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Rota lass romps off with win in Valentine poetry tourney
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Posted on Feb 28 2005
By Marconi Calindas
Reporter
Senior high school Sheryl Villanueva from Rota High School flew all the way from Rota to Saipan yesterday just for the 2nd Annual Valentine Sengebau Poetry Competition. All that effort didn’t go to naught as Villanueva’s poem, entitled “This Valentine’s” outshined 10 other poems from six high schools in the CNMI to cop the grand prize in the tilt.
Villanueva said that her poem about love and losing love is dedicated to the people who may have the same experience of finding the right love but failing to keep that love alive.
“I am so happy,” Villanueva said, adding that her trip to Saipan was worth all the time and effort.
Her coach Pat Warwick, an American Literature teacher, said she is very proud of her student.
Madison Smith, a 7th grader from Saipan International School bagged the 1st place in the junior division. Her poem titled “My Discrimination” bested three other junior entries. She said that her poem was a product of her history class when they discussed the African-American period.
Other winners in the junior division were: Johanna Arellano, 2nd place, from Hopwood Junior High School; Jennilyn Arriola, also from Hopwood, 3rd place; and Genesis Ranjo, 4th place, from Calvary Christian Academy.
For the senior division: Caroline Lochaby, 2nd place, from Saipan International School; John Brian Tabora, 3rd place, from Marianas High School; April Vice, 4th place, also from Marianas High School; and Emalyn Taimanao, 5th place, from Eucon International School.
The results were based on content, taking up 70 percent of the overall scores; the poets’ recital took up 30 percent of the scores.
Judges for the content were Genevieve Cabrera, Patricial Coleman, Robert Hunter, Noel Quitugua and Charles Reyes Jr. Judges for the recital were Catherine Anderson, Lt. Gov. Diego Benavente, Karen Hocking, Dora Miura, Jackie Quitugua and Richard Waldo.
