Some advanced tools for learning were recently donated to PICS High School in Pohnpei by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The donation included a system called R.A.C.H.E.L which means Remote Area Community Hotspot for Education and Learning. The size of the system varies but the system donated to PICS High School included the stand-alone hot spot loaded with dozens of educational programs for math, science, reading, English and other languages. Wikipedia and many other research databases including geography and advanced levels of research in many fields. Programs for teaching music and learning to play many instruments. It is truly a stand-alone learning center with no need for an internet connection.
Along with the hot spot, fifty chrome book computers that can only connect to the R.A.C.H.E.L unit, which removes the threat of undesirable content always present on the internet. The system also includes cabinets to store and charge all fifty computers at the same time.
Previous donations of the R.A.C.H.E.L unit by the Church to other schools have been met with rave reviews stating that,” this system changes everything for the better at our school.”
The administrators at PICS High School are working to have a separate computer lab area set up for the R.A.C.H.E.L unit in the school’s library when school begins in the fall.
In a separate donation, the Church also teamed up with the PICS High School drafting class and the woodworking class to design and make 37 new picnic tables with the donated materials from the Church. Consisting of everything needed to complete the tables including a laminate top. Each table was constructed by a senior woodworking student who then was able to apply a sign to his table with his name as the builder providing pride in his labor.
These tables will replace the older tables in the cafeteria and should last many years to come. The Church is happy to team with such worthwhile projects.