15 off to nationals in June

Members of the National Speech and Debate Association team that will represent the CNMI at the national competition in June pose for a photo at the Marianas High School Dolphin Theater after a meeting with the coaches. (YUUKI NISHIDA)

Fifteen students will represent the islands in the National Speech and Debate Association competition after bagging gold medals in the five-day regional competition last week at Saipan Southern High School and Marianas High School.

Over 100 students competed to earn the top spots in 14 categories in last week’s contest. The NSDA named the members of the CNMI team that will represent the islands in the upcoming national competition this June in Birmingham, Alabama.

Saipan International School’s Shae Hartig will represent the islands in Lincoln-Douglas debate; Kagman High School’s Elizabeth Rose Jones and Edson Valdisimo will represent expository speech and Chamorro interpretation, respectively; Mount Carmel School’s Joshua Santos and Jeff Matthew Melchor will be representing the CNMI in commentary and impromptu speech.

First-timer Nathaniel Snodgrass of MCS will represent the islands in United States extemporaneous speech. “It is an honor to represent the CNMI at the national competition in Alabama and my goal is to work my hardest to earn a place in the [extemporaneous] event,” Snodgrass said. “Even if I fail, I would still smile, knowing that an islander like me came so far to represent his great people.”

Jeremiah and Nehemiah Fernandez of Saipan Southern High School will represent the islands in duo interpretation. Veteran Jeremiah Fernandez said it feels great to be a part of the CNMI team again and looks forward to traveling with the CNMI’s best of the best.

Grace Christian Academy’s veteran speech orator, Yujin Lee, will be representing the islands in dramatic interpretation. The last time she visited Birmingham, Alabama, was in the National Junior Speech and Debate tournament where she was in the top three for dramatic interpretation. “It is truly an honor to represent the CNMI for the National Speech and Debate competition for my entire junior high and high school career. I would not have been the person I am today without NSDA. I not only learned to have confidence in the way I carry myself but how to work within a team to bring out the strengths of each talented member.” Lee said. “As for my last trip, I will cherish every moment with friends who have been there for me throughout the thick and thin of the years, I thank the coaches who have devoted their time and effort to support our success, and I will give my all in my performances.”

GCA’s Minna Ito will represent the CNMI in Original Oratory. Last year, Ito was the first CNMI representative to break the furthest in the expository event.

Marianas High School earned the most representatives in the CNMI team, with Kate Ishida representing poetry, Esther Park in story telling, Esther Kim in prose, Kelvin Wolf in Humorous Interpretation, and this author in international extemporaneous speech.

Marianas High School’s coach Dencio V. Manglona feels that this year is a unique year because some of the most poignant student leaders have come together to make Team CNMI. “I’m glad to see that many of the coaches and students are veterans who have been to nationals previously, so I know that with our talents we can come back together again as a group of mentors and protégées, all working together to make the CNMI proud.”

CNMI Speech and Debate Association board chair Harold Easton extoled the student orators for their hard work and efforts. He said that CNMI students have a history of doing well at the national level.

The Primary Grade Forensics Competition is slated to take place this week. Gold medalists of the high school tilt will join the NJSDA team in Alabama.