- Denesha Wheatley-Jennings, Poet
Denesha is passionate for Arts and enjoys singing dancing, writing poetry, drama and doodling. Her matra is follow with pride, lead with dignity, and love what you do.
Mrs. Jennings holds a bachelor’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in Language Arts at the University of the Virgin Islands. While in attendance there, she wrote for the School’s News Paper where she published her first book of poetry, ‘From Darkness to Light’. She was also elected a member of Who’s Who in American Colleges, a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society and the students’ Cafeteria representative. She graduated from UVI Summa Cum Laude in 2009. She also graduated from Roehampton University with a Master’s in Technology and Learning Design in 2017. She has a Certificate in Leadership from HLSCC which she received this year. Denesha is currently pursuing her PhD in Curriculum Development at Capella University.
She attends the Seventh-day Adventist Church Bellevue where she has held positions such as Sabbath School Teacher, Head chorister, Music coordinator and Women’s Leader. She currently serves as Family Life Director along with her husband, a chorister, and a member of the Tech-Team. In 2025 she will retain these offices with the addition of The Education Director, God’s willing.
Denesha loves poetry. She first began writing at the age of 14 and published poems in the local News papers in her teens. Her first poem ‘Visions of the Harvest’ was written in for a talent show at church. The first poem ever catching her attention was written by her mother; the late Sheila Hyndman, ‘To Virgin Gorda’. Her favorite poet is Maya Angelo and two of her favorite stories are ‘Boysie and the Genips’ and ‘Flowers in the Attic’. She won second place in the Cedar Press Competition for her poem in 2020 and One Race and First place the following season, 2024 for her poem ‘Cap’
Denesha Wheatley-Jennings is married and has four beautiful children: two boys and two girls. She has been an Elementary teacher for the past 21 years and currently teaches Grade 6 at the Willard Wheatley Primary School.
