BEYC Collaborates on BVI School Chromebook Program

Virgin Gorda, BVI (June 6, 2018) – The Bitter End Yacht Club is delighted to announce that they are collaborating with the Guana Fund/Jarecki Family, Unite BVI, and the McLain Association for Children (MAC) on the donation of 650 Chromebooks to the Ministry of Education of the British Virgin Islands.  The aim is to empower public high school students with enriched educational opportunities, in particular following the devastation to public school buildings and classrooms caused by the hurricanes of the Fall of 2017. 

The Chromebooks Project is intended to provide a laptop style computer to every senior public high school student in the BVI.  In addition, teachers will receive professional development through expert trainers from Kiker Learning, a partner of Google Education. “This program, born of less than ideal circumstances, will support elevating educational standards in the BVI.” said Richard Hokin, Operating Owner of Bitter End Yacht Club.

Since the hurricanes, the Ministry of Education and teachers of the BVI have overcome tremendous challenges, working tirelessly to get students back to school with as little disruption as possible.  Innovative structures and solutions have been embraced, including a new emphasis on educational technology.  Laptop computers specifically provide resilient access to education despite classroom locations that will need to transition over the next year as the country rebuilds and recovers. 

“The Ministry, the teachers, and the students have all done yeoman’s duty, and should be commended for rising above the challenges brought by the hurricanes,” said Hokin. “We as collaborating contributors hope that the Chromebooks and associated training will enhance the learning environment for both students and teachers, with access to educational resources and enhanced learning programs not currently available in the BVI,” he added.

The implementation of the program is well underway. And after day one of training, students and teachers were able to virtually connect together on a project, and create a collaborative slide show on Climate Change! The Chromebooks will be uploaded with location devices and administered exclusively by the Ministry of Education.  These laptops will be accessible only to students and teachers with public school domain names and will be available for the territory’s first e-testing roll out during the CXC examination period in June 2018.

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