SSHS looks forward to a ‘golden summer’

Despite fears that the long summer vacation will lead to a number of problems among school children, the Saipan Southern High School is looking forward to a more productive and educational summer that will benefit students of the CNMI.

“Before we start airing misguided concerns that somehow our children in the CNMI are going to turn into delinquent minors who will do more drinking, smoking, graffiti, and sexual activities over the summer, let’s have a little faith, not only in the Public School System, but in our children,” said SSHS vice principal Craig Garrison.

He said that students “are not so naïve that they are not aware of the dangers in our society. They know that peer pressure is out there. They know right from wrong, they are young adults capable of making good decisions.”

He added that those who have been getting into trouble over the summer will most likely be the same ones “who have been in trouble all along—and that is a law enforcement issue, not a public school issue.”

Board of Education chair Lucy Blanco-Maratita said the community would need to work together and not place all responsibility for the children on PSS.

“As parents, we need to also find activities for our children outside of school, to work with the various organizations and place our children where we, as parents, see fit for our children, and also guide them as to what is the best use of the extra time they will now have outside the school year,” Blanco-Maratita said.

Garrison said that with the help of the Department of Public Safety, parents, and “our unconditional love for our students,” this period will be a “golden summer,” one which will provide opportunity, education and much deserved funds for the students in the CNMI “who have completed a year of trial and tribulation with power outages, lack of water, cutting back on gas, skipping meals, wearing the same clothes, and a host of sacrifices that as children they should not have to bear.”

SSHS is offering a full summer school program open to all high school students in the CNMI free of charge. The subjects included in this year’s summer school program are general subjects and elective sessions on post-production film and video.

Garrison is encouraging the entire community “to look into the eyes of your children and simply just ask ‘What can I do for you this summer,’ and make that your priority.”