Front Line workers donate tablets to their alma mater

Two Vincentians working on the ‘front line’ of the COVID-19 battle in the United States have donated tablets to disadvantaged students at their alma mater, the Girls’ High School (GHS).

Gail Bentick and Celina Cordice, who attended the all-girl secondary school now work as a medical assistant and fire fighter in the United States, respectively.

Their generous monetary donation, which allowed for the purchase of five tablets for disadvantaged students, came after Bentick reached out to Headmistress Michelle Beache.

Bentick asked about any immediate needs, and was told about the need for students to connect with their classes.

The philanthropists then sent the funds required for purchase of the devices, which were offered at a discounted price by Digicel.

The five students received their tablets at the start of this week.

The Girls’ High School is not the only school which is likely to benefit from the kindness of its past students.

Principal of the St Martin’s Secondary School (SMSS) Yohance Gibson, mentioned in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT this week that the past student association is “working hard to donate some tablets to those students who may not have devices at all.”

The need for devices is one of the biggest obstacles to education at this time, as schools have closed physically because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The need for ownership of such devices to achieve distance education has also been recognized by the Government, which has allocated $4 million dollars for the purchase of 12,500 computer tablets for students in secondary schools and grade 6 of the primary schools.