15 to represent NMI at NJSDA nationals in June

Members of the National Junior Speech and Debate Association team that will represent the CNMI at the national competition this June pose for a photo with their speech coaches at Mount Carmel School during the award ceremony. (YUUKI NISHIDA)

Fifteen students who bagged gold medals in the four-day regionals last week at Mount Carmel School will represent the islands in the National Junior Speech and Debate Association competition this June.

Over 100 students vied for top spots in 11 categories in last week’s contest. 

The NJSDA regionals also named the members of the CNMI team that will represent the islands in the upcoming national competition in Birmingham, Alabama.

Grace Christian Academy’s Na Lee Christy Lee will represent the islands in Lincoln-Douglas debate; Green Meadows School’s Jill Anne Mallari will compete in poetry; Saipan Community School’s Vinson Bacani and James Park will compete in duo interpretation; Whispering Palms School’s Dane Hodges and James Keaton will represent original oratory and extemporaneous speaking, respectively; Dandan Middle School’s Jonathan Wolf, Tioni Reyes, and Rio Ayu Shadow will represent in humorous interpretation, impromptu speaking, and declamation, respectively.

DMS’ Elaine Fernandez, who will be representing the CNMI in storytelling, said she is nervous and will be ready for the next few months of practice. Her older brother, Jeremiah Fernandez, also represented the CNMI in the same event.

Hopwood Middle School dominated the competition with four representatives. Vladimir Radge Palma for dramatic interpretation, Coloma Castro for Chamorro interpretation, Trixia Litulumar for Carolinian interpretation, and Vivien Liu for prose reading tied with Marianas Baptist School’s Timothy Acosta.

Hopwood Middle School coach and NSDA board member Victoria Nishida lauded her students for landing the most number of representatives on the team.

“Although we come from different schools, we are still a part of the national team representing the CNMI,” Nishida said.

CNMI Speech and Debate Association board chair Harold Easton praised the student orators for conquering their fear of speaking in public. He said CNMI students have a history of performing well at the national level.

The PGFC for elementary students and National Speech and Debate Association competition for high school students are expected to take place in late March and early April. Gold medalists of the high school tilt will join the NJSDA team in Alabama.