PSS team triumphs in island’s first Race for Life

A team from the Public School System prevailed during the island’s first Race for Life scavenger hunt held last Saturday.

IT&E organized its first Race for Life scavenger hunt and it’s also the first event of its kind on island.

The event was IT&E’s variation of CBS’ famous “Amazing Race.”

Team You Gon’ Learn Today, composed of Jessica Estrada and Bobby Coldeen from the Board of Education, Brandon San Nicolas from Student Support Services, and A.J. Mendoza from PSS completed the race in just one hour and 15 minutes.

Estrada, the team’s spokesperson, said her take away from the race was the importance of teamwork. Although strategizing is important, a strategy would mean nothing if each team member did not complete their designated role.

The team was awarded $1,000 worth of vouchers redeemable at any IT&E branch and gift certificates from partner agencies.

According to IT&E marketing manager Natasha Tomokane, IT&E was looking for a unique way to bring various agencies in the community together for a day of fun.

Tomokane said the event turned out better than expected because of the enthusiasm and support that partner agencies and CNMI residents showed for the event.

“We were anticipating like nine or 10 teams and we really got great feedback from the community. We had to cap it at 15 teams because we weren’t expecting the event to be so big on its first run,” she said.

If future races are to have changes, IT&E would like to complicate the race even more, Tomokane said.

The concept of the race was to find all six of the strategically planted ribbons by following the coordinates given by IT&E. The only way to receive the coordinates is by correctly answering trivia questions about IT&E.

“Next year, we’re going to make our routes more challenging and we want to have winners come in at first, second, and third…this year was a ‘winner-take-all’ event,” Tomokane said.

Hundred percent of the funds raised from the Race for Life event will go to the Marianas March Against Cancer. “It was for the cause that everyone wanted to participate,” she said.

The other teams that participated in the scavenger hunt race were Dilly Dilly, High Voltage, Stars and Stripes, Team Bodig, See I See, Mission Gladiators, Saipan Tribune’s Not So Fake News, Kontra Kanset, Warriors, Team Haggan, Trail Mix, Team Road Runners, Breast Friends, and Saipan Young Professionals.