There's going to be a test. 

 

Do you remember the anxiousness those six words caused when you were a student? The anxiety and the worry just wouldn't subside until the test was completed and the score was posted. Now . . . imagine that you have no light to illuminate your study and preparation. And the test you need to prepare for is the biggest, most important exam of your entire academic career!

 

These were the circumstances facing the 2022 graduates from Adams Thermal Academy Ottoro. These students are not only our very first graduating class from Ottoro, but this is also our first experience with helping our rural students prepare for the 12th grade national exam. The national exam in Ethiopia determines whether or not students have the opportunity to receive a scholarship for their post-secondary education. For most of the students at Adams Thermal Academies, this exam either opens or closes the door to their academic future. 

 

At Adams Thermal Academies, we prepare our 12th-graders for their final exam with investments in extra study preparation materials and tutoring. However, we took for granted the home study environment of our students in rural Ottoro. The village of Ottoro welcomed modest electrical infrastructure about 14 years ago. But most residents of this very rural community do not enjoy the convenience of electrical lighting in their homes. So most of our students are only able to study while they're at school. 

 

Recently, our Ottoro 12th-graders received a surprise gift from the home office in the United States. Every student that is preparing for the national exam at the end of this school year received a solar light kit to use for study at home. Each light came with a solar panel to mount outside and can provide 36 hours of light before recharging is needed. 

 

The 12th grade national exam will still cause our students some anxiousness. But now even the "poorest of the poor" will face this challenge with greater confidence and better preparation.