Scholarship established to honor legacy of Jim Stovall


Habele, a US nonprofit established by former Peace Corps Volunteers, has announced the establishment of a memorial scholarship that honors the life and legacy of the late Jim Stovall.

James T. Stovall, III provided the people of Micronesia with expert legal counsel for more than 50 years, beginning his service before the establishment of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and then serving that new nation’s National Government tirelessly.

Jim, as he was called by friends in the Islands, served the Micronesian Committee on Future Political Status and Transition (CFPST) in the early 1970s, and then as legal adviser for negotiations on the original Compact of Free Association agreement concluded in 1986, the Amended Compact concluded in 2003, and through to refinement of US-FSM partnership in 2023. Mr. Stovall was instrumental in securing the FSM’s membership in the United Nations in 1991 and was a key member of the FSM delegation to the UN and affiliated conferences and negotiations.

Mr. Stovall was a steadfast advocate for climate justice and served as representative of the FSM to, and co-chair of, the working group on adaptation of the International Negotiating Committee for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change prior to its signature in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Mr. Stovall continued to provide climate-related advice and counsel to the FSM on climate issues ever since.

Born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1937, Mr. Stovall earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Alabama. He served in the U.S. military in Korea and Germany as member of the JAG Corps (Judge Advocate General’s Corps). After his service he joined the influential Washington, DC law firm of Clifford & Warnke. He was designated by the firm to provide legal advice to the Micronesian Status Negotiations beginning in 1972 through signing of the Compact in 1986. Mr. Stovall continued to serve as chief legal advisor to the FSM during negotiations on the Amended Compact, which concluded in 2003, and continued as an adviser to the JCRP in its current discussions with the United States on extension of expiring provisions of the Compact beyond 2023. Mr. Stovall also served as trusted adviser to all nine FSM Presidents, from first FSM President Tosiwo Nakayama in 1979 through President David Panuelo until 2023.

“Jim touched the lives of people of Micronesia through his unwavering dedication to helping FSM gain recognition on the world stage. He earned the respect and trust of leaders of my country through his more than 50 years of professional counseling,” explained senior Micronesian diplomat Asterio Takesy. “Mr. Stovall walked away from a Washington, DC-based prestigious law firm to help a tiny newborn state, the Federated States of Micronesia, grow into what it is today; he cared deeply for the people and fell in love with Micronesia.”

Without exception, those who knew Mr. Stovall often found him to be the epitome of the stereotypical southern gentleman lawyer. He could be thorny in his defense of the FSM and its positions, when needed, but most will remember him as a kind, gentle man whose heartfelt love for his family and friends, the FSM, the Micronesian people, and the planet never wavered.

The Stovall Memorial Scholarship will provide tuition assistance to a young woman in either elementary or high school high school attending an independent school in anywhere within the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).

“I am particularly grateful to Mrs. LouAnn Stovall, who along with her two daughters, has extended the family’s support for the establishing this memorial scholarship,” explained Neil Mellen, Executive Director of Habele. “In my own dealings with Jim, I was consistently amazed at his brilliant mind, sharp memory for details, and the way in which he retained both a sense of optimism as well as practical sense for working through tough details. His love for the FSM and its peoples was palpable, and his decades of service speak to that.”

3,000th book mailed to Yap so far in 2023

“Young Island Readers” is a book-a-month donation program that provides children in Yap State from birth to age five a new age appropriate each and every month. In mid-October the 3,000th book this year will reach the Post Office box of a family on Yap.

The heart of Young Island Readers is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL). The Imagination Library was founded and created by songwriter, musician, actress, author and business-woman, Dolly Parton, in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee in 1996. She envisioned a community-based program providing children with free, home-delivered books from birth to their 5th birthday.
Habele is the “local affilate” or on-the-ground partner for DPIL in Micronesia. Established by former Peace Corps Volunteers, Habele is a US nonprofit, invested in the future and potential of Micronesian students since 2006. Though the program is both effective and efficient, there are still ongoing costs borne by Habele and these are generously provided by the individual Americans who support Habele.

 

Babyor ko btir rom u Habele!

Habele ea bayi pii ko bitir rom bake babyor ni yu puul, nge mada’ ko ngiyal’ nike gamane lal eduw rok’ ni dariy pulwon. Gamad be a thapeg ni ra ilal ma baadag e bieg babyor. Kugoged ni be’eg babyor ko bitir, ma gubine bitir ni baye duuw rok’ ngatanggine laal, mara yog ninge sign faun ngay.

Ba’ba form ni bay ni pii ngom ningam fill nag mag fulweg ko chaan nike piingom, fa min moen’ ngalangin ere box ni baaray ko “Young Island Readers Dropbox.”

Fa gara yan kore website ne baaray www.habele.org/read mag yiloy fidingam u online. Faan ra gamaa paru dakan e nam nu Waab, ma Habele ea bayi pii yuke babyor ngom ni yu puul u P.O. Box. Faan ra gamaa paru Ulithi, Fais fa Woleai, ma ra yibe yuke babyor nem ngomu sikokiy ko PMA. Faan ra gama paru yugrebe donguchen yu Waab, ma ra I yib e yuke babyor nem ngom nikan tay nga mail bag u barkow.

Yal titi babior mirel Habele!

Pangal meram nge Habele yebe fange seew buuku ngali laum saari gasiyee yela gola lago mena galimouwal yaal birthday. Yetoar paluwel iye book kale. Sitipeli be saari laum yebe mesaigeti gare geshangi geragireg iga yebe fefetaltag. Si faseongiu be “Young Island Readers.” Ye tai tiwegil semaliu saari ye chiil ragil faal limou raagi nge yebe mewl tabeye gare fateofato itale.

Gemaneo shagiu babiyor yeel nge gosa gatefali ngali yaremate la ye ganooge, gare iselilong lani Habele Young Island Readers kagool. Gare golago woal www.habele.org/read be gobe siine longo iyange. Gare go kasog woal Yap, nge yebe seew meram nge Habele yebe fange buuk reel yaamu PO Box. Gare golog woal Ulithi, Fais, Woleai nge PMA yebe gasine tage. Gare golog woal meratag, nge rebe fange tag shiul waafaliuw lani tutul mail.

Summer Break an Opportunity for STEM Development in Chuuk

A team of students and educators from Pohnpei broke from summer relaxation to share their enthusiasm for high school robotics with peers in Chuuk.

Three students and two educators from Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School (OLMCHS) travelled to Chuuk to lead a four-day robotics workshop. Over the course of the training, students from public and private high schools across Chuuk partnered with the Pohnpei team to build, operate and compete their very own robots. For Weipat High School, located in Chuuk’s Northwest Islands, this represented the school’s first hands-on interaction with the new technology.

The building workshop was sponsored by Habele, a US non-profit that designed and implemented a robotics league extending across all four states of the FSM. OLMCHS was one of the first schools in Pohnpei to join in the Robo League in 2018, and has hosted annual Robo Day competitions, in which participating high schools gather to compete for the title of Pohnpei Robo Day Champions. Chuuk Department of Education generously made the Chuuk High School gymnasium available for the week, as well as providing food and encouragement for all the participants.

Teams of all experience levels at the training began with an unassembled robotics kit, and with the help of the team from Pohnpei, worked through each of the parts and their functions. Surrounded by piles of metal and electronic components, each school team tweaked and troubleshot their way to a functioning robot. While beginning students have clear instructions to follow, experimenting and exploring with the equipment is encouraged.

“Creative problem solving is key here,” said Matt Coleman, Habele’s Director of Operations. “Students learn to analyze a challenge, and use the parts they have on hand to resolve it. It is an important skill to develop for any vocation.”

After completing their first robotics build, teams worked on controlling the robots through a variety of simple tasks. As the workshop progressed, challenges became more complex. The culmination of the training was a series of competitive events to test robotics dexterity and function for points. Prior to the final competition, students were encouraged by Dr. Margarita Cholymay, Director of Chuuk Department of Education, who praised them for learning new skills, and urged them to take advantage of the educational opportunities provided. The team from Saruman Chuuk Academy won first place in the competition, with Xavier High School coming in second, and Weipat High School taking third. All teams demonstrated tremendous growth over the course of the training. Students will return to their schools with a working robot, and enthusiasm to share what they learned with their peers.

“Peer to peer training encourages active participation and engagement among learners,” said Russell Figueras, Principal of OLMCHS, and one of the trainers for the workshop. “When students are involved in teaching their peers, they become more invested in the learning process and more likely to grasp and retain the information. This was an awesome learning experience for our students.”

The training workshop is the last Habele-sponsored robotics event in Chuuk. The US nonprofit is sunsetting its involvement in high school robotics across the FSM after over a decade, but hopes robotics education evolves further through support from FSM national and state governments.

Habele will continue to offer tuition scholarships to students attending private elementary and high schools in the FSM, donations to schools and libraries, direct monthly book deliveries to children under the age of five (“Young Island Readers”), and donations of tools to traditional carvers and weavers.

125 Micronesian Students Awarded Habele Tuition Scholarships

A US nonprofit, established by former Peace Corps Volunteers, is awarding tuition scholarships to 125 students across the Federated States of Micronesia. Funded entirely by the annual donations of individual Americans, the scholarships help cover tuition costs at independent elementary and high schools within the FSM.

Habele’s tuition scholarships ensure bright, hardworking students have access to the best elementary and secondary education possible. Based on need and merit, each Habele tuition scholarships is set at a level that maintains family ownership in student achievement while lightening the financial burden.

The scholarships cover between 50 and 75 percent of tuition and fees. Students must maintain and report high levels of academic achievement every term, applying each year for continued support.

Since 2006, more than 230 students in Micronesia have benefited from the program, which started with a single student seventeen years ago.

Of the 125 Habele Scholars for 2023-24, roughly 60 percent are female; two thirds are in elementary school, and three-in-five are from neighboring islands. Among the incumbents the average student is entering their third year as a scholarship recipient. Of the 56 students awarded scholarship last year, 52 were awarded renewals for 2023-24, one migrated to the US, two graduated high school and departed for higher education, and only one failed to report or reapply.

“Everyone -parents, teachers, and community members- want young people who are prepared to meet the challenges of the future” explained Neil Mellen, Habele’s Founder. “These targeted scholarships provide support to engaged families who are making sacrifices to provide educational opportunities for their children. Habele wants to help ensure these ambitious hardworking students are prepared to sustain and improve quality of life for their islands.

Matson, Habele keep books flowing to Yap’s Youngest Readers

“Young Island Readers” is a book-a-month donation program that provides children from birth to age five a new age appropriate each and every month.

A generous investment from the Matson Foundation will cover the cost of providing over 400 such books to children across Yap State this coming January and February.

The Young Island Readers process is simple. When a child is born in Yap State, the mother is provided a sign-up form at the hospital. She writes the child’s name and the post office mailing box their family uses. If she lives in the Outer Islands she indicates on which Atoll or Island they reside.

Sign up forms are offered again when a child is baptized or inoculated, ensuring newborns don’t slip through the cracks. These sign-up forms are collected by students at Yap Catholic High School, where the details are entered into a book ordering system. Mothers or other family members may also obtain forms directly from the Yap Catholic High School as well as submit completed forms there. They can also sign up online at www.habele.org/yir.

Monthly, each enrolled child is sent a new book. The specific title is based on their age and phase of development. The books, sent at USPS media mail rates, arrive individually wrapped and addressed to the child. Those going to children in the Outer Islands are received by the Neighboring Island Coordinators at the Yap State Department of Education. The books headed to children in the Outer Islands make the last leg of the journey on either the state field trip vessel or aboard a Pacific Missionary Airline flight.

The backbone of Young Island Readers is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL). The Imagination Library was founded and created by songwriter, musician, actress, author and business-woman, Dolly Parton, in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee in 1996. She envisioned a community-based program providing children with free, home-delivered books from birth to their 5th birthday.

Habele is the “local champion” or on-the-ground partner for DPIL in Micronesia. Established by former Peace Corps Volunteers, Habele is a US nonprofit, invested in the future and potential of Micronesian students since 2006. Though the program is both effective and efficient, there are still ongoing costs borne by Habele. A generous donation from the Matson Foundation in late 2022 will help with that.

Matson’s generous donation to Habele will cover all the costs for Young Island Reader books mailed in January and February of 2023,” explained Neil Mellen, founder of Habele. “We are grateful for Matson’s continued support of our -and others’- work in Micronesia and across the Pacific in addressing community needs.”

Habele Announces 54 Tuition Scholarships for 2022-23

US nonprofit continues to expand access to Micronesia’s highest performing private elementary and high schools.

(Colonia, Yap) Fifty-four promising students across Micronesia have been awarded tuition scholarships to attend the nation’s top-performing private elementary and high schools across three Micronesian states.

The K12 tuition scholarships are provided by Habele, a US nonprofit serving students and schools across the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Established by former Peace Corps Volunteers who lived and taught in the Islands, Habele has been granting tuition assistance to Micronesian students since 2006.

“These investments in individual students highlight the deep personal connections between the United States and our allies in the Freely Associated States,” observed US Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen of American Samoa. “Though our governments are united by formal alliances and treaties, it is the personal ties of our peoples, over decades of shared history, that make the relationships truly vibrant. My family lived in Micronesia for almost 17 years, both on Majuro and Saipan and I also lived on Guam while attending the University of Guam, while I have nieces and nephews with Marshallese and Chamorro heritage through marriages of my brothers. As a former Peace Corps employee in the Pacific, “I’m also pleased to see the scholarships were established by former Peace Corps volunteers”

The Compact of Free Association (COFA) allows Micronesian students to come to the United States for college, where they are eligible for generous federal grants that pay for their higher education. However, many young people in Micronesia -particularly from lower income families- aren’t able to take advantage of these opportunities because, they don’t complete high school prepared to succeed in American higher education. Habele’s K12 tuition scholarships help place such students at high achieving, independent schools, and on a path towards ultimately obtaining a college degree.

Habele Scholars come from villages across the hundreds of islands and atolls that comprise the Federated States of Micronesia. Students from Yap, Chuuk, and Pohnpei, as well as their lagoon and outer islands, will be attending eleven different schools in 2022-23, including Xavier High School, Saint Mary’s, Faith Christian Academy, and SDA Schools in Yap, Chuuk and Pohnpei.

The K12 scholarships are entirely funded by donations from individual Americans who support Habele. Most are themselves former Peace Corps Volunteers, civil servants, tourists or contractors who spent time in Micronesia.

This is the seventeenth year Habele has awarded merit and needs-based scholarships, which average between 50 and 75 percent of the total tuition families owe. The nongovernmental organization also provides book donations, support for traditional skills mentorships, and organizes high school-based robotics clubs. Habele remains the only US nonprofit exclusively focused on serving students and schools within the Federated States.

Among the 54 scholarships awarded are several Memorial Scholarships. These honor the legacy of specific individuals whose life or work “embodied the best of the longstanding US-Micronesian partnership.” Introduced this year, the Martin Yinug Memorial Scholarship, honors the late Chief Justice of the Micronesian Supreme Court, and his outspoken commitment to public service, rule of law and judiciary independence. Another, the Marshall Wees Memorial Scholarship, honors a US Navy doctor who battled an outbreak of yaws that was ravaging the native population of Federai Island during the War in the Pacific.

“Being one of the Habele Scholarship recipients for the past two years is a tremendous honor and a joy,” said Sheridan Giltamag. A rising junior at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School, Miss Giltamag earned a 3.9 grade point average over the course of last school year. She and her family have also been involved in WeavingConnections, a Habele program to support mentor-based preservation of traditional weaving skills.

“The scholarship indeed helps my parents with tuition obligations at OLMCHS in Pohnpei. In addition to the financial support, Habele Scholarship has motivated and helped me in many ways, which include keeping up with my grades, spending more time with my school work, and the importance of education and my future.”

Pohnpei high school students leverage online training for STEM development

Students at high schools participating in the Habele Robo League across the FSM are taking advantage of online training opportunities to develop new skills for their school robotics clubs. At Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School in Pohnpei, seven students and a teacher recently completed a twenty-hour training course to become certified in the basics of VEX V5 robotics. 

This course was introduced to schools in the 2019-20 school year through the Habele Certification Challenge, a program incentivizing staff and students to pursue individual learning, with an emphasis on developing opportunities for peer-to-peer instruction. This year, schools were again invited to participate in the certification challenge, with both new students and veteran students incentivized to grow their knowledge of core materials. Schools with a staff member and student earning certification were awarded a 3D printer to add a new dimension of hands on technical training for robotics clubs. Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School was one of the first schools to add a 3D printer to their school’s STEM capacity, and continues to set the pace this year for students engaging in technical training and growth. 

OLMCHS’s online robotics training is supported by a robust wireless network, which was equipped in the early days of the pandemic by a partnership between Habele and the Office of Insular affairs. This buildout of wireless capacity served the dual purpose of providing schools with the capacity to still make use of expatriate teachers (across a variety of subjects), and allowing robotics clubs to independently engage with STEM learning online. 

Habele is a US nonprofit, established by former Peace Corps Volunteers, that serves students and schools across Micronesia. Habele provides tuition scholarships, book donations, tools for traditional craftsmen, and introduced high school-based robotics to the FSM in 2011. Support for the Robo League comes through a partnership with the Office of Insular Affairs. 

Any student at a participating Robo League high school in Micronesia is invited to take the training challenge. All details can be found at www.habele.org/training.

3D Printers bring additive manufacturing to Micronesian classrooms

 

This December, high school students in Yap and Pohnpei used their own 3D printers to successfully create three dimensional models. These cutting edge, additive manufacturing machines were provided by Habele, the US non profit that also led the training.

Participating schools earned the premium 3D printers in 2020 for excellence in completing Habele’s “Robotics Certification Challenge,” a challenge requiring staff and students at high schools across Micronesia to successfully complete a robotics certification course. 3D printing provides Robo League students with even more hands on exposure to advanced technology, while giving endless opportunity for creative exploration.

The students’ first print was a reticulated, three dimensional model of a gecko lizard. This demonstrated the ability of the printers to “print in place,” or to print movable joints, without having to assemble individual parts. As the printers whirred in the background, students learned the essentials of using the machines, as well as the applications and benefits of the technology.

“The principles and coding used in these machines is directly applicable to real world manufacturing processes,” said Neil Mellen, founder of Habele. “Printers like this were used in the United States to produce parts for respirators during early days of the pandemic.”

The students also learned how 3D printing enriches their work in the Habele Robo League. In addition to printing standard replacement parts, students will be able to innovate components of their own design. Equally important, the new 3D printers will help schools reduce their dependency on imported parts for robotics, as well as other educational materials.

The Habele Robo League, which serves public and private high schools across all four Micronesian States, is funded through support from the Office of Insular Affairs. “We are proud to be part of the vibrant and empowering partnership that has characterized U.S.- Micronesian relations for so many decades,” said Mellen.

Habele Scholarships: Report Cards Show Achievement, Hard Work

Each year, former Peace Corps Volunteers and other Americans with a personal connection Micronesia donate to help Habele award tuition scholarships to ambitious students in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).

Since 2006, Habele’s K12 scholarships have ensured that bright, hardworking students have access to the best education possible. Based on need and merit, these scholarships largely serve remote outer island, rural village, and female students though all students across Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae may apply.

A handful of independent schools scattered across Micronesia have consistently demonstrated graduation rates, test scores, and college entrance rates far beyond those in the government schools. Situated in the district capitals of Micronesia, these faith-based, nonprofit schools depend on modest tuition fees to operate.

Even with discounts, many of the lowest income Micronesian families cannot afford the modest costs of school such as Xaiver High School, Yap SDA School, Faith Christian Academy, or Our Lady of Mercy. Habele scholarships, which range on a cases-by-case basis from 50 to 75 percent of tuition owed, extend access to the most financially challenged students.

Twenty-six students were awarded scholarships for the 2021-22 school year, attending eight different elementary and high schools across three of the Micronesian states. The average scholarship for the year was $615.00.

Families and scholars commit to provide report cards over the course of the year, and those first quarter grades are now coming into Habele.

Case-in-point are LJ and Tyrah, a pair of cousins from the very sparsely populated Island of Asor on the Atoll of Ulithi. Ulithi, famous for its role as a secretive naval base and staging area during the War in the Pacific, is one of the Outer Islands of Yap State.The two young women are attending Yap International Christian (YIC) for intermediate school. For both it is the first time living and going to school beyond the shores of their tiny island home.

Despite the challenges of adjustment -Yap Proper has a population near 5,000, or nearly a hundred times that of Asor- both are doing well, and each earned a place on the YIC honor roll for the first quarter.

We are just so proud of them,” explained Modesta Yangmog, the girls sponsor on Yap, who also leads the Asor Womens Association (AWA). “We took them out for dinner last night in reward and recognizing their achievements. I’m proud of their hard work, and they know it’s a long hard road ahead, but it helps so much knowing they can focus on their studies, and we can focus on supporting that, knowing Habele can help with the tuition.”

Habele’s founder, a former Peace Corps Volunteer who taught in the public schools of the Outer Islands of Yap, echoed Yangmog’s praise for the students. “The modest financial investments Habele’s donors and volunteers are making through K12 tuition scholarship are just that: modest. They pale in comparison to tremendous investment these students are making in themselves, their futures, and the long-term success and vibrancy of their islands,” explained Neil Mellen, of Habele. “Helping place these and other hardworking students and ambitious future leaders into the best possible classroom is the easy part.”

Micronesian Looms: Weaving Connections in the US (6)

This is the sixth in a series of posts dealing with Weaving Connections, a project of Habele to sustain and preserve Micronesian backstrap weaving traditions among Island populations who’ve migrated to the United States mainland. More here.

Ongoing Work

Habele continues to build and send warping boards, loom frames, and weaving tools based on its published designs posted on the WeavingConnections.org website as it receives request from Remathau weavers in the mainland United States who are otherwise unable to build one or have one built for them.

Habele continues to update the design guides on WeavingConnections.org to reflect feedback received, lessons learned, and improvements.

Habele continues to examine and experiment with possible solutions to the challenges of procuring, crafting, or developing a sufficient substitute for weaving swords.

Opportunities for Evolution and Expansion

-Migrant Community on Guam and Hawaii

While half of FSM migrants now arrive in the US mainland, the other half are primarily located in the US Territory of Guam and the State of Hawaii. The strong and unanticipated volume of requests for support in creating and obtaining weaving equipment and tools from Guam and Hawaii indicate that those communities have the need and interest for further support.

This is particularly true among female migrants under thirty years of age, who are less likely to be cohabitating with, or be situated near, older men who historically have been the one to produce or procure these items.

-Weaving Swords

The Weaving sword, or hapop, remains the only item which we have been unable to produce and or publish a guide for fabricating, owing to the very unique characteristics of the tropical wood from which these have long been fabricated. The qualities of these hardwoods are necessary for the function of the tool, and the hapop is an essential and specific tool necessary for women to weave.

-Documenting the Lavalava

In the process of identifying and analyzing documentation about the fabrication and use of Caroline Island woven skirts, we failed to locate any text detailing in much depth the specifics of the skirts themselves. Most treatments were either very brief, or focused on the skirts’ role in cultural practices.

On the other hand, weavers recounted to us much about patterns, symbols, and other variable characteristics of the garment, indicating there is a broad, important, and as-yet undocumented realm of knowledge about the lavalavas and the cultural meaning contained within their design.

This is the sixth in a series of posts dealing with Weaving Connections, a project of Habele to sustain and preserve Micronesian backstrap weaving traditions among Island populations who’ve migrated to the United States mainland. More here.