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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 2010, the Foundation sponsored a contest in three of the territory’s public high schools – one on St. Thomas and two on St. Croix.
The 2010 Laws of Life first place winners from St. Croix. (front) Seated from left: St. Croix Central High School: La-Shawn Tyson, 10th Grade; Cherea Scotland, 11th Grade; Evanna Mills, 12th Grade; (back) Standing from left: St. Croix Educational Complex: Jirah Famucol, 9th Grade; Lanique Rivera, 10th Grade; Shaunte Baptiste, 11th Grade; Gemel Jospeh, 12th Grade.
The 2010 Laws of Life first place winners from Charlotte Amalie High School in St. Thomas. From top: Sadiyah Ali, 9th Grade; Simfoni Nibbs, 10th Grade; Nicole Ramdhansingh, 11th Grade; Shawntay Henry, 12 Grade
Created by 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. 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.
Students, parents, and teachers gathered at Government House, Christiansted for the 2010 St. Croix award ceremony. (top)
The Charlotte Amalie High School Jazz Ensemble provided entertainment at the 2010 St. Thomas award ceremony. (bottom)
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 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.
On St. Croix the Juanita Gardine School steel orchestra provides musical entertainment at the 2009 ceremony.
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.
Patricia Gruber, Dee Brown and emcee Richard Brown share the moment with a happy winner at the 2009 ceremony.
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