The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College has done us all proud and will continue to churn out students who will move on to be great leaders in this Territory and beyond. There must have been some collective pride when the College celebrated 20 years as an academic institution earlier this year. The college is more than just a symbol of educational independence, but represents the strength and vision of our past leaders to create opportunities to equip future generations with the necessary tools to face the world. The College has undergone significant changes academically. The edifice has also been upgraded from its original structure when the opening ceremony was held on January 14, 1990. There were 135 students enrolled in nineteen courses when classes commenced the day following the auspicious ceremony. The population continues to expand and more students, especially males are graduating on an annual basis. Like most projects, the College received many criticisms from many who felt that the timing was wrong and questions were raised about the financial underpinnings of pursuing a college education. The concept of creating a British Virgin Islands Community College seemed far-fetched for some and this resulted in the idea being placed on the shelf before it returned for discussion in 1986.

The institution is named in honour of the founding chairman of the College's Board of Governors, the late Chief Minister, H. Lavity Stoutt – a man who was visionary enough to ensure that the groundwork was laid to educate citizens and other residents of the Virgin Islands. In 2010, those criticisms are very much still alive as persons continue to second-guess the potential strength of the college. World-wide it has been proven that educational institutions grow in strength, popularity and reach over time.

The weekly profiles of notable HLSCC achievers will continue to be published in the Virgin Islands StandPoint over the next few months. We urge readers to take a close look and decipher for themselves the benefits of a home-grown institution. We would urge that residents take advantage of the many programmes at the College because it offers a great deal of advantages.

There are also various short courses which can also be beneficial. At a time when there is great concern about the youth population, HLSCC can become the focal point for change by leading the way. Parents also need to get involved by ensuring that stereotypes are removed so that their children can feel obligated to take advantage of the offerings. There is no reason why a young Virgin Islander should not seek to enroll and benefit from the free tuition.

The Board of Governors and administrators must ensure that the College continues to grow through accreditations and programmes. They should also ensure that the tuition remains free, but more importantly, a plan should be implemented to ensure that students are educated about these Virgin Islands. It was indeed a sad day for the College when Virgin Islands Study was removed from the syllabus. Premier Ralph T. O’Neal was quick to point this out. This is one area which must be corrected long before the resurrection of the time capsule which was earthed to be dug up in the next 30 years. 

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