MTEC briefs MY WAVE club advisers on upcoming plans

Marianas Tourism Education Council chair Vicky Benavente, left, leads the annual meeting of MTEC and advisers of the Marianas Youth Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically (MY WAVE) Clubs on Oct. 2, 2019, at Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan. Joining the tourism education briefing are other MTEC board members and club advisers from Koblerville, Kagman, Tanapag, W.S. Reyes, San Vicente, Oleai, and Garapan elementary schools, and Dandan, Tanapag, Hopwood, and Chacha Oceanview middle schools. (MTEC)

The Marianas Tourism Education Council and 11 school MY WAVE club advisers met last Oct. 2 at Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan to discuss plans for involving students in tourism in the new school year.

Networking with MY WAVE—or Marianas Youth Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically—clubs is an integral part of MTEC’s educational efforts. MTEC briefed advisers on its organizational goals and school year 2019-2020 calendar, including educational presentations at each school, the annual MTEC Tourism Summit planned for January 2020, and scholarships available for graduating seniors.

“Last school year was a big challenge for schools due to [Super] Typhoon Yutu, and some clubs are rebooting this year in the face of continued challenges. We want to extend our appreciation and support to all our MY WAVE club [advisers] for their hard work and dedication,” said MTEC chair Vicky Benavente. “MTEC is here to partner with them as we share with the students the importance of tourism to their daily lives and engage them in the industry at a young age.”

MTEC vice chair Wendi Herring, who is also the general manager of Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, also expressed appreciation to the advisers.

“We are especially grateful to many of you who have been volunteering your time and energy for so many years,” Herring told advisers.

Advisers represented Koblerville, Kagman, Tanapag, W.S. Reyes, San Vicente, Oleai, and Garapan elementary schools; and the Dandan, Tanapag, Hopwood, and Chacha Oceanview middle schools.

“We would like to say thank you to all that you, your team, and other board members have done for us,” said MY WAVE Club adviser Alma Kisa of Koberville Elementary School to Benavente. “I believe that the club is important because it teaches [children] to be responsible community members. They have shown great interest in what the MY WAVE Club stands for and are always willing to help. Keep up the good work.”

The dinner meeting was sponsored in part by Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, T Galleria by DFS, and Pacific Islands Club Saipan.

MTEC also supports club advisers with a stipend for clubs that hold activities and meet other requirements. Schools interested in starting a MY WAVE Club may contact Marianas Visitors Authority marketing manager Martin Duenas at 1 (670) 664-3200/1 or mduenas@mymarianas.com.

“It has always been a great pleasure serving as a MYWAVE adviser for Tanapag Middle School for a little more than five years now,” said Eluene Baza. “We are ready to start off this school year with fun-filled activities that we have been planning to do, along with the Marianas Visitors Authority’s monthly activities. Thank you, MTEC, for your continued support for all these years!”

MTEC was formed in 2002 to heighten the community’s awareness of the importance of tourism to the wellbeing of the people of the Marianas. MTEC’s stated mission is three-fold: to foster community understanding and support of the visitor industry; educate the public, especially students, about the value, social benefits, and economic contributions made to the community by the visitor industry; and to instill, improve and promote the “Hafa Adai-Tirow” hospitality spirit throughout the island community. (PR)