GCA Eagles keep soaring high

Five Grace Christian Academy students have shown excellent performance in the 2017 Academic Bee Challenge for middle school students.

The five-member GCA team, which won second place among 65 contenders from 13 private and public schools in the CNMI, was composed of 7th graders Miku Kimura, James Alexander Keaton, and Cheng Si Conrad Bao, and 8th graders Jinju Thompson and Joshua Pajarillaga.

Kimura and Pajarillaga were members of GCA 2016 Middle School Academic Challenge Team, the first one to represent the CNMI at the national competition and won second place in the entire nation last year.

Organized by Saipan Southern High School’s National Honor Society, the event marked the 22nd year the Academic Bee Challenge was held in the CNMI. Held last Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe, the competition, conceptualized for schools in the CNMI, aims to better promote learning among students.

GCA’S NSDA WINNERS

Also, all nine Grace Christian Academy’s 9th-12th grade students who competed in the last qualifying competition for the National Speech and Debate Association last Feb. 18, 2017, at Hopwood Middle School won one or more awards.

Dramatic Interpretation A
Tae Yong Kim, 2nd Place
Johnny Jin, 5th Place

Duo Interpretation B
Sein Woo, 2nd Place
Eun Kyung Alice Kim, 2nd Place

Original Oratory A
Minna Natsuko Ito, 2nd Place

US Extemporaneous Speech
Arvin Dayao, 3rd Place
Martin Angelo Pangilinan, 4th Place

International Extemporaneous Speech
Lanz Jabez Victoria, 2nd Place

Impromptu Speech A
Johnny Jin, 2nd Place

Impromptu Speech B
Tae Yong Kim, 4th Place

Impromptu Speech D
Minna Natsuko Ito, 1st Place

Poetry Reading Masters A
Eun Kyung Alice Kim, 2nd Place

Poetry Reading Masters B
Tae Yong Kim, 5th Place

Prose Reading Masters B
Sumin Melody Woo, 2nd Place

NJSDA/NSDA coach/coordinator: Grace Duran
Competition registrar: Esther Manzano
Judges: Connie Chandler, Joan Taitano, Daniel Dilse, Miriam Dilse

GCA MATH COURT WINNERS
The following Grace Christian Academy’s Kindergarten 5 to 6th grade students won several awards from the last monthly qualifying competition of Math Court last Feb. 18, 2017, at Hopwood Middle School.

Kinder 5 – 3rd Grade

Kindergarten
Hans Ordas, 1st Place

1st Grade
Sheewoo Kim, 1st Place

2nd Grade
Min Su Andy Kim, 3rd Place

3rd Grade
Jung Woo Kim, 1st Place
Sena Woo, 1st Place
Rafael Busby, 2nd Place

4th -6th GRADE QUALIFIERS

4th Grade
Tae Young Lee
Jessica Ma
Koey Pan

5th Grade
Andrew Nunez

6th Grade
Ryan Daproza
Matthew Ernest
Anthony Camacho-DLG

GCA proctors: Susan Pajarillaga, Marilyn Aldan, Laila Portuguez, Jae Kwang Oh
GCA Math Court coordinator: Susan Pajarillaga

GCA CHAMORRO, REFALUWASCH CALENDAR POSTER WINNERS

Four Grace Christian Academy students won in different categories of the 2017 Chamorro and Refaluwasch lunar calendar poster contest sponsored by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. The theme of the competition was “Fishing and Farming to the Cycles of the Moon and Seasons.” The intent is to raise awareness about traditional knowledge and enhance community involvement in fishery management. The students’ winning artworks were featured in the 2017 Chamorro and Refaluwasch lunar calendar with Sara Elizabeth Keaton’s work as the cover. Council on-site coordinator Joaquin “Jack” Ogumoro came to GCA last March 1, 2017, to give the awards to the following students.

Graces K-2
Helena Liu, 3rd Place

Grades 3-5
Sara Elizabeth Keaton, 2nd Place
Tae Hee Kim, 4th Place

Grades 9-12
Paula Rose Talibong, 1st Place

Art teache: Esther Manzano