habele Robotics

Hands On STEM Brings Micronesian Students Together

This May, students from public and private schools across Pohnpei gathered at the Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School gymnasium for the 5th Annual Pohnpei Robo Day. This yearly exhibition of applied Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) allows students to demonstrate their creative problem-solving skills in friendly competition with peers.

Five teams went head-to-head with the robots constructed by each robotics club, maneuvering the machines through a series of timed challenges for points, with the final match determining the Robo Day Champion and runner up.

Pohnpei Island Central School’s team (PICS) entered the 2023 competition with the momentum of having recently competed internationally at the FIRST Global International Robotics Challenge in Switzerland. In 2022, the PICS team represented the entire FSM at the challenge, placing highly among the other small nations competing. This year, however, home field advantage carried the day, and Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School kept the Champion’s trophy.

The team placements were:

First – Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Second – Pohnpei Island Central School
Third – Pohnpei Catholic School
Fourth – Nanpei Memorial High School
Fifth – Calvary Christian Academy

A new challenge is already in the works for next year’s Robo Day, requiring all robotics clubs to start from scratch in designing a robot to compete.

The Robo League is uniquely student-driven, allowing students to explore and experiment with complex technologies and concepts in a hands on way. Robo Day challenges give all participants the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills to tough problems, and come up with creative and effective solutions. Even students who might not see themselves as “math and science types” can be drawn in to engage a lifelong love of STEM.

“The young people at Robo Day will grow up to help lead the FSM,” says Matt Coleman, Habele’s Director of Operations. “The Robo League is helping them develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a world driven by STEM innovation.”

The Robo League was introduced to Pohnpei in 2018 by Habele, a US nonprofit founded by former Peace Corps volunteers who taught in Micronesia. Habele first introduced robotics to Micronesia in 2011, and has trained and supported participating high schools across all four FSM states through a technical assistance partnership with the Office of Insular Affairs.

habele Literacy

Per request: books for young readers in Maap, Yap

Eager young readers at the Maap Early Childhood Education Center in the northeast of Yap have received the first of three boxes of books donated by Habele.

A US nonprofit, Habele was established by former Peace Corps Volunteers who served -many of them as library volunteers- in Micronesia. Habele provides donations of books, as well as tuition scholarships, tools for traditional craftsmen, and equipment for high school-based robotics across the Federated States.

In February, Leah Torwan, an early childhood teacher in Maap reached out to Habele.

Torwan explained that her own two-year old daughter was signed up for Young Island Readers, Habele’s direct book-a-month program for children birth through five years of age. She had been bringing those books, sent for her daughter’s use at home, to the center owing to the lack of books.

“I’m not sure about the other ECEs but our center lacks books,” relayed Torwan. “We have under 15 books; old and mostly damaged. The children who’ve enrolled since previous years are getting tired of the same stories being read over and over.”

At that time Habele sent three boxes, totaling 77 lbs of age-appropriate books for the children to read at the Maap ECE center. Owing to the complications mail service to Micronesia has recently endured, the first of the three boxes only reached Yap this week.

Year to date, Habele has provided 25 boxes of books to school-based libraries and early child education centers across Micronesia. In the same period, Habele’s Young Island Readers has provided a further 1,346 books directly to children under the age of five years. Last year 81 boxes for schools and centers, as well as a further 2,222 individual books sent directly to young children, were donated.

“As individual Americans with personal ties to Micronesia, we who volunteer, donate, and organize the work of Habele are eager to help,” explained Neil Mellen, Habele’s Executive Director. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support hard working parents and educators such as Leah Torwan, who are themselves the ones expanding children’s horizons through reading.”

habele Scholarships

Habele launches 2023-24 Scholarship Fundraising

Banner Photo: Kahlea Yaromal and Rayona Bernardo, in 3rd and 4th grade respectively, are Habele scholars attending Pohnpei Catholic School.

Every spring Habele reasches out American citizens with some connection to Micronesia, asking for support to award it’s annual K12 tuition scholarships.

Promising students who need financial assistance to attend Micronesia’s top-rated elementary and high schools send Habele applications. The Fund writes checks to the school in the students’ names for fifty to seventy five percent of tuition owed. Their families pay the rest. Over the school year these students provide Habele report cards, photos and letters to report on their academic progress.

Photo: Slayton Igem is a junior at Yap Catholic High School.

Each year, the number of scholarships awarded depends on the response to this letter -Habele’s only annual fundrasing effort- and donations made at the end of the calendar year. Habele’s scholarship are entirely funded by individual donations, never grants. The bulk of Habele’s supporters are returned Peace Corps Volunteers, former State Department offocials, family of US serviceman or officials who served in the Islands, academics with regional expertise, and tourists who fell in love with Micronesia while visiting.

Photo: Shyaleen Ilawegimal of Ifaluk (Yap State) is a sixth grader attending Faith Christian Academy on Yap. In March she proudly sent a copy of her latest report card showing her 4.0 grade point average.

“I am very proud of all of Habele’s work. High school robotics, targeted book donations and cultural mentorships are all highly effective and efficient,” explained Neil Mellen, Habele’s Founder. “But our tuition scholarships -the direct investment in the future of a singular young Micronesian working to advance themselves- is what I take greatest pride in.””

Photo: Karishma Paul is a sophomore at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School in Pohnpei. Karishma won first place in the Pohnpei State Department of Education Science Competition in March.

In 2022-23 Habele awarded 56 tuition scholarships to students from across the four Micronesian States, attending eight different elementary and high schools. Habele hopes to award 60 scholarships for the 2023-24 school year.