33 students graduate from leadership dev’t program

Dr. Bobby Cruz, rightmost, Jonathan Aguon, leftmost, and facilitator Riya Nathrani, fourth from right, pose with the first cohort of Project Simiya after their graduation ceremony. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

This year saw the first annual cohort of 33 students graduate from Project Simiya, a leadership development program developed by Edvance Pacific, which is a professional learning company founded Dr. Bobby Cruz and Jonathan Aguon. Project Simiya aims to plant the seeds of leadership in our youth today in order to cultivate healthier communities tomorrow.

Students participated in six highly engaging and motivational workshops and mastered steps to initiate positive change in the community.

The sessions took place on Saturdays with students from Kagman High School, ChaCha Ocean View Middle School, and Tanapag Middle School.

The students delved into topics such as self-awareness, self-confidence, emotional intelligence, cultural stewardship, civic engagement, and inclusion and diversity. They learned strategies for leadership, participated in meaningful discussions with peers, and engaged in activities centered on these pertinent topics.

Project Simiya combats negative youth behaviors by providing an avenue for meaningful and positive engagement that promotes self-acceptance, resilience, and leadership growth among the youth. The program is culturally conscientious, research-based, and developmentally appropriate. Participating students were empowered with the leadership competencies and skills to participate in shaping higher levels of change in the CNMI.

Student leaders also heard from powerful motivational speakers such as Tracy Guerrero, Savannah Lyn Delos Santos, Leo Pangelinan, Gretchen Smith, and Daniel Brown. These community leaders shared their experiences, personal and professional challenges, and stories of decision-making, progress, and success.

The following testimonials are from the program participants:

“I was very excited to see what lesson would be brought up each week. If I haven’t already used the skills taught to me, I can’t wait to use them in my future experiences. It was an honor to participate in a program like this!”

“Not only did we get to enhance our leadership skills, but we also got to meet new people, create bonds with them, and hear other stories in our community about experiences of being a leader in the CNMI. I gained so much knowledge through this program and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in expanding their leadership skills.”

“This program has helped me learn more about myself as a leader. I got to interact with a lot of people from different schools and learn from them and how they develop themselves as leaders.”

“Project Simiya has taught me about more than just being a better leader. This program has helped me learn more about society, taught me how to approach others, and has even helped me become more confident in who I am.”

“I met so many inspiring people throughout this program.”

“Project Simiya gave me an opportunity to discuss a lot of different topics with my peers. I got to have really complex conversations with them that I wouldn’t be able to have otherwise.”

“I enjoyed the fun activities we did; it felt really interactive. All the instructors felt like they cared about our well-being. Overall, it felt like a really great experience for me.”

The project advancement was led by the CNMI Legislative Education Committee chair Rep. Leila Staffler (D-Saipan), who worked with Precinct 3 Reps. Denita Yangetmai (D-Saipan), Corina Magofna (Ind-Saipan), Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan), BJ Attao (R-Saipan), Edmund Villagomez (Ind-Saipan), and Ralph Yumul (R-Saipan); Precinct 4 Rep. Sheila Babauta (D-Saipan) and Joel Camacho (R-Saipan); and Precinct 5 Reps. Richard Lizama (D-Saipan) to pilot the program.

“I am grateful for my colleagues who were willing to collaborate in supporting this program to provide our CNMI youth with access to personal and professional learning experiences,” Staffler said. “It is through programs like this that inspire stewardship and leadership in the youth that becomes transformative in our communities.”

The program has immediate and long-range advantages for students who participate in the program and provides students with experiences to gain the skills necessary to succeed in today’s world. Project Simiya is a powerful investment in our youth that will set the stage for increased leadership capacity to support a healthier Marianas. (PR)