A private primary school for grades K-6
Bath Plains, St. John's Parish, Nevis
Nevis Academy
Under the umbrella of the renowned nonprofit, Mother to Mother, the Nevis Academy is dedicated to the vision of further accelerating and empowering the community of Nevis through improvement of education.
History of Nevis
Established in 1643 and located in the West Indies in the northern Caribbean, Nevis is part of a federation with its neighboring island, St. Kitts. Nevis was born from a volcanic island with a population of approximately 12,000 people. Originally an exporter of fruit, the island developed into the largest sugar cane producer during the 17th century. Today, it depends mostly on tourism, with neighboring St. Kitts housing an international airport and cruise ship basin. People from all over the world are drawn to the former British colony, which is not heavily commercialized and offers stunning beaches, a rich array of agricultural products, and an even richer history, including the fact that the island is Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace.
The Future of Nevis
However, life on Nevis could be re-developed into a sustainable country for its full-time inhabitants. Many children in middle and high school years seek a high-quality education and as a result, ferry every morning and every afternoon to St. Kitts to attend schools there. Nevisians are proud to have an almost 97% literacy rate for those over fifteen years of age, one of the highest in the Western hemisphere. However, their island has not offered them enough opportunities and many, after high school, leave the island to pursue lives in other countries, only to return to Nevis later in life.
When discovering a school that was in financial distress in 2011, Carl Spadaro saved the institution from collapse. It was renamed the Nevis Academy, a private primary school for grades K-6, and quickly developed a reputation for excellence, garnering glowing testimonials from parents. Thanks to his generosity, the school has flourished. Recently, he purchased the adjacent land in order to continue building and improving the facilities there. Now, it has come to a point where he needs assistance in reaching these goals.
Needs of Nevis Academy
Numerous improvements are needed. To begin with, the school has grown to over 100 children and the classrooms are becoming overcrowded. The 4th grade currently is situated – and cramped -- in the administration building and needs its own classroom. There is no computer lab and no cafeteria, nor is there an auditorium for arts, theatre, and general assembly. Some children don’t have enough to even bring lunch and we wish to institute a meal program. There have also been countless requests to expand the school by adding a pre-Kindergarten and an upper school – so, no more ferrying to St. Kitts.
The first goal is to add another building to house the 4th grade classroom and a Pre-K. Along with this, a cafeteria and computer lab.