USVI – When you examine the type of people in the U.S. Virgin Islands, they generally fall into one of two categories: the ones that give back to their community and the ones that don’t give back. There’s really nothing wrong with either type, but it’s the ones that continue to give back to their community that seem to have an extended run of good will heaped upon them.
Such are the grand folks at Sterling Optical who have been serving the local communities on St. Croix and St. Thomas for the past twenty-eight years. For twenty-four of those years, they have been sponsoring the Adams-Mahepath Scholarship which has awarded back to their community 261 scholarships to graduating High Schoolers, worth over $5000,000, in an effort to help these youth with their college expenses and give them a helping hand to achieve their future goals.
How many retail businesses, no matter how successful, are so thoughtful and caring about the needs of their fellow Virgin Islanders as co-owners of Sterling Optical, Joel Mahepath and Dr. Lisa Adams-Mahepath? Unfortunately, the number is far fewer than we could hope. But maybe Sterling Optical’s example will help spread the word: The youth are our future.
From the moment you walk into one of their shops you know you are being treated with warmth, love and dignity. You know you are in the hands of people who care deeply about your optical health and overall welfare. You know they are giving forth to their customers the same sort of genuine love they feel in their hearts.
“It is said that love makes the world go round,” Joel Mahepath said to the awardees at the ceremony that took place at Sterling Optical on August 5, 2025. “I say that giving is the DNA of Love, so let’s keep on giving to keep the world spinning!”
There were eleven awardees on both St. Croix and St. Thomas who were present at the ceremony.
“All of our recipients are amazing,” declared Dr. Lisa Adams-Mahepath, a renowned and celebrated optometrist in the Territory and one of the most influential women in the optical industry. “This is truly an outpouring of love!”
Yellow Cedar Media had a chance to sit down with a few of these wunderkinds who have their sights set on giving all their smarts and talents to the betterment of society.
Ellany Lopez graduated from Central High School and will start Georgia State University in the Fall and is majoring in BioMed. She is looking to eventually work in the field of Biomedical Engineering.
“I had a really good experience in my Physics class in school and I became interested in Engineering. I have always loved Biology,” Ms. Lopez said. “In the years to come I want to invent medical devices. My grandparents have pacemakers and I want to be the one to understand the science to a point where I can create new discoveries.”
Amrael Williams graduated from Seventh Day Adventist School and will be attending UVI in the Fall, majoring in Psychology.
“I have always been attuned to want to learn more about human behavior,” she said. “I have been searching on the internet and trying to learn how to predict other people’s behavior, along with the neurological behavior of the brain. I am very interested in learning about psychological disorders. I want to use that knowledge to help people, and to better understand myself and other people. Eventually I’d like to earn a Masters in forensic psychology and work in the legal system where I can learn about the criminal mind.”
Vivia Webster, graduated Salutatorian of her class at STX Educational Complex. She will be attending Tulane University in the Fall and majoring in Biochemistry.
“When I was younger, I wanted to become an Astronaut. I was the Youth President of the Tuskegee Airmen Club. When I was flying high in the sky I started to think about the oceans. I can see myself working in Pharmaceutical Science developing medicines. The oceans are where many of the new developments are going to be coming from. There is so much there we haven’t discovered.”
Geia Williams graduated from Free Will Baptist School and will be attending UVI in the Fall majoring in Nursing.
“When I was young, I knew I wanted to be in the medical or veterinary field. I wanted to help or take care of someone or some animal. I had a cousin who was a nurse and I looked up to her. I’d like to specialize in pediatrics. I can see myself working at JFL on St. Croix once I get my Masters in RN. I really want to try and save the world one person at a time.”
Angelica Griffin graduated from Seventh Day Adventist School and will be attending Walla Walla University in the Fall. She is majoring in Physics.
“My grandpa always told me I had a scientific mind. I want to go into Astrophysics where I can explore the universe from Earth. I can see myself doing research in a science museum like the Frost Science Museum where I can explore things like Black Holes and cosmology. We need level heads that will get us to understand the universe and not destroy the planet before we do so. I’d like to, at the very least, be a stepping-stone for those to follow in the future.”
The other awardees, a brilliant group, one and all were as follows:
J’Neolise Green, graduated from Complex and will be attending Winston-Salem State University and majoring in Social Work.
Kalyani Walter-Sundaram, graduated from Good Hope Country Day School and will be attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and majoring in Pre-Vet.
Sierra Abott, graduated from Charlotte Amalie HS and will be attending UVI and majoring in Computer Science.
Jarelle Berkeley Jr. graduated from Charlotte Amalie HS and will be attending Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and majoring in Aeronautical Science.
Kezia Corbett, graduated from Ivanna Eudora Keen HS and will be attending UVI and majoring in Nursing.
Sahid Letang, graduated from Antilles School and will be attending Jacksonville University and majoring in Business Administration.
It shatters the mind to see and hear the brilliance of these young people who can clearly see the problems of the world around them but are still willing to dive into the future, armed with only the force of their magnificent brains and willingness to work hard to make the world a better place.
There are those of us who were put on this planet to give what we can to those who will follow. It’s obvious the team at Sterling Optical are such a group that is dedicated to helping to lift up the youth of the Virgin Islands and try to steer them into a position whereby they can contribute their share in solving the complex problems of the modern world.
All you have to do is look into the eyes of the youth as they accept the $1,500 Adams-Mahepath Scholarship to know that here lies the beginning of a life that is destined for greatness. Here lies the best and brightest of the Virgin Islands as they go forth and make us all proud.
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