Community Briefs – April 10, 2017

Training sessions on ‘customer service’
The Saipan Chamber of Commerce and Island Training Solutions present “Customer Service Excellence” a training seminar that will be conducted on April 20, 2017, from 9am to 12pm at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce conference room (Marianas Business Plaza, third floor). The afternoon session will be from 1:30pm to 4:30pm. Registration fee is $50 per person for Chamber members and $55 per person for non-members. Light refreshments are included. Reservations and advance payment are required, as seating is limited. To register, call 234-7150 or email coordinator@saipanchamber.com. (PR)

AMP selected for teacher training program
For the second year in a row, American Memorial Park was one of 34 parks from across the National Park Service to be selected to participate in the Teacher Ranger Teacher Program. The purpose of the program is to provide teachers an opportunity to learn about NPS educational resources and themes while earning continuing education graduate credits through a partnership between the NPS and the University of Colorado-Denver.  Applications for the program can be picked up at American Memorial Park Visitor Center or by email. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2017. To request an application, or to learn more about this program, contact Ranger Brooke Nevitt at: brooke_nevitt@nps.gov or Pacific Historic Park education partner Jovannalyn Mafnas at 234-7207 x 2020 or jmafnas@pacifichistoricparks.org. (NPS)

Register now for Chamber’s Corporate Challenge
The 17th annual Corporate Challenge will be held on May 28, 2017, at the Minatchom Atdao Pavilion in Susupe. The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is inviting Chamber member businesses to join in the competition to win the title of Corporate Challenge champions. The Chamber is now accepting company team registrations. Space is limited to the first registered teams. The deadline for registration will be on Friday, May 19, 2017, at 5pm. To register now, or for more information, call 234-7150 or e-mail administrator@saipanchamber.com for more information or visit www.saipanchamber.com. (PR)

Participants sought in research
Those who participated in the Pacific STAR Center for Young Writers project in 2006 are being invited to take part in a research project conducted by a CNMI resident Jennifer Furey Maratita.  In 2006, young writers were asked to contribute to a book, titled We Drank Our Tears: Memories of the Battles for Saipan and Tinian as Told by Our Elders (Tuten-Puckett, 2004). Maratita’s research questions will focus on the understanding of the impact this project had and its relevance in your life nowadays.  The impacts of shared narratives across generations in the CNMI are of special concern.  For more information, email Maratita at jennifer.maratita@waldenu.edu or call/text (670) 483-3879. (PR)

Call for historical papers
The Northern Marianas Humanities Council, University of Guam, Northern Marianas College, and Guampedia are calling for papers for the 3rd Marianas History Conference. The conference will be held on Saipan on Sept. 1-3, 2017, at a venue to be announced later. The deadline for abstracts is April 28, 2017. Conference presenters will be allotted 20 minutes to present. For more information about the conference, contact council staff at 235-4785 or visit the council’s website at: www.northernmarianashumanities.org. (PR)