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Calvo repeats win in Sengebau poetry competition
From left, Eskuelan San Francisco de Borja board president and 7th/8th grade class adviser Edward Maratita Jr., Angelo S. Lucero, Tyra Reese A. Calvo, and Sengebau coach and 4th/5th/6th grade class adviser Mary Rose S. Lucero pose in front of a portrait of the late Valentine N. Sengebau. (Contributed Photo)
The Northern Marianas Humanities Council’s 11th Annual Valentine N. Sengebau Poetry Competition was held on Oct. 22, 2014, at the American Memorial Park Visitor Center Theater on Saipan.
Eskuelan San Francisco de Borja participated in the Junior Division, where junior high/middle school students must recite a poem from Sengebau’s book, Microchild. The poem must be from the Cultural Identity, Politics, or Images sections, and students are asked to give a 1- to 3-minute introduction explaining why he or she chose the specific poem.
In its second year of competing, Tyra Reese A. Calvo repeated as champion.
“It is my last year and I will be graduating in May 2015. I want to represent ESFDB and the Rota community the best I can. And I brought back the perpetual trophy to my school and to my island,” said Calvo.
“I want to thank the Almighty God for the gifts to succeed in life; to my loving grandparents for their continued love, care, and support; to our principal Carmen Atalig for her support and faith in me; to my language arts teacher and coach Mary Rose Lucero for her guidance and supportive role in my journey at ESFDB; to my class adviser Edward Maratita Jr. for your advice, support, and mentorship; and to Angelo Lucero, you gave me a scare and I hope you defend the title next year. You are all the greatest!” added Calvo.
According to the school’s Sengebau coach, Lucero, “I’m overwhelmed. It’s all very exciting because Tyra and Angelo did well and brought honor to the school and the Rota community. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to see our students do something they love and perform in front of people.
“I praised Tyra for the dedication and hard work she put in to defend her title,” said administrator-principal Carmen H. Atalig. “Next year, there are a lot of potentials in our students that can defend Tyra’s title and were looking forward to it.”
“Poetry is something that is meant to be shared and I think Mrs. Atalig and Mrs. Lucero did an incredible job implementing the program because the student were able to share poetry and really bring the message of the poem and the poet to life,” said school board president Edward Maratita Jr. (ESFDB)
