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Pentagon Samoa & TEO: Fatuoaiga Montessori School’s Adopt-A-School partners

Niulaititi Hopkinson power washing the area outside of the Fatuoaiga Montessori School

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The new school year will see Fatuoaiga Montessori School with some new equipment and facility upgrades, thanks to the generosity and partnership between government agency, the Territorial Energy Office (TEO) and private company, Pentagon Samoa Construction.

This is the third year TEO has adopted the Catholic preschool as part of the Governor’s Adopt-A-School Program. But it is now being joined by Pentagon Samoa Construction after the school wrote a letter for assistance and met with president Taupau Tauileave Toluono last week about some of the school’s needs.

TEO gave the school a new paint job and purchased 4-ft light fixtures and energy saving bulbs to replace all lights in the 4 classrooms, as well as the staff room and hallway area. The original lights and fixtures in the school have been there since the building was built many years ago and most are worn out and have been inoperable for some time.

TEO employees have been coming in and out of the school starting last week to powerwash and paint the school’s fence. On Friday, the TEO employees painted inside the school and replaced the lights.

Director of the Territorial Energy Office (TEO) replaces a light at the Fatuoaiga Montessori School while some of his staff sweep the floor during their school clean-up on Friday, August 23, 2019. TEO has adopted the Catholic preschool under the Adopt-A-School Initiative. [photo: BriLa Media]

On behalf of TEO director Taliga Vaiolo, TEO official Niulaititi Hopkinson said they have been working closely with the school in the past 3 years and they are happy to provide assistance for the betterment of the school and its students. In previous years, TEO donated an energy saving refrigerator and also replaced AC units for the Catholic preschool.

While TEO was replacing lights on Friday, employees of Pentagon Samoa, led by President Taupau, were speaking with principal Maria Telesa about specs for classroom tables and other needs.

The private company donated on Friday two water dispensing machines, four handsoap dispensers and 5 large handsoap bottles for the school. It will also be building classroom tables and chairs for Fatuoaiga Montessori. As part of its Adopt-a-School duty, Pentagon Samoa will be providing landscaping services for the new school year.

Pentagon Samoa Construction donated two water dispensing machines, four handsoap dispensers and five large handsoap bottles to the Fatuoaiga Montessori School on Friday, August 23, 2019.  Pentagon has adopted the Catholic preschool as one of its three schools under the Governor’s Adopt-A-School Initiative.  [photo: BriLa Media]

Taupau said they are honored to help out the school and are thankful for the opportunity to expand their community service outreach.

He said that 2 weeks ago, Governor Lolo asked him to help with his Adopt-A-School Program and challenged businesses in the territory to partner with ASG in promoting this initiative for the benefit of the territory’s students. Taupau said his company offered to adopt Matatula and Olomoana, two public schools in his wife’s district of Vaifanua.

Fatuoaiga Montessori School principal Maria Telesa speaking with Pentagon Samoa Construction president Taupau Tauileave Toluono (right) and two Pentagon employees about classroom tables for the school.  Pentagon has offered to build classroom tables and chairs for the school as part of its contribution under the Governor’s Adopt-A-School Inititative.  [BriLa Media]

On behalf of Bishop Peter Brown, Br. Donald Teixeira, director of Catholic Education, and the Montessori school board, principal Telesa expressed heartfelt appreciation to Governor Lolo for his Adopt-a-School Program. She said without such an opportunity, schools would have to find funds to upgrade school facilities on their own.

She thanked director Vaiolo and TEO for always coming to their aid every time they are called upon. She also expressed appreciation to president Taupau and Pentagon Samoa Construction for their generosity in taking the school under its wing and providing much needed equipment in a short amount of time.

 “We are very fortunate to have TEO and now Pentagon Samoa Construction as our partners,” said Telesa. “May God continue to bless them and their staff for helping us in our school improvement efforts.”

Employees of the Territorial Energy Office led by TEO director Taliga Vaiolo (front, far left) and teachers of Fatuoaiga Montessori School, led by principal Maria Telesa (front, second from left) following a long day of cleaning the school on Friday, August 23rd.  TEO replaced all the 4-ft lights and fixtures in the classrooms, and power-washed and painted the school, as part of the Governor’s Adopt-A-School Initiative.  [photo: BriLa Media]