Interview: Keitani Graham ’95
January 31, 2011
Meet Keitani Graham ’95, an Olympic athlete from Micronesia and CEO of a non-profit youth empowerment organization as interviewed by Russell Thoulag from The Fourth Branch.
“School on the Hill” getting good press
January 31, 2011
We received the following report from Floyd Takeuchi about the opening night of the art exhibit featuring photos of Xavier.
We had a wonderful opening last night — it was a joint reception with the young potter who is showing with me, and there were over 120 people who attended the reception.
The gallery was thrilled. Not only was it a classy reception — a friend of mine organized the event, with a sushi chef making made-to-order sushi rolls, along with a wine/soft drink bar — there were a number of sales. The potter sold quite a few of his pieces. Besides my big piece, which did sell (!), at least two small photos (matted, but not framed ) sold, as did all four books that I had at the gallery. The latter really surprised me, as I expected the four books to last the run of the show. I’ll take down the three that I have at home today, plus another is arriving on Wednesday, which will be added to the inventory at the gallery.
One reason for anticipating continued interest: this story from today’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser, which I think you’ll find of interest. It is in the Arts section, and is a wonderful writeup of the show and the book: http://www.staradvertiser.com/features/20110130_picture_perfect_education.html
Interview: Henry Shrew ’91
January 29, 2011
Meet Henry Shrew ’91, the acting FSM Consul General in Honolulu as interviewed by another Xavierite, Russell Thoulag ’05 as part of the new organization in Hawai’i called The Fourth Branch.
Honolulu Art Exhibit Features Photos of Xavier High School
January 25, 2011
HONOLULU – Photographs of life at Xavier High School will be featured at an exhibit at Honolulu’s oldest fine arts gallery. The images, by photographer/writer Floyd K. Takeuchi, are from his recent book, “School On The Hill, Micronesia’s Remarkable Xavier High School.”
The exhibit at the Gallery at Ward Centre opens on January 29, 2011, and will run though February 24. An opening reception will be held at the Gallery from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29th.
“I want to invite all members of the large Xavier community in Hawaii to stop by and see the show,” says Takeuchi. “No matter when they attended the school, I think they’ll see a bit of themselves in many of the photographs that will be on display at the gallery.”
Takeuchi spent a total of four weeks at Xavier in 2010, as a guest of Director Fr. Rich McAuliff, SJ. Takeuchi was able to attend classes, follow students during their free time on campus, and went with students and staff on off-campus outings, including the Class of 2010’s senior retreat at Pisar Island.
“School On The Hill” features 159 photographs and essays that focus on what makes Xavier both unique and an educational and leadership success story. The book is available for sale at the online bookstore, Lulu.com. Copies of the book will also be available for sale at the Gallery at Ward Centre during the exhibit of Xavier photographs.
For those who are unable to make the upcoming show, an expanded exhibit of “School On The Hill” photographs will be held from May 1 to July 3, 2011, at the Honolulu Club. The exhibit space at the Honolulu Club exhibit managed by the Gallery at Ward Centre, which is a cooperative owned by 15 fine artists.
The public is invited to attend either or both exhibits. There is no admission charge for either exhibit. Parking is free at Ward Centre. A parking fee may apply at the Honolulu Club, which is located at the corner of South King Street and Ward Avenue.
“School on the Hill” Book On Sale
January 24, 2011
“School on the Hill” Focuses on a Micronesia Success Story
Click on the image to order your copy on Lulu.com
Xavier High School, located on a scenic hill in the Federated States of Micronesia, has been educating Pacific Island leaders for nearly 60 years. Now for the first time there is a book that examines the Jesuit college preparatory boarding school and why it has been a continuing education and leadership success story.
“School On The Hill – Micronesia’s Remarkable Xavier High School” by Floyd K. Takeuchi is now for sale at on-line bookstore Lulu.com. It is published by 2LDK Media.
Takeuchi spent a month living on the Xavier campus in Chuuk, FSM photographing and doing research for the 180-page book. The result is an in-depth look at the unique school. The book has 159 photographs and eight essays about Xavier and its 175 students, who come from the FSM, Palau, Marshall Islands, Guam and the Philippines.
“Before I spent time at Xavier, I knew it was successful, but I didn’t know how the Jesuits were able to train such outstanding leaders. The book shares the ‘secrets’ of Xavier: high expectations; discipline; rigorous academics; and, a faith-based community that emphasizes respect,” says Takeuchi.
“Xavier’s story is an important one, particularly in the Western Pacific,” adds Takeuchi. “It is a model for success, despite having few resources, at a time when there are so few examples of educational excellence in the region.”
Xavierites include the current president of the FSM, a former FSM president, two former Palau presidents, diplomats, senators, lawyers and senior community leaders. The co-ed school, which has grades 9-12, typically attracts nearly 1,000 applicants for 50 spots in a freshman class.
Takeuchi is a journalist who has covered Pacific Island issues, particularly in the Micronesian region, for more than 33 years. Takeuchi was born and raised in the Marshall Islands. He is the co-author of Majuro – Essays from an Atoll, which is sold exclusively on Amazon.com.
Click here to order your copy on Lulu.com
About the Author:
Floyd K. Takeuchi is a photographer-writer who has worked for more than three decades in the Asia-Pacific region. His specialty is Oceania, and he has worked and traveled in nearly every island group in the Pacific. Floyd has been based as a journalist in Hawaii, Guam, Fiji and Japan, and he also worked in Washington, D.C. on the staff of a Member of Congress from Hawaii. He has photographed and written from locales as diverse as Bikini Atoll, Guam, Palau, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Floyd is the author of “School On The Hill,” the first book done on the Xavier High School in the Federated States of Micronesia. He is also the co-author and co-photographer of “Majuro – Essays from an Atoll.” Floyd is currently completing “Pasefika,” a book of his photographs and essays on the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts. He was born and raised in the Marshall Islands, and his family lived on Saipan for almost 20 years. Floyd and his wife, Kris Tanahara, a public relations executive, reside in Honolulu, Hawaii. For more information: www.floydtakeuchi.com
To “Like” or Not to Like…
January 20, 2011
Dear Xavierites,
Greetings from Mabuchi by way of Northern California. This is Vid Raatior…formerly Vid Jones to those of who were students at Xavier back in 91-94 when I was a Jesuit scholastic teacher on the hill. I have just redesigned and launched the new website for Xavier. I need your help in supporting Xavier through a very simple act of social networking with your FB friends.
An important element of the new web design is the launching of a new FB page called “Xavier Micronesia ” : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Xavier-Micronesia/182433665119621 which feeds into the new website and vice versa. While the Xavierites FB group will continue to serve as the place for the alumni and friends of Xavier, the new Xavier Micronesia facebook page will be the official FB page for the school to the Xavier Family as well as potential benefactors.
Here’s how you can help: For now we need as many Xavierites as possible to “Like” the Xavier Micronesia facebook page. Then invite your FB friends to also “Like” the page.
Why and how will this help the school? The more fans the Xavier Micronesia page has the more potential the school has to raise much needed awareness and funds for its needs. Imagine Xavier Micronesia having a million fans. Now imagine each fan donating $1 to Xavier…
FYI, by Feb. 1st (hopefully sooner), the new website will have a Paypal capability for you and the million fans that I imagine Xavier Micronesia will have to donate online with the click of a button. That’s when the school will really reap the benefit of your work in spreading the word about the Xavier Micronesia Facebook page. The more Friends that “Like” the page, the more closer the school has to maximizing the capability of this social networking thing that Mark Zuckerberg started. Or if you are friends with Mr. Zuckerberg, then…well, a million dollars to Xavier is chump change for him.
Until that happens, we all continue to plug away at doing our share in helping the school in whatever way we can. I’ve agreed to design the website for free (worth at least $10,000 of work) to support the efforts of my brother Jesuits in Micronesia.
I invite you to “Like” the FB page and spread the word as a way for you to support the efforts of the Jesuits as well as the volunteer teachers at Xavier who are putting in years of their lives to come out to Mabuchi to educate the kids of Micronesia, Palau, and the RMI. We can’t all be Jesuit volunteers or Jesuit priests and scholastics to teach at Mabuchi, but we can support their efforts by simply clicking “Like” and inviting our facebook friends to do the same…all for the school. It’s a simple act of social networking with a potentially impactful benefit to the mission of Xavier High School to continue to provide a Jesuit education in our Pacific nations.
Thank you and sorry about the long message.
Sincerely,
Vid “Jones” Raatior
Former XHS teacher
Former XHS administrator
Current XHS web designer
www.raatior.com
Memorials for Recent Passing
January 19, 2011
The Xavier Family mourns the recent passing of these alumni.
- Bernard Thoulag ’70 (Yap)
- Rod Nakamura ’73 (RMI)
- Glenn Santos ’90 (Pohnpei)
Rest in Peace!
FOX-Chuuk t-shirts for sale
January 18, 2011
Order your shirt today!
Friends of Xavier – Chuuk chapter announced the availability of FOX-C shirts for sale as part of their fundraising efforts. For a detailed look at the t-shirts and to order yours, please visit the FOX-C on Facebook today.
Cost of educating a student
January 15, 2011
Your help in meeting the needs of educating a student is very much needed and appreciated. A few facts:
- It costs approximately $2.50 to feed a student a day while the students pay 90 cents per day for food.
- It costs approximately $3,200.00 a year to educate a student at Xavier, and that is bare bones.
- The female students (commuters) pay $1,200 a year for tuition & fees.
- The male students (boarding) pay $1,300 for tuition, room, board.
- During the 2009-10 school year alone, Xavier High School will have spent over $4,500 in scholarship for students who meet the rigorous academic challenge, but have little to no financial means to pay the full tuition. We would like to build up a scholarship fund to support these needy students.
- Since the privatization of the public utilities in Chuuk, the State subsidy has stopped completely while the school pays an average of $3,500 a month for electricity alone. We budgeted $1,000 a month for electricity, but it has hardly been sufficient to cover the actual cost. Even with all of our energy conservation efforts including nightly blackouts, we are still paying a monthly average of $3,500 for our electricity needs. The campus needs to maintain the amount of energy consumption necessary to support refrigeration, air conditioners, computers, stoves, etc
Xavier at 4th Crossroads
January 15, 2011
Fr. Rich McAuliff, SJ
NOTE: This message from Fr. Rich McAuliff’, SJ, Director of Xavier High School who is on a year sabbatical, was originally published on the Xavierite Facebook page back in January 2009. It is republished here as a way to remind Xavier alumni and Friends of Xavier (FOX) chapters of the development campaign we are currently undertaking.
HISTORY OF XAVIER:
Xavier High School has found itself at a number of Crossroads in its history:
Crossroad #1: From Seminary to Academic High School
-The very first year that Xavier opened, it opened as a minor seminary, preparing students for the priesthood. When the 1st students arrived at Xavier (all Palauans), and discovered it was a Seminary, they weren’t sure they wanted to stay. It did not take long for the decision to be made to change Xavier form a Seminary to an academic high school.
Crossroad #2: 1975-76 – Decision to change From Boys only to Co-ed High School: Acceptance of Girls to Xavier
-The decision to accept girls to Xavier in 1976, was a very controversial decision, with many alumni and others opposed to the idea. In hindsight, everybody agrees that it was a good decision, but it was controversial at the time, and Xavier became most likely, one of the 1st Jesuit Co-Ed high schools in the world.
Crossroad #3: – Xavier Walkout – 1976
-The Xavier Walkout in 1976 was a crossroad in that it introduced the “Community Service Project” or CSP to Xavier High School. Before the walkout there was no CSP. But since 1976 on, the CSP has become an integral part of Xavier High School, and really brought to the forefront, Xavier’s desire to educate students to become “leaders, through service to the community.”
2009: Crossoad #4: Xavier in Chuuk?
We are now at another Crossroads in Xavier History. Because of the deteriorating infrastructure in Chuuk – power, water, roads, it is harder and harder to attract the best and the brightest students from other States and countries. Palau and the Marshall Islands have Catholic High Schools already, and Pohnpei and Yap are moving in the direction of having their own Catholic High Schools. As a result there is pressure to move Xavier High School to the PATS campus in Pohnpei. The PATS campus is 200 acres with a good infrastructure – good power, roads, and sources of water.
Basically, there are 2 reasons to remain in Chuuk:
1) Tradition
2) To try to help transform Chuuk
1) Tradition alone isn’t enough of a reason for Xavier to remain in Chuuk.
We’ve broken with tradition in the past – at each of our crossroads
2) The only real reason for Xavier to continue to remain in Chuuk at this time is to try to help and transform Chuuk. Some people have said that Xavier is a role model. This is not really true. Xavier is unique. We accept the best and the brightest from all over Micronesia – no other school can do that.
But Xavier can be a leaven working at the “Grassroots Level” to transform Chuuk.
Here are some of the ways Xavier is trying to do that at this moment in its history:
- Our outreach to Sapuk Elementary School:
- Xavier has made an offer of 5 scholarships a year to students who attend Sapuk Elementary School from grade 1 to grade 8, and who can pass the Xavier Entrance Exam and pass the requirements for Xavier High School. It is hoped that this offer will encourage the community, and especially the parents, to make sure that both students and teachers are showing up each day, and performing at a level that will help them pass the test.
- Xavier has resurrected the Christian Life Community (CLC). One of its major works of service is teaching English class every morning from 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. to classes 4,5,6,7, & 8.
- Xavier will begin to Invite Sapuk students to come up in the evening and do homework with supervision from Xavier students;
-Xavier will begin to invite Sapuk students to come up on Saturdays for extra tutoring from Xavier students.
The Government of Australia provided Xavier students with enough paint to paint Sapuk Elementary School, and last October a combination of Xavier students, students from St. Ignatius Jesuit High School in Sydney Australia, and members of the Sapuk Community painted the Sapuk Elementary School.
Pending Grant for Sapuk Elementary School:
Currently, Xavier has a grant pending with the Australian government
to build new bathrooms at Sapuk Elementary School. If the grant is approved, the Sapuk community, with help from Xavier M&R will build the facilities, and Sapuk will be one of the first public elementary schools with flush toilets and tiled floors and walls.
Xavier Store:
After watching an old woman and her young daughter sit and wait for a taxi just to go to town and buy a gallon of kerosene, Xavier decided to buy a business license and sell items like – kerosene, diesel, gasoline (only for cars and motorboats!), rice and flour – all items that no one else in Sapuk sells. If people cannot afford to buy an entire bag of rice, they can buy a little 6 pound bag for $4.00. We mark up each item by 10 cents, to cover the cost of transportation. So far the store has been
a huge success, and has had the added benefit of having the Sapuk community protect Xavier from young Sapuk “Rowdies”. Since October (knock on wood), we haven’t had any more “Renders” stealing underwear off the boys clothesline!
Future Dreams for Xavier:
-Xavier would like, in the not to distant future, to begin a “Regis Institute” at Xavier High School.
Most Catholic Schools around Micronesia are so busy with teaching and doing all it takes with fundraising and other activities just to keep the school open, that there is little or no time to spend on curriculum development. The Regis Institute would hire people to “spend time” developing a coordinated k-12 curriculum which we could then put up on our website so Catholic Schools around Micronesia could down load it, at “tweak it” for their local situation.
-Xavier would like, in the not too distant future, to begin a “Bellarmine Institute” at Xavier High School.
– Most local Catholic Parishes are so busy running day to day parish work, that there is little time for “Theological reflection” or translating of documents from Vatican Council II, and other Papal Encyclicals. The Bellarmine Institute would, with the help of Xavier students, translate such documents into their local languages (This could be part of a CSP,). The institute would also, from time to time, write some “Pastoral Letters”, on such topics as the role of the Church in Protecting the Environment”, “The Common Good”, etc. Both the Pastoral Letters and the Documents of Vatican II and Papal Encyclicals would be put on the Xavier website for local churches to download and use with their parishioners.
- Xavier would like, in the not too distant future, to start an AM Radio Station – The “Xavier Broadcasting Network”.
One of the key problems in Chuuk at this time is a lack of information and communication. Xavier would like to start a “Catholic” radio station that would reach all of Chuuk State, including the Mortlocks, Namonweto’s, Halls, and Western Islands. In addition to Catholic and Christian programs and music, this would include broadcasting international, national, and local news, public service announcements, health and educational programming, and emergency broadcasting.
Support for Xavier Remaining in Chuuk:
The US, Australian and Japanese Ambassadors – all agree
-“it’s in everybody’s best interest for Xavier to remain in Chuuk”
-Xavier’s new Chapel, thanks to Fr. Arthur, has become very photographed – and a new symbol of Xavier. The new Chapel is a commitment of Xavier’s intent to remain in Chuuk.
The Mabuchi Donation was a real catalyst in Xavier’s commitment to remain in Chuuk. The Mabuchi company, through plastering, painting, and waterproofing, contributed approximately $750,000 worth of renovation – and gave Xavier new hope.
As a result, of the Mabuchi renovation, Xavier began to notice other areas of the campus that needed renovation: Callaghan Hall, the freshman, sophomore, and junior classrooms, and the library and senior classrooms have all been repainted, and the library has bee once again air-conditioned. Xavier also remodeled the girls’ lounge over the summer vacation.
Australian and Japanese Government offer needed support to Xavier:
In September, 2008, Xavier submitted a grant proposal for a Japanese “Grassroots Grant”, in the amount of $88,478.00, to convert the old chapel, Callaghan Hall, into a “Student Center”. On January 5th, 2009, the Japanese Ambassador called Xavier High School to inform us that the Ministry of Finance in Tokyo had approved the grant, and there was a formal signing ceremony at the Japanese Embassy in Pohnpei on January 17th. The student center will be comprised of: 1) a large Lounge area with tables and chairs, for informal reading and studying, conversations, a place to play checkers, chess, and other board games – and 6 Computer Stations; 2) a bookstore where, in addition to buying school supplies, there will be 2 computer printers for printing materials from the computer stations. Students will also be able to sign out board games from the bookstore; 3) A Student Body Association office and meeting room, with a computer for recording minutes of SBA meetings; and 4) A Tutoring Center. The tutoring center will be used: a) on Saturdays to tutor students from Sapuk Elementary School; b) in the evenings for Sapuk Students to come up and do homework with supervision from Xavier Students; and c) for Xavier students who might need tutoring in a specific subject.
-In November, 2008, Xavier High School made a request to the Embassy of Japan, for an additional bus for the girls. On January 6th, the Japanese Embassy emailed Xavier to say that a Japanese company had found a 26 seat bus, in very good condition, and that they would arrange for its shipment to Xavier, hopefully by late February of this year.
-Before Christmas a Japanese NGO AMD (Association for Micronesian Development) came to Xavier. They will install a 300 watt hybrid solar/wind generator for Xavier, mostly as an educational tool, for people to see the possibilities of wind and solar power.
In the Meantime:
-Australia granted Xavier a DAP (Direct Assistance Program) Grant to buy a new pump so Xavier could once again pump water up to the million gallon tank above the Xavier Campus.
-Xavier also has an Australian SGS (Small Grant Scheme) Grant pending for enlarging and remodeling the girls restrooms on the 2nd floor of the main building.
Lastly, but not Least-ly
Xavier has an opportunity to double the size of the Xavier campus.
Land adjacent to Xavier’s campus, (next to the short cut), and extending all the way down to the main road. The land acquirement would be important for several reasons: 1) it would give Xavier direct access to the main road, and would free Xavier from being at the mercy of landowners who might (and have in the past) cut-off Xavier from power and road access; 2) Insure that no-one “unfriendly” to Xavier becomes Xavier’s neighbor; and 3) would allow Xavier room for possible expansion in the future.
- The student Center & the land acquisition requires money – and help from Alumni.
While the Japanese Government is funding the Xavier Student Center in the amount of $88,478.00, the total cost of the Student Center is $128,000.
-The cost of acquiring the land adjacent to Xavier will be $125,000.
Therefore Xavier is asking the following commitments from each district:
2010 – $10,000 per district – For land Acquisition
2011 – $10,000 per district – For land Acquisition
Since according to the contractor, the Student Center has said that he can finish the renovation before graduation this year, we would appreciate the $6,000 ASAP. As a famous Jesuit once said, “There are no deadlines, just hurry-up lines!”
Xavier is committed to staying in Chuuk, to try to help at the grassroots level.
Xavier Micronesia needs your help right now. Often times when we apply for grants, the granting agency has a question on the application that reads, “What percentage of your alumni are donating to Xavier High School?” The reason they ask this is because if alumni are not donating, why should they?
In the United States, every Jesuit High School can produce lists of alumni who are contributing, which add up to about a million dollars per school. I know that Xavier is not in the United States, but neither are we asking for millions – just $6,000 per district this year, and $10,000 for the following 2 years.
Thanks very much. Ut Omnes Unum Sint!
Fr. Rich McAuliff, SJ
Director,
Xavier High School
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