Angaur, Palau — October 27, 2025 — On behalf of the school family and the Angaur community, we extend profound appreciation to Ms. Erica Martin, Senior Construction Manager, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Marianas; Mr. Matt Cole, Assistant Project Manager, Gilbane Building Company; and Mr. Mitch Lewey, Superintendent, Gilbane Building Company, for their unwavering support to both the community and the school. Since arriving in Angaur, they have significantly contributed to the school through projects that exceeded the capabilities of our limited manpower and budget.
With their assistance, the school has:
- Constructed a greenhouse for students
- Renovated housing for the poultry program
- Revamped the basketball court
- Erected new flagpoles
- Dispatched technicians to help with air conditioning units
- Relocated a 16-by-20-foot container to the school campus
- Built the roof for the container to serve as a storage
Recently, they collaborated with contractors involved in the school’s renovation to construct a new septic system, which includes excavating a septic tank with a 1,000-gallon capacity and a leaching field capable of handling 0.9 gallons per square foot per day, featuring four drain lines and one distribution box.
This latest endeavor saved the school and government substantial funds. The projected cost for the new septic tank system exceeds the grant award and the allocated local resources for the renovation, and we were spared the necessity of renting an excavator, chartering a barge to transport an excavator and operator to Angaur to accomplish this formidable task. We feel immensely fortunate to have their presence on the island, enabling us to achieve numerous objectives on our wish list that would have been unattainable without their assistance. Thank you all immensely.