Raul R. Sprauve, businessman, musican and Physical Education Teacher.

Raul Sprauve aka Jougo during one of his performances with Showtime.

Born on the sister island of Virgin Gorda, the son of Theolinda and Darvin Sprauve grew up in Lower Estate and wanted to be a teacher.

With his love for sports and being a former junior national basketball player, Mr. Sprauve pursued his higher education in Sports Science and holds an Associate Degree from Reading College in England.

Prior to pursuing his studies, the former student of the Road Town Seventh Day Adventist and the then BVI High School, now Elmore Stoutt High School, worked at the Training Division before taking up the post as a Teacher Trainee in the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Following his studies, Mr. Sprauve taught Physical Education at several schools across the Virgin Islands including the Althea Scatliffe Primary, the Ebenezer Thomas Primary, Jost van Dyke, Ivan Dawson Primary and he is currently the Physical Education teacher for the Isabella Morris Primary in Carrot Bay and the Leonora Delville Primary in Capoons Bay.

“The kids and their different personalities keep me going. I enjoy teaching them new stuff while they in turn teach me new things,” said the teacher.

Emphasising the importance of physical fitness, the PE teacher said physical education plays a big role in one’s overall health and is equally important to get children active from an early age so that when they grow up they can have good health practices.

But being a PE teacher is just one aspect of this Virgin Islander’s busy life, Mr. Sprauve is also the owner of Exquizit clothing store located in the Botanic Station in the Monark Building in Lower Estate.

Explaining the story behind his business, Mr. Sprauve said he has always been someone “who has a flair for nice clothing” and would often be asked by friends to get them similar types of clothing.

What started out as bringing in few pieces of clothing for friends ended up into a full-fledged  store five years ago and has now become one of the few places in the VI that sells top of the line brand name ladies and gents clothing.

He started out on a small scale and has since expanded to include several designer clothing such as Konvic, Live Mechanics, Akademics and other top quality ladies clothing and fashion jewellery.

As a full time PE teacher and businessman, this multi-talented Virgin Islander still finds time to play his role as one of the lead vocalists of Showtime Band.

Mr. Sprauve has been a member of the four-time defending Road March Champion band since after he finished High School and is also one of the band’s songwriters and assist with studio engineering.

“Being a young person, it shows how influential music can be because you have influence in some parts of the community and is a good feeling,” said the musician who recalled of persons saying how much the band’s original patriotic song, “BVI” has touched them.

Acknowledging the influence of music, the young Virgin Islander said he strives to ensure the songs that the band does are of lyrics that is appropriate for everyone which also makes it more marketable.

Mr. Sprauve is also a strong advocate for the youths and strives to be a role model and good influence for them.

As a member of the Social Development Department’s Big Brother Big Sister Programme for the past four years, he said it has been a good experience.

“I want to see our youths do better and you will be surprise to see how a young person would vent to another person than someone directly in the household. And you can go back to parents and say certain things as to why a child behaves a certain way,” the young mentor explained.

“It helps me a lot because if someone is out there looking at you, there are looking at what I am doing since I have to set an example. It teaches me and I teach them,” Sprauve explained the added benefits that comes from being part of such a programme.

Looking back at where he is today and all he has been doing and strives to do, the humbled young businessman admitted that he didn’t see himself accomplishing much.

However, he has been able to reach this far through the strength, advice and positive influence from his wife Kenisha Sprauve, who has been the driving force behind him.

The proud father of J’Dya Sprauve, 6 and Jbari Sprauve 3, said he just wants to be happy, live comfortably, take care of his family and do what is right and continue to help the youth and his community.

“I would like to continue to be a patriot for the Virgin Islands by being vocal and having an open ear on certain things that are going on and being involve in programmes that can help to make a difference, as the children are the future,” said this young Virgin Islander.