Virgin Islands Launches First National Student Government
The Virgin Islands officially launched its first National Student Government (NSG) on Monday, March 23, uniting student leaders from every secondary school and H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in a single representative body. The initiative, introduced by the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports as part of Education Month 2026, was reported by both the Government of the Virgin Islands and BVI News and includes the pinning of inaugural members and the election of NSG President Waynella Moore.
The Virgin Islands officially launched its first National Student Government (NSG) on Monday, March 23, marking the first time student leaders from across the Territory have been brought together in a single, national representative body, according to a Government of the Virgin Islands release.
The launch ceremony took place in the White Cedar Conference Room as part of Education Month 2026, observed under the theme "Strong Foundations for a Future-Focused Generation." The initiative was introduced by the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports and is intended to institutionalise student leadership and participation within the Territory's education system, the government release said.
BVI News also covered the event and published photographs of the ceremony, including an image caption naming NSG President Waynella Moore. Chief Education Officer Orlandette Crabbe framed the NSG as a strategic development for student engagement. "The National Student Government is not symbolic.
Crabbe said, a statement reported in the Government release and repeated in BVI News' coverage. Crabbe explained the NSG will work through a representative model to ensure student perspectives are not an afterthought but a driving force in shaping policy, reform and the overall educational experience.
Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Honourable Sharie B. de Castro described the launch as a shift toward a more inclusive, student-centred future. "Today is a signal that something is shifting," the Minister told attendees, urging inaugural members to bring ideas, concerns and solutions. "I am here to listen.
Bring your ideas, bring your concerns and bring your solutions. This is a partnership," de Castro added, remarks carried in both the government statement and independent reporting by BVI News. A highlight of the ceremony was the pinning and introduction of the inaugural members who will represent schools across the Territory.
Delivering the student response, NSG President Waynella Moore called the moment historic: "Today we create history. This moment proves that young people are not simply watching the future unfold. We are shaping it," she said, according to the Government release and BVI News. Moore pledged the NSG will serve as a bridge between students and decision-makers and will champion initiatives that strengthen schools and empower youth.
The Government said the NSG brings together student representatives from every secondary school as well as H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC), making it the first unified student leadership body at the national level. The initiative is designed not only to provide a structured platform for advocacy and feedback on education policies and programmes, but also to introduce students to the principles of civic leadership and governance.
Officials say residents can expect the NSG to participate in consultations and policy discussions affecting the education sector. By institutionalising this representative model, the Territory hopes to develop confident leaders, responsible citizens and active contributors to national development, the Ministry said.
Local media coverage from BVI News confirmed the event’s proceedings and provided visual documentation of the launch and the NSG officers. Plans for the NSG's first activities and its formal schedule of consultations with the Ministry will be announced in the coming weeks as the new body begins its work to put student voices at the centre of education reform in the Virgin Islands.
Primary source: BVI Government