Empowering the Nevis community through education
About Us
The Importance of Education
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 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.
Creating Opportunities
When discovering a school that was in financial distress in 2011, U.S. entrepeneur 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. The school offers an up-to-date, enriching curriculum while providing a safe, caring, and structured environment for students. Activities such as sports and community service are offered throughout the year, encouraging students to develop integrity, kindness, creativity, and tenacity.
Thanks in large part to Spadaro’s generosity, the school has flourished. But now, the school has come to a critical stage: it needs a Pre-K, cafeteria, additional classrooms, new playground equipment, and more. In order to reach those goals, we need your help.
How to Help
Numerous improvements are needed. To begin with, the school has grown from 32 to over 126 children and the classrooms are overcrowded. The 4th grade is currently situated – and cramped — in the administration building, in need of its own space. There is no cafeteria, and some children are not able to bring enough for lunch and we intend to institute a meal program. In addition, there is no computer lab, nor is there an auditorium for arts, theater, and general assembly. There have been countless requests to expand the school by adding a pre-Kindergarten, and basic items such as playground equipment need to be replaced.
Your tax-deductible donation will help an incredible educational venue offer countless children even more opportunities on this remote, vibrant, wondrous island.
Our Team
Eva Nagorski
Janie Busbee
Adrian S. Daniel
Angela Henville
Tomasz Zorawski
St. Kitts and Nevis
Established in 1643 and located in the West Indies in the 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 the birthplace of one of America’s Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton.
Our Partners
Under the umbrella of the Mother to Mother non-profit, the Nevis Academy Foundation is dedicated to the vision of further accelerating and empowering the community of Nevis through educational opportunities.
