Previous Story
Song and Yoo are SCS Uke Elite winners
|
Posted on May 03 2023
Eighth graders of Saipan Community School demonstrate their ukulele skills through their beautiful music last Friday during the ’23 Uke Jam at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe. (CHRYSTAL MARINO)
For displaying exceptional skills in ukulele playing and their leadership when helping others improve their ukulele skills, two of Saipan Community School’s students were awarded the Annual Uke Elite Award during the school’s ’23 Uke Jam last Friday at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.
Eighth graders Joan Song and Joshua Yoo were presented with the award after the school’s Uke Jam, where the two performed and watched some of the students they mentored perform as well.
According to SCS principal Amanda Dunn, Song and Yoo, along with students David Park and Morgan Finco, played a key role in organizing the event. She said the concert’s playlist and setup for that evening were completely student-led.
“…Coming out of COVID-19, our students’ social and emotional health has gotten turned back around to where they’re confident again [and] they’re comfortable on stage,” Dunn said. “…The past year-and-a-half has just been teaching them how to be in front of people after being behind a computer screen, and so this has been a beautiful experience of letting them do that and to feel comfortable doing so. …I’m just proud that our kids are building the confidence and being their personal best through this.”
Dunn said she is proud of Song and Yoo, who have both been playing the ukulele since third grade. She noted that the two helped the sixth graders build their confidence leading up to their performance that night.
Dunn said they would usually hold such school events at the school’s chapel, but due to some renovations, they had to move their event to the Multi-Purpose Center.
She said they will also be holding the school’s 35th Spring Band Concert at the same location tomorrow.
