54 candidates running for NMI Youth Congress

Students across the CNMI will be choosing among some 54 candidates on Monday on who should represent them at the CNMI Youth Congress.

The polling places will be open from 2pm to 6pm.

Precinct I will hold the elections at the San Antonio Youth Center, St. Jude Social Hall, San Vicente Social Hall, and Kagman High School. The House of Manhoben, Joeten Kiyu Library, and the Ada Gymnasium will be open for Precinct II student voters.

Precinct III student voters may cast their votes at the Ada gym and the Garapan Youth Learning Center Unit A-16; Precinct IV student voters will be casting their votes at the Kagman High School, House chamber of the Legislature building, and the Tanapag Youth Center.

Tinian High School will be open for Precinct V voters, whereas Precinct VI will hold their polls at the Rota High School.

According to the mission of the Youth Congress, its elected officials are youth representatives in the community whose goal is not only to learn about making policy or being involved in electoral, legislative, and governmental processes, but to go one step further by working to plan, develop, and implement programs that promote real youth progress.

Elected student officials will develop and promote active participation from the youth in community issues to meet the challenges of the future and to foster leadership in young adults.

The school candidates for the incoming Youth Congress include John Del Rosario for Mount Carmel School; Matthew Cabrera and Na Young Kim for Marianas Baptist Academy; Soledad Camacho and Rika Matsumoto for Grace Christian Academy; Yveth Mafnas for Calvary Christian Academy; Hannah Tessen for Saipan International School; Christopher Lee for Northern Marianas Academy, and Esther Omar for Northern Marianas College.

Marianas High School candidates include Carmelita Gutierrez, Jennifer Jang, Louisa Moolang, and Juan Pinaula. Satomie Magofna, along with Alvie Sanchez, are duking it out for the one seat available for Kagman High School. Saipan Southern high school has one seat open for candidates Jennifer Benavente, Mercedes Cabrera, Dwayne Palacios, Angela Pinaula, Jovinalynn Sablan, and Dong Shim.

Precinct I topped the chart with 11 candidates running for the three seats open. Incumbents Roselle Calvo and Delbert Pua will be running against Janice Castro, Jacqueline Cepeda, Dwayne Davis, Edrianne Flores, Calvin Fejeran, Roque Indalecio, Ahhil Kim, Naomi Sablan, and Vincent San Nicolas.

With one seat open for Precinct II, Mark Nuique and Marvin Tamangided has less of a challenge on votes ahead of them. A former youth senator for the 5th CNMI Youth Congress, Malcolm Omar is running for Precinct IV.

Similar to Precinct I candidates, Precinct III lists eight eligible candidates for the three seats open. The election should hold little surprises for Josef Deleon Guerrero and Brian Nicholas Jr., who were both successful in the previous elections. Miss CNMI Teen 2004 Divana Dela Cruz along with Ronn Arii, Joseph Deleon Guerrero, Lupe Kaipat, Hana Joo, and Katherine Taylor will be running against Nicholas and Deleon Guerrero.

Precinct V candidates in Tinian includes Casey Borja, Pablo Evangelista, and Antolynn Maratita. Rota, however, holds one seat open for Precinct VI candidate Donald Manglona.

Candidates’ ages range from 14 to 20 years old.

For more information on the elections, contact the CNMI Youth Congress Office at 664-8845. (Cassie DLG Fejeran)