 A drawing created by a member of our art and design department, Jazmin Johnson. She created this drawing that showcased during the university's Out of This World themed Club Rush!
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 Here is drawing dedicated to Turks and Caicos created by one of our designers, Marlon Mustelier. Marlon's inspirtaion for the drawing was the island's flag and their beaches. He wanted to capture the purity and beauty of the islands in a simple yet eye catching way. He hopes he did the Turks and Caicos community justice and captured the beauty they see daily.
 A bobcat drawing created by one of the Turks and Caicos students. Simple yet bold.
Created by Jazmin Johnson and Marlon Mustelier  At the early age of six years old, Kervens Warnon knew he had a love for water and swimming. What he didn’t know was how this would not only define his athletic journey but also his life. What started as a fun and refreshing pastime soon became his end goal. Before fully committing to swimming, Banks played other sports like tennis and soccer. “From seven to 10, I played competitive tennis while swimming just for fun,” he says. Heading into his preteen years, his passion shifted to swimming and soccer, balancing school, personal life, and sports up until he turned fifteen.
Although he loved soccer, he was influenced by his talent and family pushing him to focus on swimming: “I was better at swimming”. His mother didn’t want him to play any other sport that involved teamwork, she knew he had potential of his own potential. Warnon says, “My mom didn’t want me playing soccer because I would leave traces of mud inside the house.” Although it’s true and funny, thanks to his mother helping him make this decision, it turned his life around for the better. His talent and passion for swimming led him to the United States, where he first attended a small community college, Iowa Central Community College. The cultural and weather shift in Banks’ life motivated him to push for a better performance. “My times have improved a lot since I joined this team. I think that is mostly due to the weather. Being around other international students who speak more than one language made me feel at home,” he said. Warnon is grateful for the opportunity to swim for such a cultured and diverse team at Saint Thomas University in sunny Miami. His hard work does not go unnoticed, Warnon easily averages out 2 swim practices a day plus a weightlifting workout session, totaling to about 15 sessions per week. Despite the competition he has, he thrives in a tough atmosphere. “The team I am in right now won the men's NAIA National Championship; it was the first time a team ever won a national title at STU!” Banks says proudly of not only himself but his teammates. “It would be amazing to finish off the season with a title”, with nationals taking place in early March, his focus is on competing and taking home a title for himself and his school. Have I but a dream?
Attached to the simple grounds, Like caterpillars. Slow and silent in my shell, Still unsure of what I am. Have I but two dreams? Flow-free like a butterfly, Liberty's finest. Wings of light and winds of hope, Chasing colors through the sky. Have I but three dreams? To rest on petals of peace, Breathes insollaing, Only skies that call me home. Or have I but none? Just moments stitched into the air, Fragile as dew drops leeting thoughts and fading wings Lost before I know their names. Yet still, I wonder - Dreams may hide in quiet things, Soft as dusk's whisper Maybe I have always flown, And the dream was just to see. It’s swaying says nothing,
yet it reveals it all-- In the heart of Miami, where neon dreams call. Rooted in concrete and coral, it stands through heat and haze, watching over sidewalk stories and long, sun-drenched days. This mystery stores all secrets, Hidden deep in fibrous skin-- The laughter, the heartbreak, The rumble of life within. Trunk and roots remain firm, as its leaves dance in the breeze, to the rhythms of passing traffic, and whispers from the seas. A quiet breeze storms through, carrying music, smoke, and heat, but only silence ever rings from its place above the street. It sees abuelas on porches, Kids running past in pairs, the scent of cafecito still lingering in the air. Storms may roar from the coastline, Rain may rush through the town, But the palm tree sways with patience-- Never breaking down. It leans like a dancer in motion, Graceful against the sky, wearing Miami’s memories in each wave passing by. A monument to survival, to joy and pain and peace-- It holds the city's secrets that only the wind can release. Dear little brown girl from the heart of the South,
With fire in your spirit and rich gold in your mouth. They whisper, stare, and doubt, Never let them dim your light that’s pouring out. Your skin tells a story, rich, deep, and bold, A tale full of resilience, a beauty untold. They see you as different- just let them believe, Your difference is magic, a wonderful gift to receive. Your mind is a vast river that’s endless and bright, It flows with wisdom, power, and light. Your courage is like mountains, unmoved by storms, Standing fearless, mighty, and warm. They tell you you can’t- but oh, they don’t know, You're built from roots where wildflowers grow. You’re carved from the dreams that your grandmothers prayed, A force to be reckoned, a path to be paved. So, walk with your head high, your name written in the sky, Let them watch as you rise and fly.Shatter the ceilings that hang in your way, Make them remember your name when they say- “She came and conquered us by silencing our doubts, The little brown girl from deep in the South.” With love, The Voice That Believes in You An event that happens once a year,
Where everybody celebrates with Christmas cheers. As the sun sets, a brand-new light will glow, With festivities, rhythm, and a beat that makes you flow. On a starry night, a new life appears, vibrant costumes and dancing peers. Showing our flags with pride to show the world, A story told from ancestors to ancestors, of our heritage and spirit, big and bold. Feathers shimmer like the lively breeze, And the beats of the drums bring us to our knees. Songs of tales to reminisce again, To bring laughter and remember our past, back then. Family and friends will come to unite, Sharing everlasting memories of that night. How wonderful it is to experience such a night, Where everyone can have the time of their life. Every culture has its unique grace. A treasure of stories in every place. So come to Turks and Caicos, let your heart take flight. To revel in Maskanoo’s pure delight! By:Adam Perez-Pinon An Original story composed by two dream of Horror and Anventure:
Jacob’s high school days blurred into graduation. As he walked on stage, he struggled to smile, consumed by the uncertainty ahead. Though the applause resonated, he felt the weight of impending change. After the ceremony, he met his friends Alisha, Teresa, and Natt. Teresa, the bold leader, wanted to plan a long-awaited road trip at her house. Jacob hesitated, knowing he had to ask his parents first. When his parents approached, their pride was clear. His father hugged him tightly, and his mother’s eyes sparkled with joy. “We’re so proud of you,” they said. Jacob, however, hid a secret. When he asked about the trip, his mother agreed if all parents approved. Excitedly, they piled into Teresa’s car. During the drive, Teresa was unusually quiet. When Jacob asked, she admitted feeling pressured by her mother’s expectations. “She acts like I need my life figured out already,” she sighed. Natt encouraged her to relax, but Jacob empathized with her struggles and fears of failing. At Teresa’s house, they brainstormed destinations, with Alisha suggesting New York and Natt joking about extreme adventures. Jacob, lost in thought, barely engaged. Sensing his distraction, Teresa asked, “Jacob, you good with New York?” He nodded, though he wondered what he was truly escaping—his friends, family, God, or himself. Later, after the others left, Jacob and Teresa watched a movie, comforted by the soft glow of the projector. His father’s firm voice replayed in his mind, reminding him of the expectations he dreaded. Chapter 1: The next morning at church, Jacob felt suffocated by the sermon. Each word pierced him, reinforcing his sense of wrongness. As the priest spoke, he gripped his Bible, trembling yet unable to pray. Why did God make him feel this way? His mother’s gentle touch brought him back. She smiled, unaware of his internal turmoil. He returned a fragile smile, feeling it might crack. As the pastor spoke of sacrifice, Jacob questioned how long he could continue hiding. On the way home, his mother asked about the sermon. “It was… thought-provoking,” he murmured, heart aching with an unspoken prayer: Forgive me, Heavenly Father, for being who I am. That night in bed, Teresa’s and Alisha’s words echoed: Are you okay? What if everything changed? Would his parents still see him the same? By Monday morning, they were ready for their last adventure together— the road trip. Chapter 2: As the sun set, Jacob, Natt, Alisha, and Teresa cruised a lonely highway on their road trip from Miami to New York. After hours of driving, they found an old yet grand hotel with a flickering sign and decided to stay the night. Inside, the lobby blended antique elegance with modern restoration. A tall, unsettling concierge greeted them, handing over room keys with an eerie smile. As they took the elevator to the third floor, it ascended on its own before they pressed a button. Their rooms, were dimly lit and smelled of cigars and mothballs. Restless, Jacob persuaded the group to explore. He and Alisha wandered into an abandoned restaurant, while Teresa and Natt explored a vast library. Teresa found an ominous book titled A Guide to Manipulate the Mind and Space. Ignoring Natt’s warnings, she took it, only to realize the room had turned into a maze. They placed the book back, making an unknown deal with it. Meanwhile, Jacob and Alisha met the concierge again, whose shadow stretched unnaturally as he warned, “You must follow the ordeal made or stay here for eternity.” Spooked, they fled to their rooms, where the group shared their unsettling experiences. Teresa revealed the book’s demand: they had to confront their deepest fears. As anxiety gripped them, Natt checked the time—it hadn’t changed. Looking outside, Alisha noticed something stranger: no cars, no signs of life, just an endless night. The realization hit them all- they were trapped. Chapter: 3 The friends lay in bed, lost in thoughts. Jacob stared out the window, recalling a camping trip where the moon never moved. When Natt teasingly suggested Jacob show them the Grand Restaurant, he hesitated but agreed if they all went together. In the eerie hotel' s dim light, they reached the Grand Restaurant. Dust covered the abandoned room, with a broken chandelier above and a cracked mirror reflecting their worried faces. Teresa fixated on a haunting portrait whose hollow eyes followed them. Then a familiar voice broke the silence. “Didn' t I tell you this place was off- limits?” The concierge appeared, his smile unnerving. “Leaving is no longer an option,” he whispered to Jacob. “You have fears and secrets, don' t you?” Jacob froze, caught in a trance. The concierge grinned and turned to Alisha, pressing a finger to her forehead. “And you… what is your fear?” Helpless, she whispered, “Spiders.” Instantly, walls came alive with skittering legs. Seeing the chaos, Natt bolted. “I' m not dealing with him,” she muttered before vanishing into the halls. Teresa, panicked, tried to shake Jacob from his daze, but his eyes were dull silver. As spiders swarmed Alisha, Teresa acted fast, throwing Jacob over her shoulder and fleeing. The hotel twisted around her, doors shifting and hallways stretching. She finally reached their room, slamming the door and dumping Jacob on the bed. Desperate, she threw freezing water on him. His eyes flickered back to brown. “Where are we?” he murmured. Tears in her eyes, Teresa hugged him. “The hotel. Natt ran, and Alisha is with the concierge.” As Jacob gathered himself, he recounted his nightmare of waking up alone at home, feeling abandoned by God. “I felt like my faith was slipping. My parents screamed—‘HOW COULD YOU? SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT.’” At the hallway' s end, he found an empty picture frame that once held an image of Christ—a mirror reflecting his worst fears. “I' ve lost everything,” he sobbed. Then he woke up, safe in Teresa' s arms. “I' m scared,” he whispered. Teresa held him tighter. “I know. But I' m here.” As they caught their breath, one thought loomed—Alisha was still with the concierge. Chapter: 4 Natt, disoriented and lost in the eerie hallway, tries calling Teresa, only to hear the phone ringing nearby. Following the sound, she stumbles into an old Scottish-style dungeon, where she finds five hooded figures surrounding a table. Among them, Teresa reveals herself, accusing Natt of abandonment. Shocked, Natt watches as her parents remove their hoods, warmly beckoning her forward. Hesitant but longing for comfort, she approaches—only to be restrained by her father. Alisha, Jacob, and the concierge stand among the hooded figures as Teresa lifts a knife, chanting while slicing into Natt. Suddenly, she experiences an out-of-body moment, witnessing herself reentering the room. Just as Teresa raises the blade again, Natt screams and blacks out, only to awaken at the dungeon entrance, memories erased. Drawn once more to her father’s embrace, she begins the cycle anew, trapped in a purgatory of guilt and betrayal—until she either finds redemption or is freed by another. |