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Pangelinan, Fernandez top teen poetry slam tilt
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Posted on Mar 02 2017
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- Victoria Pangelinan, 13-to-15 division winner, and Jeremiah Fernandez, 16-to-19 division winner, pose with their certificates at the Charley’s Cabaret after the 6th annual Teen Poetry slam. (YUUKI NISHIDA)
Several public and private schools competed in the 6th Teen Poetry Slam on Tuesday at the Pacific Islands Club, with representatives of Tanapag Middle School and Saipan Southern High School taking home the top prizes.
The competition was divided into two divisions—the 13- to 15-year-old division and the 16- to 19-year-old division—with contestants creating their own poems to raise awareness about abuse in teen dating, promote healthy and safe relationships, and resources available for victims and survivors.
In the 13- to 15-year-old division, Tanapag Middle School’s Victoria Mary Igitol Pangelinan said her winning piece, “Teen Dating Violence,” was inspired by the story of her aunt, who had the same experience as told in her poem. This was Pangelinan’s first time to join the teen poetry slam contest. Mount Carmel School’s Kalea Lou Borja took second place, with Saipan Southern High School’s Kobe Camacho bagging third.
In the 16- to 19-year-old division, Saipan Southern High School’s Jeremiah Fernandez won first place with his poem “Lost.” His winning piece talks about the loss of innocence among teens who go through teen dating violence. The second place winner was Kagman High School’s Ella Mae Eusebio, while third place went to KHS’ Manuel John Borja.
Other contestants came from public and private schools that included Marianas High School, Kagman High School, Saipan Southern High School, Mount Carmel School, and Tanapag Middle School.
Hosted by the Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence, the competitors helped raise awareness of teen dating violence and/or promote healthy relationships through slam poetry in the Northern Mariana Islands.
February 2017 was recently recognized as Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month in the CNMI. The event was a part of efforts to raise awareness of abuse in teen dating.
