress. Click here for more information on registering for the webinar event.

As the USVI Walkability Institute begins preparation for a virtual summit this summer to discuss the work of the institute since its inception in 2017, the input from the community is essential to its impact on future policy efforts to increase physical activity in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here are photos from each demonstration site: USVI Walkability Institute Demonstration Projects - YouTube. The data collection for the St. Croix site is complete and you can read the summary findings here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eBi8-6RdxgPLvUACpPDTJFXCmEce2OJ_/view?usp=sharing. Please provide your input to the demonstration projects on the islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John. Your input is essential to this work!

Visit https://www.usviwalkabilityinstitute.com/ and share your thoughts!

If only one person or a few people are doing more, then that is NOT a culture. Culture means a way of life. It should be normal for your team to do more. In a Culture of Excellence, if an employee only meets expectations, that person should stand out - in a bad way. A true Culture of Excellence should reveal and repel anyone who “just wants a job."

People who are committed to only doing the bare minimum should feel uncomfortable working in such a culture. Exceeding expectations is the only standard. Nothing else will do. People who believe in a Culture of Excellence can’t stand working with someone who is content with only meeting expectations. They would rather be short-staffed or even work by themselves.

Takeaway: Commit to only recruiting, hiring, orienting and training people who already love to do more than what is expected.