Elementary Years

In 1983, I started 1st Grade in a new country at Ricardo Richards Elementary School in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. New country because I was born in the Dominican Republic and they spoke a different language-Spanish.

My first  year in school in St. Croix,  I met a girl, whose name I don't remember, who tried to be my friend despite the fact that she didn't know my native language- Spanish.  Even though I didn't know English we were good friends regardless of what language we spoke.

The next school year, I stayed back in first grade because I didn't know enough English to pass first grade but, my only friend went on to second grade. Unfortunately, she died of leukemia that year, my only friend. Because of her death  I knew I had to learn English.

In second grade,  my class entered a contest about what freedom means to each of us and we also had to illustrate it. Most of my classmates wrote and drew about the Statue of Liberty but, I  illustrated a school yard where everyone was happy and worry free and able to play and have fun. Luckily for me my essay was chosen and I received a book about freedom and about the statue of Liberty. WOW! The best part was that my essay was posted in the walls of the Statue of Liberty in New York.  I still wonder if it's still there.

The summer before Third grade  I attended  Police Athletic League and there I met Nilaja "Gigi" Taylor, who has been my best friend ever since. We have always been in the same class since then.

In Fifth grade Gigi and I entered a steel band called Rising Stars. Gigi played the steel pan called the "Guitar" and  I played the "Tenor". While the Rising Stars Steel Band we played in many parades and concerts. Unfortunately, the coordinator for Rising Stars returned to St. Thomas. Our school decided to have a steel band of it's own which was named Ricardo Richards Steel Band Orchestra.

Now 6th grade year was a year I would never forget. On September 17, 1989 Hurricane Hugo destroyed our school (every kids dream!) but also our island. We were unable to attend school from September till late October. In October, we were forced to attend another school, Lew Muckle Elementary. We went to school at an untraditional time. Untraditional because the students of Lew Muckle attended school from 8am to about 12pm and we (from Ricardo) attended school from 12pm  to 5pm (something like that)! I personally loved this schedule because I was able to wake up late, do my homework at the last minute, get my chores done early, and even eat my mom's home cooked meal at home. But, that schedule didn't last long, a couple of weeks later trailers were placed as temporary classrooms at Ricardo Richards and that would be our school until graduation on June 20th, 1990.