As The St. Michael School nears its 98th year of operation, a generous donation from two successful former students is shining a light on the critical gap in classroom technology and the power of alumni giving to transform educational experiences for current learners.
Entrepreneurs Ashley Hope and Damien Pinder, co-directors of the multi-media enterprise PinderHope Enterprises Ltd., have gifted three state-of-the-art high-definition 4K televisions to the Barbados-based secondary school, where they first studied more than two decades ago. The pair stepped forward to fill a pressing need after learning about the institution’s ongoing technology shortages while working on a separate alumni-led campus project.
Pinder explained that the pair were struck by how little progress had been made on integrating educational technology into classrooms since their own time as students. “Two decades ago, EduTech was already a major buzzword, framed as the future of classroom learning,” he noted. “When we found out that core teaching spaces still lacked even basic connected 4K displays, we knew we had to act.”
School leadership says the donation has already resolved a long-standing logistical and pedagogical challenge the institution has faced for years. Before the new televisions were installed, the school only had a limited number of portable projectors available for classroom use, meaning teachers had to reserve equipment weeks in advance and only those who booked first got access. Now, with fixed 4K screens placed in key specialist rooms, educators no longer have to plan around equipment shortages, and can integrate digital visual learning into their daily lessons seamlessly.
Tanya Harding, the school’s principal who actually taught Hope and Pinder integrated science 20 years ago, emphasized that the upgrade has benefited both instructors and students. “Having a permanently placed screen in these rooms removes all the uncertainty around accessing technology for lessons,” Harding said. “This directly addresses a gap we’ve been working to close for a long time.”
Susan Alleyne-Forde, head of the school’s Fine Arts Department, echoed that praise, noting the new televisions have already reshaped teaching in her department. “We can now stream live demonstrations, play educational videos, and display high-resolution reference materials directly in the classroom, so every single student has a clear view of what we’re covering,” she explained. “It feels like we finally have the modern classroom technology we’ve been wanting for decades – it’s a game-changer.”
Beyond the immediate impact on teaching at The St. Michael School, Hope and Pinder say their donation is meant to serve as a call to action for other alumni of the institution to give back in whatever way they can. Hope emphasized that contributing to one’s alma mater doesn’t require large financial gifts to make a difference. “The school has so many needs, and we’re hoping this example encourages other graduates who are in a position to help to step forward,” he said.
Pinder expanded on that message, noting that any form of contribution counts. “Giving back doesn’t always have to be monetary,” he said. “Whether you can share your time, your professional skills, or material resources, every contribution adds up to make a real difference for current students.”
As the school prepares to mark its 98th anniversary, the donation is being held up as a model of how graduate engagement can strengthen the institution and open new opportunities for the next generation of learners.