Hopwood honors PIC for its generosity

The faculty, students, and administrators of the Hopwood Junior High School held a brief thank you ceremony for the Pacific Islands Club on Wednesday to thank it for its generosity in sponsoring extensive renovations and repairs of school buildings and facilities.

Hopwood principal Jim Brewer led the handing of a plaque of appreciation to PIC general manager Kieran Daly Wednesday morning on the school grounds. Some 15 to 20 PIC engineering and maintenance staff led by director Mark Ratliff and PIC resident manager Jerry John joined in the ceremony.

Brewer praised the San Antonio hotel for the outstanding community service it provided the middle school campus. “Hopwood commends the efforts of Kieran M. Daly, general manager, Jerry John, resident manager and Mark Ratliff, director of engineering and the entire maintenance staff. …You exemplify community involvement in the education of all students.”

Daly said the hotel considers its neighboring middle school an “adopted school” and that it is important to them that the students have a more conducive environment for learning.

He recounted that he was walking in the area late last year when he realized that majority of the school’s roofing were decrepit, posing a hazard to the school’s 1,160 students. He immediately called the school administrators’ attention and offered PIC’s assistance. The ensuing renovation project at the largest junior high school in the CNMI cost $50,000.

Brewer asked the students for their cooperation in maintaining the school facilities and keeping them in good condition at all times.

He said: “The amount of the renovation is worth $50,000…and now you [HJHS students] all know that’s how it’s expensive to maintain your school.”

The principal told Saipan Tribune right after the Wednesday ceremony that the PIC staff once again went to their school last week to repaint some benches.

The renovations entailed the construction of new basketball courts, repair of classroom ceilings and roofs, paving of the hallways, landscaping and construction of planters, as well as the installation of lunch benches around the school where students and school employees could enjoy lunch everyday.

Daly said the renovation project started in January and ended last month.

On top of this, the hotel also donated new books worth $2,000 to add to the dwindling number of books in the school’s library.

Hopwood’s Linala Malawasch Academy head teacher Christine Halloran said that she is so happy with the new basketball court for her students.

Hopwood recently made headlines with news that an international luxury hotel company wants to use the campus’ property as the location of a new hotel.

Daly said that students of the CNMI would have time to enjoy the newly constructed facilities for at least one to two years until the project for the new luxury hotel materializes.

Brewer said yesterday that no one in the government has spoken to him and his staff yet about the relocation issue. He earlier said that he would only be amenable to relocate the school if the government does not spend a dime for the project. He said the investors should shoulder the expense of relocating the school.

“Everything should be paid for by hotel investors. Let them foot the bill,” said Brewer.

The school, which was established in 1962, has a total of 1,160 students. Brewer said the school would have at least 1,250 students next school year.

He said relocating the students would entail a huge amount of responsibilities.

Brewer said the government should make sure that would-be investors should set aside plans for the building of at least two new junior high schools that could accommodate 700 or more middle school students to replace Hopwood.