500 scientific calculators donated to Old Harbour High School

The initiative was made possible through a collaboration between FAST Enterprises and the Pollyanna Project Inc., an international charity registered in the United States and Jamaica. The charity was founded by Donna Stewart, a New Yorker and Old Harbour resident.

According to Oliver Hylton, project manager at the US-based software solutions company, it cost FAST Enterprises “just over” US$1,000 to procure the Dexin BST calculators, a popular brand used by both professionals and students.

“The hope is that these calculators will be helpful to students who will be going into their CXCs… you know it’s an important device,” Hylton said during a formal presentation ceremony held on the school’s grounds on Saturday.

“So the thought is, for example, when you are going into exams, you can’t take your phones into the exams, but you can take your calculators. So it’s more for exams than day-to-day [use],” he added.

The ceremony went beyond the presentation of gifts. It also featured an interactive session with several FAST Enterprises software engineers, who engaged students on a range of topics in the ever-evolving technology industry, including career paths and artificial intelligence.

Asked about the significance of the gesture, Hylton, an Old Harbour High alumnus, said, “It’s something that we pride ourselves in.

“So we always look for opportunities to give back to the community and especially for our children [in] preparing for [our] future. So for us it’s a way for us to get in their formative years, talk to them, and provide some guidance because we’ve been in the industry for a while.”

As a software solutions company, FAST is known for working exclusively with governments around the world, developing programmes to enhance efficiency and productivity in the labour force. At present, FAST is the lead developer tasked with modernizing the web portal of the Tax Administration of Jamaica.

For Stewart, who is also chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pollyanna Project, the partnership with FAST has significant room for growth.

“We see us evolving together where we can reach more students faster,” she said, noting that the charity’s history of philanthropic work, particularly in education, encouraged FAST to enter into a partnership that will leave lasting legacies.

Old Harbour High School Principal Lynton Weir expressed deep gratitude, emphasizing that the devices will remove “barriers to learning” and “open their minds to greater possibilities.”

“At Old Harbour High School our motto is ‘In Pursuit of Excellence,’” Weir said. “We therefore recognize that excellence cannot be pursued effectively if our students are not given the tools and the opportunities they need to succeed. The software you will learn is not simply a technology; it is a doorway to new knowledge and new opportunities.

“A part of my vision is to ensure that every child here at Old Harbour High School will have in their possession a scientific calculator. We have seen some things over the years that we are not very, very happy with. We have seen many of our students, in fact most of our students without scientific calculators.