WE GOT a note this week from local businessman and Catholic Deacon Bill Hagen, telling us of the need for a teacher for a small island in Chuuk State, in the Federated States of Micronesia. The assignment is intriguing, especially for someone with a bit of “Robinson Crusoe” spirit.

Bill is the inspiration behind something called the Cuthbert Project. With the help of some of the islanders and a good many generous donors, he has set up a computer lab on Onoun, which is about 120 miles northwest of the main state capital on Moen. The lab is part of Weipat High School, and it has 30 computer stations supplied with Rosetta Stone software to teach the students American English.

According to Bill, the project has been operating since 2009 but now needs to expand beyond English to other subjects such as math, science and other general education courses. In a letter to Variety, Bill said they propose expanding the program through the use of a digital library which is being established, and for which they are also seeking donations of digital CDs with educational topics.

What they need now is a teacher willing to live and work on Onoun and oversee the project. The candidate selected must be capable of establishing class schedules for students to access the digital library, establish a baseline for comparison testing at the end of the school year, and work with and train teachers and aides to make proper use of the digital assets provided. The teacher chosen will need to have basic computer skills and file manipulation experience. Nothing is said about teaching credentials.

Living conditions are safe, but simple. Housing and meals will be included along with transportation to and from Onoun. If the candidate is lucky, they may get to sail there on Hagen’s boat, which is how he often travels through Micronesia. The salary is negotiable.

It sounds like kind of a Peace Corps type assignment. The candidate must commit to two, four-month periods of teaching, with time off between the sessions and transportation back home provided. “This is the perfect position for someone who cares about the youth of Micronesia and is willing to share in their unique lifestyle,” Hagen says in his letter.

If this piques your interest, email thecuthbertproject[at]hotmail.com or call Deacon Bill at 632-4002. This is a genuine grassroots opportunity for somebody with some missionary spirit, although it is not a religious assignment.

As an added enticement, Bill points out WeiPat High School does have access to the Internet via satellite. Still, the successful candidate had better be prepared to subsist at a pretty basic level on a beautiful, but remote, Pacific island. If you’re looking for some adventure, here you go.