Wheatley Honoured with HLSCC Building
At the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) graduation on 11 June 2026, Premier announced the first campus building will be named for Dr Charles H. Wheatley OBE and, posthumously, his wife Jennie N. Smith‑Wheatley MBE. The move recognises a lifetime of service to education and culture in the British Virgin Islands.
A hush gave way to sustained applause as an icon of BVI education sat surrounded by family, friends and former students, cameras flashing to capture the moment for posterity. Lavity Stoutt Community College graduation exercises on Thursday 11 June 2026, the Premier announced that the College's first building would be named in honour of Dr Charles H.
Wheatley OBE — a recognition that also includes his late wife, Jennie N. The announcement acknowledged the Wheatleys' decades-long contribution to the Territory's educational development and cultural life. For many in the crowd, the naming was an emotional reminder of the couple's shared commitment to children, youth and the preservation of BVI heritage; for Dr Wheatley there was pride tempered by the sadness of accepting the honour without his partner by his side.
Dr Wheatley's journey from a seventh‑standard pupil at East End Methodist Elementary School in 1951 to the heights of educational leadership illustrates the evolution of schooling in the Territory. He began teaching in 1955, trained at the Leeward Islands Teachers Training College in Antigua where he graduated top of his class, and earned Associate and Licentiate certifications from the College of Preceptors in the UK.
A visiting examiner from the University of the West Indies helped unlock scholarship opportunities that led Dr Wheatley and his wife to study in Canada, where he completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees before later earning a PhD. His professional appointments span headships at North Sound, West End, Cane Garden Bay, East End and Road Town elementary schools, to deputy principal (1970) and principal (1972–1980) of the then BVI High School.
He served as Chief Education Officer, was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Education and Welfare (1987–1991), and became the second President of HLSCC (1991–2005). After retirement he chaired the College’s Board of Governors from 2007 to 2019. Beyond administration, Dr Wheatley has authored several books, remains active as a Methodist local preacher, practises traditional straw‑plaiting crafts, and continues to be involved in family and community life.
His oft‑repeated maxim — "We educate our masters and we have to help them to do their work" — reflects a lifelong belief in preparing young people to serve the Territory. The naming of the HLSCC building ensures Dr Charles H. Smith‑Wheatley MBE will be permanently linked to the institutions and opportunities they helped build.
For residents, the honour is a public reminder of the foundations of modern education in the BVI and an inspiration to future educators and leaders.
Primary source: Guavaberry