April 27, 2009 — Kurt G. Marsh Jr., 16, is a young St. John man setting a solid foundation for the future.
"I discovered a love for architecture," he says.
Marsh, who graduates from Eudora Kean High School in June, expects to attend Savannah College of Art and Design. When he's finished with his education, he plans to hold master's degrees in architecture and fine arts.
While he's still waiting for an acceptance letter from Savannah College, he thinks he has a good chance of getting in, because he took classes there last summer.
This summer he has lined up an internship at Trinity Architectural Services on St. Thomas.
In addition to an interest in architecture, Marsh also likes wood turning.
"I discovered a hidden talent in wood turning," he says.
That discovery came while he was a student at Julius E. Sprauve School when he took wood-turning classes taught by his uncle, Avelino Samuel. In fact, he continues his membership in the wood-turning club, joining other students twice a week to perfect their skills.
He and his brother, Kasiem Marsh, 19, are such proficient wood turners they were honored in 2006 at a national symposium.
Marsh is the son of Claudine Scatliffe Daniels and Kurt Marsh Sr. He lives with his mother; stepfather Ian Daniels; sister A'feyah Smith, 10; and brothers Khalid Smith, 8, and Khaden Daniels, 4.
He got his educational feet wet at St. John's Head Start program, then attended Guy Benjamin School, finishing as the school's valedictorian. He skipped the sixth grade when he headed to Sprauve.
Marsh is a very busy young man. He works after school at Varlack Ventures car rentals on St. John, and serves as the student council president at Eudora Kean.
"It has been a really great job," he says.
His post as student council president put him in touch with such people as Delegate Donna M. Christensen, Education Commissioner La Verne Terry and Gov. John deJongh Jr. Marsh says he's met with all of them in hopes of making life better for the Eudora Kean Students.
The issues at the school are many, but topping the list is the lack of sidewalks from the Red Hook ferry dock to the school. This forces students to walk in the road.
"But construction is supposed to start soon," he says, referring to the new sidewalks planned for the area.
Marsh also wants to see the gym refurbished and the track and field facilities finished. He says that track and field situation was a "key component" in the school's reaccreditation with Middle States.
He also wants a solution to the ferry ticket issue. The Education Department provides free tickets for St. John students headed to St. Thomas for their education, but he says they may only be used to attend classes. Marsh says they can't be used later in the evening, for field trips or on weekends. This means the students have to pay their own way if the event falls outside the proscribed hours.
"A lot of kids won't do sports because of this," he says.
He initially favored a technical school for St. John, but says he's now convinced that the combined elementary, middle and high school planned at Catherineberg is a good solution to the island's school-facility problems.
As for his future, in 10 years he plans to have completed his education, worked for awhile on the mainland building his portfolio and be on his way to returning home to the Virgin Islands to continue his career.
"I plan to be a wealthy person," he says, amending that to add, "I don't want to be rich, but I want to be happy."
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