OES Turtles off to a great start in PGFC competition

The Oleai Elementary School Primary Grades Forensic Conference participants pose for a souvenir photo inside their school campus in San Jose, Saipan. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Like their school mascot, which is the turtle, Oleai Elementary School Turtles may have started slowly but won most of their events in the first monthly qualifying competition of the Primary Grades Forensic Conference last October at Mount Carmel School.

All OES students in the kindergarten to 2nd-grade division won in one or all of their English and Chamorro-Carolinian Language Heritage Studies events. All 10 placed first to fifth in the seven English events: Declamation, Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Impromptu Speaking, Choral Speaking, and CCLHS event.

The OES grades 3-5 almost won first to fourth place in Impromptu Speaking B. The students learned more about the Micronesian territories and countries from Northern Marianas, Guam, Palau, Nauru, and the Marshall Islands to Kiribati as they prepare and perform their speeches.

PGFC competition encourages public and private schools students from kindergarten to fifth-grade to participate in and become proficient in reading, public speaking, and interpretations. After two years of virtual competition, PGFC is back to face-to-face or in-person competition where students will go to different schools to compete with other students from different schools. Due to the COVID-19 situation, almost all of the events are pre-recorded video entries except for Impromptu Speaking, which is live via Google Meet.

K-2 DIVISION
Dramatic Interpretation A
Lucia Bercilla, 2nd Place

Humorous Interpretation A
Jaymie Parico, 2nd Place
Kendra Lumanlan, 4th Place
Liberty Domingo, 5th Place

Humorous Interpretation
Ladana Calibo, 1st Place

Declamation
Max Chang, 1st Place
Jaymie Parico, 2nd Place

Impromptu Speaking
Ladana Calibo, 2ndPlace
Louie Matthew Achas, 3rd Place
Aldrick Jay Rodeo,4th Place

Reader’s Forum C
Liberty Domingo, 4th Place
Aldrick Jay Rodeo, 5th Place

CCLHS
Kendra Lumanlan, 1st Place
Jaymie Parico, 1st Place
Ge Anica Sinounou, 4th Place
Daren Amandus, 5th Place

Duo Interpretation A
Max Chang, 3rd Place
Louie Matthew Achas, 3rd Place

Choral Speaking
Kendra Lumanlan, 5th Place
Ge Anica Sinounou, 5th Place
Lucia Bercilla, 5th Place

3-5 DIVISION
Dramatic Interpretation A
Julienne Rhyme Casuncad, 2nd Place
Brent Villanueva, 2nd Place
Hallie Marianne Padolina, 5th Place

Humorous Interpretation A
Keanalise Arianne Sablan, 2nd Place

Declamation
Alexander Joseph Salundaguit, 3rd Place

Impromptu Speaking
Hallie Marianne Padolina, 1st Place
Haven Mateo Calibo, 2nd Place
Raphael Kyron Ronquillo, 3rd Place
Xavier Brien, 4th Place

Reader’s Forum D
Mary Elizabeth De Guzman, 4th Place

Reader’s Forum F
Xavier Brien, 4th Place
Rhyne Ysa Bansuela, 5th Place

Reader’s Forum MA
Hanna Gabrielle Ramos, 3rd Place

Reader’s Forum MB
Leila Leightley, 2nd Place

CCLHS A
Brent Villanueva, 1st Place
Alexander Joseph Salundaguit, 4th Place

CCLHS B
Isabel Maximina Carreon, 3rd Place

Duo Interpretation A
Mary Elizabeth De Guzman, 1st Place
Hanna Gabrielle Ramos, 1st Place

Other OES Participants
Revanalyn Mality
Zieann Teves
Shania Mina Mendiola
Crystal Lyn Mabel

OES Judges
Arnel Coloma
Laarni Calibo
Maritoni Duarte
Jenny Ann Mercado

OES CCLHS Coach
Josephine Agulto

OES PGFC Coach/Coordinator
Esther Manzano