Pulse of the Caribbean

#36 Discover the magic behind the Virgin Islands Children's Museum with Chantel Hoheb

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Discover the magic behind the Virgin Islands Children's Museum with guest Chantel Hoheb, the Executive Director of Operations and Development. From the Mango Farm to Market exhibit to teen-friendly programs, the museum offers a spectrum of experiences designed to educate and inspire across age groups.

Join us as we explore the museum's innovative programs and community events, including a heartwarming partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the museum's involvement in the Virgin Islands Liston David Children's Christmas Parade, a magical event that brings joy to families while emphasizing the museum's role in cultural engagement. With exciting plans for future growth and an ongoing need for support, Chantel highlights the essential role of community involvement in sustaining the museum's mission.

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Pulse of the Caribbean:

Chantel Hoheb, executive Director, operations and Development of the Virgin Islands Children's Museum, is our guest on today's Pulse of the Caribbean podcast. Hi, welcome to the Pulse of the Caribbean podcast. I'm Keisha Blyden. Chantel Hoheb, executive Director of Operations and Development for the Virgin Islands Children's Museum, is our guest on today's Pulse of the Caribbean podcast, and with that we say welcome to Chantel Hoheb.

Chantel Hoheb:

Thank you. Thank you, keisha, and happy holidays.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

And happy holidays. Certainly it is wonderful to see you. So, chantel, it's all about the Children's Museum of the Virgin Islands.

Chantel Hoheb:

Tell us what is the importance of museums in society as you see it? No-transcript able to go in and touch things and interact with them. The Children's Museum is the opposite of that. To me, since I've joined the team four years ago, one of the biggest things about these Children's Museums that is so important is exposure, exposure, exposure, unless. Children can see options or other opportunities, or just they may view something as a child that they get really into, that becomes a talent, that then becomes a passion, that can be a career, you know, but they have to be exposed to it at an early stage.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

So the Virgin Islands Children's Museum is about educating and exposure, exposing children to art. It includes science and interaction as well. So it's unlike, you say, the traditional museums, but where it is more interactive because it is a children's museum. So tell us about the Virgin Islands Children's Museum's admission purpose and why it was founded.

Chantel Hoheb:

We are a stream-based museum, so what that is, it's STEM plus. We've added reading and arts, so that's you get stream, and so it's important for us to expose children to those types of concepts, Not only because that's kind of where the world is going with technology and science. Why I love that we added reading and arts is children moving forward won't just be heavy on science or heavy on art. They definitely go hand in hand and I think all children should be exposed to both.

Chantel Hoheb:

Another major idea we operate on is learning through play. Play is a huge part of children's museums and lots of studies if you just Google it you can find lots of them have found how play helps children with their behavioral development, with their problem solving skills. It's something that you and I remember growing up on the, you know, outside, playing in parks, and that's where we learned a lot of what we know. We didn't know we were learning because we were playing Right. So, again, that learning while you're playing is a big part of the Children's Museum. And just to answer your question about our mission statement from the mission of the BICM is to bring children and families together in an interactive educational space where dynamic play inspires a love of learning. So, again, it's not a place where you drop off your child. It's very much about family engagement. If you've ever seen a child, you've seen them and heard them Keisha, mommy, look, daddy, look, look, look, look what are they?

Chantel Hoheb:

asking for Attention, right and for interaction. So if you hear that that means get off your phone and go play at whatever exhibit those children are playing at, it's very much about the family engagement, not just, oh, just throw the child to go play and that's it.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

You know, certainly, certainly. So it is something family-based, something that you explore. You can explore it as a group and, since it is a children's museum, of course the family, guardian or whomever, that is an important part of being there at the museum, since it is interactive and for the children. So tell us about the age range of children you serve in the Virgin Islands community and those that visit the Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands community and those that visit the Virgin Islands.

Chantel Hoheb:

Well, I love that. You asked that, because me and you right now, if we say children, that probably means everyone 18 and under right. What we found is that when people hear children's museums, they're literally just thinking of smaller kids. That is not the case. We are for all ages of children. Sometimes even a 98-year-old child, you know, could come in and play. What we have found, though, is most of the children who come to play will be 12 and under. We cater to all children, so it's very interesting to watch who comes when, who they interact with, et cetera. So 12 and under, I'd say, is mainly who comes to the museum.

Chantel Hoheb:

We have programs like Todd the Twos and then up until 12. And then, because we've seen how teens need their own time and space, we've also created a program called Teen Time Specifically for them. Parents, teachers, group leaders can can join the kids. It's a really amazing program. It's a psychosocial game night. When we created the program over a year ago, we were still coming out of COVID. Students were really behind, both academically and socially, and it was really cool to see them have a safe space to come together, make new friends that are not at your school. Sometimes we'd have people text their friends like why are you at home on the phone? Like come to teen time, you know, which is wonderful, because I personally don't know where teens have a safe space to just interact right now. But we have a space here and we want to invite teens to come and play.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

All right, so that sounds great. So it's a wide range of children that you serve in the community. Tell us about some of the exhibits at the museum.

Chantel Hoheb:

Yeah, so again, all the exhibits are stream-based as well. As we mentioned before. Some of them have some of those concepts and not others. One of our most popular exhibits right now was sponsored by Alpine Securities a few years ago. It is the first one you see, actually, when you walk in, like to the left, it's a mango farm to market exhibit. It took about from, I think, thought to having the actual exhibit. It took about two years to get done my numbers are correct, probably over $200,000, you know so it was an investment.

Chantel Hoheb:

It's built for kids you know they're very tough on things and there's a beautiful mural behind the exhibit that was done by artist Jasmine Lindquist and it includes lots of flora and fauna that you find in the Virgin Islands. I want to say, you know native to it, but some of them may not have been, so you'll see the trashies. We got to have chickens. There's cookies, you know. So it's an amazing mural behind an amazing exhibit.

Chantel Hoheb:

And so the Farm to Market exhibit. There's calculators that you can like tally up. You know people can go to the market and be like give me five mangoes and, you know, add it up yourself. There's a truck where you look like you're going to the market and you could pile the mangoes and it's really cool. It's a fun exhibit and it's funny because sometimes we'll have people go oh yeah, give me some of those oranges. And we're like we don't grow oranges in the Virgin Islands. We have mangoes but you know, a mango would never fit in some of the like trees that we have, like a real size mango. So it's key to watch the kids have their interpretations of what we're presenting to.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

So that's an interactive play where the students certainly have the concept of farming and agriculture, about taking to market and also about business, right, About the sales. So it's an interactive play. So what are some of the other exhibits that you have at the museum?

Chantel Hoheb:

So after the Mango Farm to Market we have a air rocket launcher. That exhibit shows you kind of the atmospheres that you have to pass through to get to space, so the challenges for kids to put enough pressure into their rocket to get it to go out into space. Then we have a dance and meditation room which kind of serves as an everything room. A lot, yes, kids dance in there. We have yoga in there. It has acted as a photo exhibition room, it's just everything. We have story times in there, so it's a really useful space. We have a train track that kids can play with, build their own tracks and create their little towns, et cetera. There's a light table and light peg room. Sometimes we have kids who build houses and I'll pass by and hear a kid going, no, no, this gotta be big, it gotta be strong for the hurricanes, and I'm like, okay well.

Chantel Hoheb:

And. I'm like well, a future architect is in the making here, you know but he's just playing.

Chantel Hoheb:

He's not thinking about what he wants to be in the future, you know. Again, it's that exposure. Then we walk into Pangea Lane, which has a lot of rocks that you will find in the Virgin Islands. There's a mural of how volcanoes are formed. Kids can go and place continents and planets, see if they can place them correctly on globes. There's an incline plane there. We have funny mirrors, of course, because you have to have a funny mirror. Yeah, we have a wonderful tenor steel pan that was donated by the Panyard people. So it's really cool to see folks who have never been to St Thomas like they'll come in and just start going on the pan. And you know, steel pan is more popular than when we were growing up. Now, right, so, just to get a chance to experience that, um is super cool. And sometimes I'll hear kids and I'll be like wait, are you in a pan group?

Chantel Hoheb:

and they'll be like, yeah, I said horizon stars and I'm like I can tell because you sound really great, you know, um, of course there's a big, uh indoor playground in the back. I don't think there's a kid who comes here and doesn't visit the playground. So it's amazing and a huge space. And I think it was one of the things to me that stood out most during COVID, because everything was shut down and closed and there was no like outdoor space for kids to play in. So we kind of became that, even though we're an indoor space. But it worked out, you know.

Chantel Hoheb:

Another hugely popular exhibit is the water table room and it really gets kids thinking about how they can manipulate water, sometimes to create energy, sometimes to create canals, and since we're surrounded by water, it's pretty good to know how to operate in and around water. That exhibit is currently down. Obviously you have an expense. There's maintenance that has to be done on them. Right outside of the water table room is a magnetic wall and it's like a gear wall as well, so you can create ball runs and super cool rotor looking designs on there.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

Yeah, yeah, so that sounds like so so many different activities that certainly for the children to be involved in, and the interaction as well with adults as well. Certainly, the exhibit sounds very interesting, something that everyone can certainly take part in, and I know that you also have some programs as well. We spoke about the teen program, but I know that you also have a program as well for reading. Tell us about that program.

Chantel Hoheb:

So I think it was. Yeah, I think 2017 is when the museum became the USVI affiliate for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. I think everyone knows Dolly Parton so much, so, like the people in the Virgin Islands, when they get the books, they think it came from, like it does come from them, but they didn't realize, like, we're the affiliate that the program operates through. So it's always a good time to like try to educate folks on what we do and how we do it. So how the program goes is from zero to five. Once you register, you get a free, age appropriate monthly book. So you have about you know, parents have about four to five years to build a library for their child and have all that time to read with them. Sometimes we see children who have, like, older siblings who've also been in the program and now they're reading to the younger child, you know. So I absolutely love those kinds of stories, but just the, just the getting like a little piece of mail every month is so exciting for some of the kids. They're like, oh, mom, I got some mail.

Chantel Hoheb:

So so how that program works is, when you register, the Dolly Parton organization sends the book. But we have to find funding for that. So currently, thanks to the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, they gave us funding for about, I want to say, 10 months eight to 10 months of the program. Without that funding, it literally just comes from our operating budget. So we're so thankful to CFDI for that. They have always been a great partner and always about literacies, the same as us, so we partner a lot with that. An important thing to note about the Valley Parton Imagination Library is that in the USVI, even though we are located in St Thomas, the program serves the entire Virgin Islands. So and it's and it's funny because we actually have more children registered in St Croix than than on any other island. So you can you can find out more about that on our website at VI Children's Museum dot org. Because we are a nonprofit and just go to programs and then you'll find the Dolly Parton imagination program and you can sign up from there.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

And as you started off our show today, we said happy holidays, so of course we know that we're at the time of Christmas celebrations. And one of the things that we know that you are participating in or partnering in is the Virgin Islands Liston David Children's Christmas Parade, and it culminates at the Virgin Islands Children's Museum. I know that it's also supposed to be a fundraiser as well for the museum, so tell us about your partnership with the Virgin Islands Office of Gun Violence Prevention and this children's Christmas parade.

Chantel Hoheb:

They actually take care of all the organizing of it. We are just where they end, and so what we do on our end is, before the parade, we accept the gifts that have been donated specifically to give out on this day, On the 20th. We're going to be wrapping those donated gifts and we will wrap those gifts that we will then give out on the 20th. We're going to be wrapping those donated gifts and we will wrap those gifts that we will then give out on the parade day, which will be the 23rd. When I was speaking to Bruce from gun violence prevention, he said a little more towards 12 only because I think the parade is just getting bigger and bigger and it like takes them longer to get here. But just so you know what to expect on that day, literally, if you come in, like their families lined up on the porch just waiting for Santa. He has come in a fire truck before. I'm not sure if he's going to come in a fire truck this year. Maybe they found some reindeer, I don't know. But you get a free gift. You get a photo with Santa. I think Mrs Claus is also going to be joining him.

Chantel Hoheb:

There should be, I think, a DJ there. Last year JD Jackson was the DJ and he had like the best Christmas remixes ever. It was awesome. It was a lot of fun. One thing I will note is that that parade happens on a Monday, which is a day that we're not usually open. So for the duration of the parade until everyone has gotten their gifts, until our gifts are exhausted, we will be open, but we'll close after that, and then we will be closed for Christmas Eve and then Christmas as well. So we should open that, I think Thursday right, Christmas is on a Wednesday.

Chantel Hoheb:

Wednesday, yeah, so we'll open again on the Thursday at 10 for normal operations.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

So that is so wonderful and also the opportunity as well for folks, families, children to visit the museum as well. Now we know that throughout the year, of course, it's always about supporting the Virgin Islands Children's Museum. As you mentioned before, the exhibits and maintenance of the exhibits there is a cost operating costs as well for the museum. So tell us about some of the other fundraising events that you have throughout the year us about some of the other fundraising events that you have throughout the year.

Chantel Hoheb:

So before the year's out we were hoping to do a year-end fundraiser. We couldn't do a nighttime event, so we're going to bring back an event that the museum used to do before, which is called Noon Year's Eve instead of New Year's Eve. So we're're gonna drop a ball at 12 in the day as opposed to at night, and so you know, kids can enjoy the whole new year's uh festivities as well. And we are asking for sponsors for that day, because I'd love to make it a free day where everyone can just come in and and have fun, um, just so they don't have to pay or not to think about it. So if, if you would like to sponsor that, please email us. We have a capacity of 100 people, so when we have big days like that, we have a good flow of in and outs, but we can't have so many people in the museum at once. So that coverage that you would be giving us is just to cover who's going to come to the museum like that sponsorship In September we have.

Chantel Hoheb:

This will be the second year we've celebrated the Worldwide Day of Play. It used to. We call it the Community Day of Play, and we used to celebrate it in March, but now we've gotten on board with the Association of Children's Museums and Nickelodeon to celebrate it in September, while the rest of the world celebrates the Worldwide Day of Play. But I will say, if you're interested in being on a committee, on the board, whatever it is to help the Children's Museum, please contact us because, like I said, we're trying to rebuild our board, so we definitely need help and the more help we have, the more events we could have to support the museum.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

All right. So if someone wants to be a donor or support the museum, as you mentioned, to be a part of the board, what is that information that they can reach out to become a donor or support the museum or be inquired about being a member of your board?

Chantel Hoheb:

or be inquire about being a member of your board. So our email and how you can get in contact with us is vichildrens with an S museum at gmailcom. People can donate via PayPal. We have a global giving platform set up I'm sorry, a global giving page on set up where people can also donate to our projects there. Like PayPal, global Giving takes a small percentage, but it's such a huge platform that, like you know, you get out there and you have to take that little hit, that little fee hit, but it's okay. Yeah, so checks, digitally, cash, you know you can come and donate.

Chantel Hoheb:

Another way to support the museum is just, literally, to join it. You can become a member. Memberships are a huge, amazing value. Like, for a family of four, it's only $185 for the entire year and, given that the admission the regular admission is $10. If you have a family of four, that's $40 every time you come right. So after like four or five visits, you've already paid for the entire year of your membership. So it's a really great value.

Chantel Hoheb:

Members also get 10% off in our gift shop all year round and if you join the museum during December, like if you become a member in December, you always get 15% off. Another cool part about our membership is that because we are part of the Association of Children's Museums, they have a reciprocal network. So the other museums who are in that network you get like, if you have a membership with us, you can get in for like half off and then another one. So yeah, so if you're traveling to the States seeing some family and they have kids like you, having a membership here can help you up there. You know, I always try to tell Virgin Islanders who live in the States, like, just find a membership here and then go wherever you want in the States, just support the one in the Virgin Islands.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

And tell us what do you love most about being a part of the museum and why you became a part of the Virgin Islands Children's Museum as well?

Chantel Hoheb:

So what I love and it's like the smallest, simplest thing is hearing when a child walks in and they go whoa, oh my gosh. You know it's like all the struggle just is like okay, I guess that was worth it. Crying on the way out is par for the course also.

Chantel Hoheb:

So, sometimes crying we think, oh, it's bad, but no, they're just leaving, they just don't want to, just didn't want to leave. So that's one of my favorite things the literacy, the arts, the STEM. It was just so cool. And another thing I think is cool is that a children's museum should be created and should be always changing and made for the community that it's in. If you have things in the museum that really don't connect, you know, the child to their actual life, it kind of doesn't help with the lessons you know you want them to learn. So I do like that part of it. That, for instance, the mango farm. You know, if it were an orange farm it wouldn't feel as authentic, would it? It wouldn't feel very Virgin Island. So I like that. With children's museums you get to be who the community kind of needs you to be, or who you are, you know. You get to pull in these pieces of culture that not only you get to share with other locals but you can share them with people visiting from off island too. So it's really awesome.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

So that's something that you certainly mentioned about being a part of the community, and we are the Pulse of the Caribbean, so tell us about the culture that you share. That's a part of the museum.

Chantel Hoheb:

I think the best way to approach culture for kids is to see not only what their parents are doing but what they're into. Right, to be honest, a lot of my friends and folks, I know. If you were to put us up against what people think of Virgin Islander is, I don't know if I'd make the cut, you know. But I'm a multi-generational Virgin Islander and you can't tell me any different, you know. So it's funny. I don't try to get into that part of culture, but the things like mokujumbi, how we dance, the bamboula, the fruits we eat, the animals we see here, that's super important to me. To me, culture also is what you do. There's so much we you do, so there's, and there's so much we could do. There's so much more we could add to the museum that's culturally relevant. But we do need that support to get those things done, you know.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

So what is your wishlist for the museum? Is there a wishlist in terms of things that that you would like to do as the Executive Director of Operations and Development? There are operational costs for the museum, but also there are things I'm certainly sure that the museum would like to develop in the foreseeable future as well, with support, yeah yeah, main focus right now is making sure our doors stay open, and so, in terms of that, my wish list would be to fill our board.

Chantel Hoheb:

You know of people both who can financially support the museum, bring in financial supporters and also give the time and energy that we need. I would love to add to that wish list some actual administrative staff. My wish list would definitely be for the people to come around the museum and surround us, the people who have our best interests at heart and who want to help us propel into growth and, in the you know, be here in the future.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

Really, so what is your board? I mean, how many members do you need on your board?

Chantel Hoheb:

The max we can have according to the bylaws is 12. We currently don't have all the officers because unfortunately, our VP, carol Lotz-Felix, passed in May, but having a consistent set of individuals to make sure we have what we need to do at our jobs would be extremely helpful.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

Well, Chantel, it certainly has been a pleasure chatting with you about the Virgin Islands Children's Museum and all the energy and excitement that you have for working with children and all that you do for working with children and all that you do. So any final thoughts in regards to the work and the services that you provide for the community.

Chantel Hoheb:

I guess. To wrap it up, I do want to say our team is small. We need help, we need lots of help. If you have seen or heard about the VI Children's Museum, if you've been here and enjoy yourself, please tell someone else. You know what I mean the rate at which bad news is shared versus good news. We know there's a huge difference there. Right, be here.

Chantel Hoheb:

We have been in operation for about eight years. We'd love to be here for another 80 years. I mean, I don't know. I'd love to see what this could become, you know, but with that we are trying to support this community, expose our children to concepts that could hopefully propel them into their futures, and we need the community support to do that.

Chantel Hoheb:

I will say it's December now, so next month we will be having another adult game night. We had one in November and it was super cool. It's a small fundraiser, but it's a time where adults get to enjoy the museum by themselves, play. We also had a wine tasting attached to that, so it was a lot of fun. I'm thinking it might be January 24th, but just you know, stay tuned on Facebook and Instagram for those, for those updates, um, but, but thank you, keisha. Things like this are so important because, you know, not a lot of us have marketing budgets, and having someone who goes, hey, let me, let me share what you guys are doing with other Virgin Islanders or other people who may be interested, like you, may help us find that support that we need. So I want to really thank you for giving us this opportunity.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

And one more thing before we go, if you could just say, the location of the Virgin Islands Children's Museum, the hours of operation, and I know that you do have, like you said, for those that are interested in being members, they can become a member as a family. I know it's a $10 fee for coming, but you also have something for those that may not be able to afford it, those like through the SNAP program, where you also provide a lower rate for families that are on a SNAP program. So just share that information with us as well.

Chantel Hoheb:

Sure, absolutely. Virgin Islands Children's Museum is located in Buccaneer Mall. We are right across from Port of Sale, so if you're standing, at.

Chantel Hoheb:

First Bank in Port of Sale. You look across the street you'll see our sign. We are open every day, but Monday. We are not open on Monday. So from Tuesday to Saturday we're open 10 am to 5 pm. We do close at 5 pm. However. The last visitor is admitted at 4 30, just to give them, you know, a little time. But once five o'clock hits, we do start our cleanup. If you call and we don't answer, you can always go to the website for more info, and that is vichildrensmuseumorg.

Chantel Hoheb:

A regular admission is $10 a person for everyone two and up. So if you are one or a baby, they don't pay for entry. And regarding admission, thank you for mentioning our Museums for All program. That is a program that we administer also because of the Association of Children's Museums. And yes, you nailed it, it is for families, low-income families, who may be on SNAP, who may be getting WIC benefits as well. We've just added the WIC to this whole equation. It used to just be the SNAP card, but you can also bring your WIC card. All you have to do is present it and we will give you that reduced price. And the idea there is that museums should be for all and you should not have to be rich or you know someone with a lot of money to experience what museums have to offer or be exposed to the stream-based concepts we're trying to. You know, get out there.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

All right, Well, awesome Well. Chantel Hoheb, thank you so much for joining us on the Pulse of the Caribbean podcast and for sharing the great work of the Virgin Islands Children's Museum with us Museums. They contribute to society by preserving cultural heritage and fostering connections between generations, as you have on your site, educating and encouraging social dialogue. So thank you so much for sharing with us.

Chantel Hoheb:

And thank you for doing your part in this support. This is awesome.

Pulse of the Caribbean:

All right. Thank you for joining us on the Pulse of the Caribbean podcast, where we shine the limelight on spectacular destinations, notable events and exceptional Caribbean people making positive impacts around the world. We are one Caribbean. Spread peace and love, and if there is one thing you can do, be kind and never look down on someone unless you're helping them up. Pulse of the Caribbean podcast is a production of pulseofthecaribbeancom. You're helping them up. Pulse of the Caribbean podcast is a production of pulseofthecaribbeancom. If you love listening to our podcast, please leave a review and subscribe to our podcast on your favorite streaming platform. Visit our website pulseofthecaribbeancom to read interesting articles and visit our travel page to connect with tourism sites in the region. Check us out and follow us on Facebook and Instagram and tell your family and friends about Pulse of the Caribbean podcast and pulseofthecaribbeancom. Until next time, may God bless you. One Caribbean, one love.