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The Most Important Thing: Giving Back to the Community

The science lab at Cayon High School on the island of St. Kitts was found to be in a serious state of disrepair and neglect.  The staff of St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation/Virscio donated labor, materials, and scientific equipment to refurbish the Biology/Physics and Chemistry labs. From the maintenance to scientific staff, many many hours were invested in providing the students with a fresh start for this school year with an environment that fosters learning.  

Maintenance and Construction team members completely refurbished both labs and fabricated new storage cabinets and countertops.  Repaired and replaced experiment tables.  Air conditioners were installed where there previously were none. Coordinating with the St. Kitts Bureau of Standards, the hazardous chemicals were disposed.  Exterior doors were repaired, de-rusted, and painted.  Lab glassware was scrubbed to a like-new state. Many new instruments were donated.  

St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation/Virscio at it's very core is S.T.E.M. education and many employees have graduated from Cayon High School before they entered tertiary education.  One employee told me as she headed overseas to study for her bachelor's degree this year, "Since I was 14 y/o I wanted to work here to become a scientist".  Indeed she will come back as a scientist.

This week a group of the Cayon science students along with Dr. Ekong head of the Cayon Science program and Mr. Dalton Esdaille, Vice Principal of Cayon high school gave a heart-felt thank you to the entire staff of St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation/Virscio.  There were very few dry eyes that day.













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Location: Saint Kitts, St Kitts & Nevis

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