NMI public schools make full use of TSL’s $250K donation

Majority of schools in the Public School System have received and are now making the most of their share in the $250,000 donation that Tan Holdings Corp. chair Dr. Tan Siu Lin made last November during the corporation’s 35th anniversary celebration.

The donation was intended to benefit pubic schools of the CNMI, with the money to be divided among the schools according to their enrollment numbers.

Marianas High School, which received $28,800 of the donation, purchased $1,000 worth of new books for the English Department, used $6,000 to repair the air-conditioning equipment at the gymnasium, and $16,000 for library upgrades such as library furniture and new reference books.

Vice principal Jessica Barcinas said the school had not been able to update its library for the longest time so the generous donation was a timely one.

Hopwood Junior High School, which also received $28,800 from the donation, used its share to purchase eight new projectors and for the extension of the school cafeteria.

DanDan Elementary School also made full use of its $8,800 share, with part of the money going to the construction of a room for maintenance supplies.

DES principal Jonas M. Barcinas said that for the last eight years, the school never had a separate room for its maintenance supplies. All maintenance supplies were housed in the electrical room, which posed a safety hazard should something go wrong inside.

Barcinas said the school had also been cited by federal education officials for the absence of a maintenance room.

“I have been begging and begging for funds from everywhere and I could never get it. I was always told there were just no funds. But thanks to the donation from Tan Holdings, I was finally able to get that done,” Barcinas said.

DES also reconstructed their school playground. The old one had a history of students falling off and getting hurt due to its old and rusty condition.

Barcinas said he also used $1,700 to buy a new PE equipment to help promote the school’s Physical Fitness Program.

“If it wasn’t for that funding, I’d be lost. I just want to make sure that the campus is safe and fun for the children and anyone who visits it,” Barcinas said.

Tinian Elementary School received its $8,800 share, which it used to purchase new library books and other school essentials that would help enhance academic learning among its students.

TES principal Julian U. Hofschneider said the donation helped the school tremendously “especially now with this economic times, we really appreciate all the help and anybody else. We really appreciate the contribution because we really do need it.”

He added that, “there are so many things going on and so many expectations. With this kind of help, it will help us reach our goals, whether they be wellness policy goals or our reading goals.”

San Vicente Elementary School had recently announced that it would use its $20,800 share to help with the reconstruction of the Kindergarten classrooms that are in dilapidated condition.

So far, 21 public schools in the CNMI have received their share of the TSL education donation. Four schools have yet to contact the Tan Holding’s Corp. for their share.

With the help of PSS officials and his business team on Saipan, Tan hopes that they will find ways to use the money wisely to help all students of the Commonwealth according to the needs of each student.