Teacher Mientje Mamora donned a white cap along with graduating eighth-graders of the White Memorial School. She had planned to retire quietly after 28 years of teaching at the school, but the administrator had other ideas. “You have been a faithful teacher here for so many years,” said Principal Devon Ludwig, “we want to ‘graduate’ you, with honors.”

“At first I thought retirement, and my graduation, were great,” Mamora recalled, laughing, “but the next day I felt sad about leaving the school where I had taught almost three generations of students. (I had taught some parents in Thailand, as a missionary.) I began volunteering—arranging books, helping students.

“Many students would like to attend the school but can’t afford to, so my husband Radjaiman has given $1,000 to establish a scholarship fund,” she added. “This is God’s school!”

To help swell the fund, Ludwig invited eighth-graders to give back to the community as their class gift. “Students did the hard work of preparing the ground for the planting of 63 trees around the perimeter of the school property,” he said. “Donations from gifting tree fruit will contribute to the fund.

“Mrs. Mamora and the team spent two days preparing the soil and planting trees. We will have ruby red grapefruit, Mexican limes, kumquats, mandarins, navel oranges and other fruit."

According to Ludwig, the lime trees will produce a small crop within the next year; other fruit will bear in two years. “We installed drip irrigation,” he explained. “We are pleased that the trees will add a green spot to the area and help reduce graffiti, since it’s hard to add graffiti to trees.

“People have asked about security for the tree produce,” Ludwig added. “People needing fruit are welcome to what they can reach up and pick.”

This year, the school donated a ton each of mandarins and melons, as well as two tons of potatoes.