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Winning essay to be read on Philippine Independence Day
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Posted on May 08 2008
This year’s winning “Ties That Bind” essay will be read by its author at this year’s 110th Philippine Independence Day flag raising celebration that is scheduled in June.
The contest, called “Ties That Bind: Exploring the Historic Connections of the United States, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Republic of the Philippines” aims to pique the interest of students to learn more and write in their own words the relevance of the historical ties among the three countries.
Philippine Consul General Wilfredo DL. Maximo said he hopes that the contest will be the high point of this year’s celebration.
Through this contest, “we hope it will rekindle interest among the youth about the historic connections between the Northern Marianas, the Philippines and the U.S.”
This year’s essay contest is open to all high school students in the CNMI from grades 9th to 12th.
San Vicente Elementary School teacher Jaime Vergara said that students from schools who are not participating in the event are still welcome to join.
The essay must be between 500 and 1,500 words and in English. They must be submitted to the NMI Council for the Humanities no later than May 30. Each submitted essay will be numbered, therefore hiding the identities of the students who wrote them.
“That way, nobody, not even the judges, will be able to tell who wrote the essays,” Humanities Council board member Carmen Gaskins said.
The awards for the contest is a round-trip ticket for two to Manila, the Philippines and a tour of places of interest such as the Malacañang Palace for first place; $300 for second place and $200 for third place.
The contest promises to provide an excellent opportunity to explore and reaffirm the depths of the historic ties that have long existed between the CNMI, the U.S., and the Philippines.
Gaskins said the committee hopes to encourage more activities in the succeeding years that would allow the youth to connect with their historical and ancestral ties.
