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"Our stay on this planet called Earth is a brief one, and we have an excellent opportunity to leave the world a better place than we found it through our choice of how we live our lives. One way to accomplish lasting improvement is to master the Laws of Life." John Marks Templeton
"LAWS OF LIFE," a Character Education Contest in the public schools, is funded by a donor advised grant to the community foundation of the Virgin Islands. The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation in conjunction with CFVI has introduced the increasingly popular "Laws of Life Essay Contest" to the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2008, the Foundation sponsored a contest in each of the territory’s public high schools – two on St. Thomas, two on St. Croix, - as well as a modified version of the contest for the single public ninth grade class on St. John.
The 2008 St. Croix Winners, from left to right: Lennox Mark, Shanya Hanley, Michelle Rivera, Gemel Joseph, Shernelle James, Lizandra Cruz, Gloribel Rivera
Photo credit: Kenneth Christopher
The 2008 winners from St. Thomas and
St. John, from left to right: Shakima Plunkett, Antonette Boynes, Lawrence Larsen, Brandon Rhymer, Zaid Sewer, Amara Leader, Virgil Campbell. Not pictured: Shinnola Alexander and Miriam Jones.
Photo credit: Steve Rockstein
Governer John P. deJongh, Jr.
The creation of author, investment genius, and philanthropist Sir John Marks Templeton of the Templeton Foundation, the Laws of Life contest has become a basic in character education in scores of communities across the United States and throughout the world. (www.lawsoflife.org)
Through the program, students are urged to reflect upon and then write about their personal laws of life - universal principles or core values that transcend time and religious, cultural and national boundaries.
Sekoia Rogers
Peter Gruber was so inspired by the contest that he brought it to the Virgin Islands, noting, "an activity that enables our young people to think about their values is something we should all get behind."
 
Approximately 1,000 or more students are invited to participate at each high school. The pilot program was started at Charlotte Amalie High School in 2001, where about 1,000 students participated. The next year the contest was expanded to Ivanna Eudora Kean High School. In the 2002-'03 school year, the Foundation sponsored an introductory version of the contest in St. Croix's two public high schools, Central and Education Complex. In 2006, Julius Sprauve School 9th grade from St. John entered the contest.
Schools are invited to incorporate the character education program into the curriculum, usually presented as part of English courses.
Each year respected members of the community are asked to serve anonymously as judges for the contest. These volunteers cull through hundreds of entries to select the winners.
Cash prizes are awarded to six students in each grade at each school, with the top prize for first place being $500, for a total of twenty-four student awards. Cash prizes are also awarded to the teachers of the winning students, in appreciation of the key role they play in the program. The investment for each school in the full program totals about $10,000.
Peggy Veljkovic, John Templeton Foundation and
Patricia Murphy Gruber, Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation
For information, please contact:
Patricia Murphy Gruber - President
PETER AND PATRICIA GRUBER FOUNDATION
6000 Estate Charlotte Amalie, Suite 4
St. Thomas, VI 00802
or
P.O. Box 503210
St. Thomas, VI 00805
Phone: (340) 775-8035
Fax: (340) 775-8040
Email: pat@gruberprizes.org
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