Schools urged to prepare for sandcastle building tilt

For one day, public and private junior high and high school students will meet once again to see who will reign supreme in the islands’ only sandcastle building competition this Nov. 22 at the Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Beach Park.

Light in the Eve Foundation, a non-profit organization, is organizing the 5th Annual Build a Castle Save a Reef and schools are encouraged to register and prepare their representatives for this worthwhile community endeavor.

All proceeds will go to purchasing recycling bins for a pilot school program to help preserve the health of these precious marine resources.

“We have sent the registration forms out to all the schools and we urge all team captains to please organize your teams and start preparing your designs now,” said Light in the Eve president Teresa Kim-Tenorio.

Saipan Southern High School is the defending champion with their Manta Ray masterpiece for the high school division and Saipan Community School topped their category for the junior high division.

The theme for this year is “Fantasea 2008.”

“We would like to challenge the imagination and creativity of the school teams and allow them to indulge in a fantasy under water world with their sand sculptures. It should be very fun and exciting,” said Kim-Tenorio.

The other winners in the junior competition last year were Whispering Palms School’s Teams A and B, which won second and third prizes. The Starfish Award was given to Chacha Oceanview Junior High.

In the high school division, Tinian High School placed second while Marianas High School and Saipan International School shared third prize. The Starfish Award recipient was Rota Jr. High School.

The Division of Environmental Quality is once again partnering with the foundation this year in celebration of the International Year of the Reef.

The first team captains meeting is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 3:30pm at the Mariana Visitors Authority Conference Room.

“We would also like to invite the public to please come to Build a Castle Save a Reef 2008 at the Hyatt, support the school teams and see how talented our students are,” said Kim-Tenorio. “We are also grateful to all the sponsors who continue to make this event possible.”

DEQ, Marianas Visitors Authority, Mobil Oil Mariana Islands, Hyatt Regency Saipan, At Your Disposal, Sablan Topline, Younis Art Studio, Guam Refinery and Environmental Services Company (GRESCO) and Power 99 FM are some of the event’s major sponsors.[B][I] (PR)[/I][/B]