The Saint Mary’s College Year 13 students have expressed their gratitude to sponsors for supporting their fundraising which enabled the educational institution to renovate two of their classrooms.

Father Michael Duvini led the ceremony on Tuesday morning with a prayer to bless the two newly renovated classrooms as well as Year 13 students who played a pivotal role in the fundraising drive with holy water.

The Year 13 students sang a Catholic song 'Maria lo matou tina’ with a lot of emotion, knowing that they contributed to the upgrading of the college's facilities before they graduated. 

It has been five years since Saint Mary’s College established their spellathon fundraising to assist the school upgrade its classrooms and facilities.

The college's Deputy Head Prefect, Querita Chang Tung said they ran a spellathon fundraising at the beginning of this year and raised a total of $17,000.

“Right now we have our renovation of two classrooms, with the cost of $10,000. The remaining amount which is $7,000 was spent on our Year 13 formal wear," she said. 

“We acknowledge the support of our parents and all our sponsors for financially supporting our class this year.”

The college's Head Prefect Campaign Fidow added that their fundraising sponsors were mainly their families as well as the Saint Mary’s Old Girls Association.

“We don’t have particular sponsors, it is mainly from our family members and Saint Mary’s Old Girls Association. We’re done for our project this year and we are really happy. 

“We love our College and we want them to educate in an advance level, there are 69 of us in our class which all worked together to get our project done for our school before we graduate."

It has been a tradition over the years at the Saint Mary’s College for its Form 6 students to embark on a project for the school before they make their formal exit as students. 

The two renovated classrooms are the last ones that needed to be renovated with the Year 13 students getting them tiled and repainted paid for by the students' fundraising.

Saint Mary’s College Principal Lepetiaina Sina Fitu told the Samoa Observer that the Year 13 students held their fundraising at the beginning of the year to avoid the distraction that the Samoa School Leaving Certificate (S.S.L.C.) exams and internal assessments.

“It’s best for them to hold their spellathon fundraising at the beginning of the year, so that there could be no more distraction for them during S.S.L.C. exams and internal assessments.

“We would also acknowledge one of our old pupils, Rimani owner of Rimani Samoa and Samoa Island which worked on the Form 6 formal uniform at a discount price. Saint Mary’s College thanks sponsors for supporting our Form 6 fundraising."