By Gerardo R. Partido
Variety News Staff

GEORGE Washington High School has been given 20 personal computers to aid in the students’ learning experience.
The ceremony for the donation, made by Continental Micronesia, was held yesterday at the school’s Mangilao campus.
Invited guests included members of the Guam Education Policy Board, Gum Public School System Superintendent Luis S.N. Reyes and other education officials, as well as Continental employees who graduated from George Washington High School.
The airline delivered 20 personal computers to complement the 63 computers it donated a year ago to the George Washington High School Ninth Grade Academy.
This year, the computers will outfit the Junior ROTC class, keeping Continental’s promise to completely outfit three classrooms with computers.
The airline has now donated 200 personal computers to Guam public schools over recent years.
The donation consists of video monitors, high-end Compaq computers with 10GB hard drive, 500 MHz Pentium processor, and 512MB RAM, 48X CD-ROM, keyboards, and mouse attachments. The airline has donated computers worth over $100,000 to GWHS.
According to the GPSS superintendent, the island’s workforce now requires that graduates be equipped with the skills needed to operate a computer with some proficiency.
“GPSS has much to be thankful for in Continental Micronesia’s generous contribution of these highly desirable computers,” Reyes said.
For his part, Continental Micronesia president and chief executive officer Mark Erwin said supporting education on Guam is important to Continental, given the size of its organization and the fact that a great number of the company’s employees on Guam have children enrolled in island schools.
“By giving (computers) to schools, Continental is doing its part to help educate Guam’s youth, and that’s very critical. We’re proud to be able to make this donation to the students, and to the JROTC class,” Erwin said.
The airline also acknowledges the help of Reach out Pacific Foundation, led by Hawaii Representative Glenn Wakai, for its assistance in bringing additional video monitors from Hawaii business Servco.