U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (June 4, 2025) – With the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially underway as of June 1, U.S. Virgin Islands native Teri Helenese is teaming up with the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) and the Virgin Islands American Red Cross to launch the 2025 Hurricane Preparedness Essay Competition. This community-focused initiative invites students across the Territory to share their ideas on readiness and resilience through original essays.
The competition aims to inspire students to think critically about disaster preparedness while offering practical solutions to help protect lives and property — especially the Territory’s most vulnerable residents. Students are encouraged to explore themes such as youth leadership, pet protection, stress reduction during emergencies, and accessible evacuation for people with disabilities.
“Young people in the Virgin Islands have a powerful role to play in helping our communities stay safe and prepared,” said Helenese, founder of the 2025 Hurricane Preparedness Essay Competition and Director of State-Federal Relations and Washington Representative for the U.S. Virgin Islands. “This initiative is not just about writing – it’s about empowering the next generation to think critically, lead with compassion, and help build a culture of resilience in our islands.”
Elementary, junior high, high school, and University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) students are invited to submit an essay of 500 words or less responding to one of 10 hurricane-related questions. Essays must be submitted in PDF format by July 1, 2025, to https://bit.ly/hurricaneessay. All entries must reflect the USVI experience and be the original work of the submitting student.
Each submission will be evaluated by a panel of five hurricane preparedness experts using a structured rubric. Essays will be scored out of 100 points based on relevance to the prompt, clarity and organization, originality and creativity, practical impact and community insight, and grammar and mechanics. The grading system emphasizes local context, actionable ideas, and a strong connection to community preparedness — particularly for senior citizens, children and other vulnerable groups.
Winners will receive a hurricane preparedness kit and monetary awards as follows:
- UVI Student – $1,000
- High School Student – $1,000
- Junior High Student – $500
- Elementary School Student – $200
Winning essays will be announced on August 1, 2025, through TeriHelenese.com and her official Facebook page. The students will also be recognized at a special Back-to-School Barbecue held in both St. Thomas and St. Croix in late August.
For details, visit https://bit.ly/hurricaneessay.
About Teri Helenese
As the Director of State-Federal Relations and Washington Representative for the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, Teri Helenese plays a pivotal role in policy development and advocacy. She skillfully champions Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s priorities, leveraging her deep understanding of policy formulation, powerful advocacy, and wide-reaching collaborations to drive meaningful change. From securing significant funding to pioneering initiatives for student support, affordable housing and economic development, her work spans a wide array of critical areas, contributing to the prosperity of the Virgin Islands.
For more information, visit terihelenese.com.
