Education Day a Thanksgiving party

By Jaime R. Vergara
SVES 6th grade teacher

Alfred Ada’s gratitude must have been too great to be contained during Wednesday morning’s Education Day festivities at the Kagman Elementary School. The William S. Reyes Elementary School principal and Education Day chair actually bellowed his thanks to Kagman Elementary School principal Ignacia Demapan, his voice ringing over the subsiding moans of northwesterlies that earlier dumped buckets of rain on the gathered PSS family at the school grounds.

“You are beautiful, romantic, delicious and friendly,” he declared. “For that, we are thankful!”

The theme of gratitude ran through the speeches and sentiments expressed during the Education Day celebration—a view that was not exactly shared by everyone an hour earlier. By the time the Kagman school’s parking lot was overflowing with vehicles, spilling into the neighboring community center and both sides of the roads surrounding the campus, a tempest of Judaic proportions cast a sudden burst of rain and wind that sent the Oleai tent belly up. As the fierce gale pummeled the threatened tarps, orange shirts started hanging on to the roof and posts of the Koblerville Elementary School’s tent, while across the way, yellow-shirted San Vicente Elementary School Canaries held on to sanity and cover even as the roof was unable to keep the Tweeties from getting wet.

In keeping with the merry-making mood of the day, SVES first grade teacher Erlinda Arriola managed to turn the damp and soggy atmosphere into a TGIT wet T-shirt fest. Not quite resigned to the wind’s version of “raising the roof,” Arriola got on one of the table tops, held on the roof bar to weigh the tent down, and proceeded to practice the dance gyration that the group had in store for the afternoon entertainment. Her body motion would have bested any that GIG dance floor denizens could come up with, to the excited screams and squeals of her colleagues who proceeded to join her in keeping the tent anchored and weighed down with their bodies. Our sixth grade social studies class currently wading through ancient Egypt would have been delighted to witness the Chamolinian version of the Egyptian belly dance.

Alfred Ada’s sunny disposition prevailed and in no time, the sun broke through the eastern skies in a late, but nevertheless, spectacular dawn. Greg Shroer of Gold’s Gym then proceeded to lead the group in some tantric motion meditation exercises. In keeping with the PSS emphasis on physical education, the yoga instructor reminded the gathered gurus to mind their breathing while they limbered muscle and cartilage through modulated and gracious stretchings. BoE members on stage aligned behind the Commissioner with hands stretched out and up, all leaning symmetrically to the left. It was a sight to behold given that it is not a stance and posture the board is known for in its policy deliberations, literally and metaphorically!

As the colors were brought in by members of the JROTC, the sun showed itself in full splendor and for a brief moment, the whole parade grounds of tents were held at attention and in a stunning moment of uncharacteristic silence. Nor would the sound system static interrupt the singing of the anthems than followed next. Kagman High teacher and Pastor David Bucher delivered the coup de grace with the traditional meditation of Christian prayer.

Commissioner Rita Inos and BoE chair Ramon Benavente echoed the themes of gratitude for what one has, maximizing resource utility and not being paralyzed by what one does not have, nor held anxious by what is absent but what one yearns for. Transforming trouble into blessings was the admonition; letting go of those things one has no control over, the leadership‚s counsel.

2004 Teacher of the Year Brenda Schultz of Garapan Elementary School gave her parting thoughts, encouraging her fellow teachers to continue being “Maker of Dreams,” in spite of the meager resources at their disposal. Acknowledging the fact that teachers as a professional group are underpaid, and were frequently known “to walk out of the grocery store with a few school supplies paid for from their own pockets,” she nevertheless affirmed her conviction borne out of experience that, “We are and can be creative.”

Creative indeed, they were. After the logo and Education Day theme essay prizes were awarded to the elementary and high school students, the Teacher of Year awardees from each of the schools were presented.

Tanapag royally shoulder carried in their mermaid, Lavena C. Babauta, who would later be named as the TOY of the year awardee. WSR jeeped-in their USMC Kingfisher warriorettes. The Dandan Tottots rocked, with school principal Mr. Aerobics Jonas Barcinas, leading the pack. Resplendent Canaries from SVES brought their GATE (foreshadowing a gifted and talented education program?) to grace their parade. OES turtles vroomed-in with a VW beetle turned Turtle green, escorted by bikers appropriately sun-glassed and scarved, all pedagogues on trainer and mental wheels, declaring 2004 as PSS‚ “Year of the Turtle.” Then the Saipan Southern High dance-whipped their Manta Ray tails into the parade grounds.

As emcee LJ Castro was wont to say, at this point in time, the Four Horsemen of the Edu-caliphs descended—the Guv and the Lieutenant Guv, and power aides Pete Callaghan and Tom Tabuteb. The quartet arrived in time to witness the Fotten Ngangas (which, when not pronounced properly, may not pass moral muster in some quarters), the Mallards of Garapan ES, enter with their scooter-driving flaming red-haired TOY, and introduced by familiar Sesame Street characters in a puppet show tableau. Very creative. From the mighty ducks, John Aldrich would be 2nd TOY runner-up, and Wonda Rubasch would be the Support Staff of the Year awardee.

GTC followed with their funky, groovy, tie-dye shirted presentation of “All for One and One for All.” San Antonio ES, the multi-tentacled Octopi of garment factory land, red-carpeted their awardees’ pathway with bales of crimson cloth while attired in South Pacific tapa cloth-like wraparounds. “Nothing sarong about it,” TJ quipped.

In an entertaining New Orleans‚ French Quarter “Stag and Drag” rendition from the Kagman High School ayuyus, no less than Lincolnesque Ambrose Bennett, regally baton-ed and in flashy Mississippi riverboat casino attire, marched in with properly toga-ed academics to the tune of G-day’s pomp and circumstance. Ambrose is TOY first runner-up.

Koblerville followed with their twisting Umangs. Chacha Ocean View Middle School lassoed in their Viva! Lancheros, sans a live steer or bull, but cart-drawn by a motorized Toro lawn mower, all ready to Hoe Down and Do-See-Do the day away. Dustin Quitano galloped away with the Teacher Aide of the Year award.

The soft-headed Dolphins’ Macho Man brought in their “Don’t Mess with MHS” strong-willed motif that would make any U.S.A. steel town proud. But it would be the big-hearted Hilitais of Hopwood Junior High that captured the corporate heartbeat of the day with their Patriot Act, red-white-and-blue waving of the Stars-and-Stripes, “God Bless USA” presentation. It culminated in a heart-wrenching, pride-filled reading of the names of PSS family members currently serving in military theaters of operations, primarily Iraq. There was no quarrel with the We-the-People assertion: “Being American, I know, I am Free.”

The Colts of Tinian ES, the Stallions of Tinian Jr. and High School, the Lu’aus of Sinapalo ES and the Bucks of Rota High would follow with their numbered delegations. The various schools’ TOY presentations were capped by the host school, the Blue Marlins of Kagman ES. Sam Joyner’s drum corps would drumbeat the school’s unchallenged claim: “Who is the best? Marlins. Marlins. Yes. Yes. Yes!”

The highlight of the day almost became anti-climactic. Dr. Inos announced the awards, but Lavena C. Babauta’s poise and grace in accepting the TOY award was nothing but classy. And when Rosalyn and LJ took the governor and Dr. Inos to join in a frolicking cha-cha, that was icing on the cake that pretty much established the tenor of the rest of the day. The noon feast was a taste of the following day’s turkey day festivities. Erlinda Arriola and her gyrations joined the rest of the afternoon entertainment that allowed the teachers to literally let their hair down. Healthy servings of fun and gratitude was had by all.