GCA Eagles soar high in different competitions

Grace Christian Academy’s November winners of the Primary Grades Forensic Conference competition have their picture taken at the Rev. Raymond S. Kinsella Library.

Grace Christian Academy students from Kindergarten to 12^th grade keep soaring high like eagles, their school mascot, in different competitions for the past weeks, competing in speech and debate, reading, writing, art, music and sports competitions. 

At the second monthly qualifying round of Primary Grades Forensic Conference competition in November, GCA’s Kindergarten to 5^th grade Eagles bagged 37 awards, with seven 1st place ribbons.

At the junior high level, all the 18 GCA 6^th-8^th grade competitors won in one or two events at the National Junior Speech & Debate Association competition, bagging five first-place honors in that division. 

At the National Speech & Debate Association contest, the school’s high school division had only three competitors but they all got 1st place awards. 

Sara Elizabeth Keaton, the only GCA competitor in Junior Thespian competition, took home 1st place in Solo Musical. Keaton has been competing in Solo Musical in Junior Thespian since 6^th grade.

GCA students also shone at the High School Math Court in the last monthly qualifying competition last October. All of the three competitors emerged winners in their grade level. 

In the ‘My Hero’ contest, two of the four winners selected from over 100 entries were from Grace Christian Academy. The contest, sponsored by Commonwealth Health Care Corp.’s Crisis Counseling Program, challenged students to recognize the most important person who taught them what it means to triumph over adversity.

The GCA Junior High Lady Eagles almost bagged the championship in the Public School System’s Interscholastic Girls Middle School Basketball League, but missed it by only 1 point. The Lady Eagles went into the finals undefeated after sweeping eight games in the regular season.

The GCA community would like to congratulate the GCA competitors for doing their best in extra-curricular activities.  

PGFC NOVEMBER 2019 WINNERS

K-2 DIVISION

Dramatic Interpretation

Jing Xi Gigi Yang, 2nd Place

Mirielle Isla Badal, 3rd Place

Gwen Alexandra Retardo, 4th Place

Yunze Leo Li, 5th Place

Humorous Interpretation

Beau Bauer, 4th Place

Impromptu Speaking A

Beau Bauer, 1st Place

Impromptu Speaking B

En Mei Victoria Huang, 1st Place

Mirielle Isla Badal, 2nd Place

Impromptu Speaking C

Gwen Alexandra Retardo, 1st Place

Gina Kwon, 5th Place

Readers Forum A

Hayul Shin, 2nd Place

Readers Forum Masters A

En Mei Victoria Huang, 1st Place

Fiona Yu, 5th Place

Readers Forum Masters B

Seung Woo Lee, 5th Place

Choral Speaking

Jing Qi Gigi Yang, 3rd Place

Allen Gil, 3rd Place

Mykah Jax Salas, 3rd Place

Gina Kwon, 3rd Place

Matua Wyatt Puguon, 3rd Place

3-5 DIVISION

Dramatic Interpretation

Qihan Wang, 1st Place

Misako Ota, 2nd Place

Arielle Mae Matutino, 3rd Place

Humorous Interpretation

Hans Gabrielle Ordas, 3rd Place

Breanna May Lopez, 5th Place

Duo Interpretation A

Misako Ota, 3rd Place

Maria Sofia Gomez, 3rd Place

Breanna May Lopez, 5th Place

Mariska Badal, 5th Place

Duo Interpretation B

Rooney Gil, 4th Place

Si Woo Lee, 4th Place

Impromptu Speaking A

Justin Yao Ma, 3rd Place

Akira Ito, 5th Place

Impromptu Speaking B

Eliane Nerisse Pagaduan, 1st Place

Arielle Mae Matutino, 3rd Place

Readers Forum Masters A

Qihan Wang, 4thPlace

Readers Forum Masters B

Mariska Badal, 1st Place

Eliane Nerisse Pagaduan, 3rd Place

PGFC coach/coordinator: Esther Manzano

Judges: Marilyn Aldan, James Keaton, Martin Pangilinan 

NJSDA OCTOBER WINNERS

Impromptu Speech A

Gabriel Angelo Retardo, 1st Place

Rafael Busby, 3rd Place

Juruel Neilan Magtalas, 4th Place

Impromptu Speech B

Janus Roman Calayo, 1st Place

Andrew Jeren Nunez, 3rd Place

Apollo Benjamin Sicad, 4th Place

Extemporaneous Speech

Andrew Jeren Nunez, 4th Place

Gabriel Angelo Retardo, 5th Place

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Sara Elizabeth Keaton, 4th Place

Rafael Busby, 5th Place

Dramatic Interpretation

Tae Hee Kim, 2nd Place

Jennifer Woo, 4th Place

Declamation

Sara Elizabeth Keaton, 3rd Place

Story Telling A

Moira Grace Ernest, 4th Place

Story Telling B

Emma Tenorio, 2nd Place

Earljean Jonathan Pantaleon, 3rd Place

Prose Reading B

Kei Lizama, 3rd Place

Prose Reading C

Julianna Rue Magtalas, 1st Place

Moira Grace Ernest, 3rd Place

Prose Reading Masters A

Jennifer Woo, 2ndPlace

Prose Reading Masters B

Sara Elizabeth Keaton, 2nd Place

Eunice Nicole Pagaduan, 4th Place

Poetry Reading B

Julianna Rue Magtalas, 2nd Place

Poetry Reading Masters A

Tae Hee Kim, 1st Place

Poetry Reading Masters B

Eunice Nicole Pagaduan, 1st Place

NSDA (9TH-12TH GRADE)

International Extemporaneous Speech

Elijah Joshua Pajarillaga, 1st Place

United States Extemporaneous Speech

James Alexander Keaton, 1st Place

Anthony Jacob De Leon Guerrero, 2nd Place

Commentary

James Alexander Keaton, 1st Place

Elijah Joshua Pajarillaga, 2nd Place

Impromptu Speech A

Elijah Joshua Pajarillaga, 1st Place

Anthony Jacob De Leon Guerrero, 3rd Place

GCA Junior International Thespian Society Winner

Solo Musical

Sara Elizabeth Keaton, 1st Place

NJSDA/NSDA/Thespian coach/coordinator: Grace Duran

Competition registrar: Esther Dominno Manzano

Judges: Desolee Calayo, Samuel Rey Smith

GCA Math Court High School October Winners

9^th Grade

Ryan Daproza, 3rd Place

^11th Grade

Julie Kwan, 4^th Place

12^th Grade

SeongBeom Kevin Song, 1st Place

Team GCA- Bronze

Ryan Daproza

Julie Kwan

SeongBeom Kevin Song

Math Court coach/coordinator: Susan Pajarillaga

GCA My Hero Contest Winners

Drawing contest –Grades K-5

 Joaquin Torres, 2nd grade

Writing contest- Grades 6-12

Anthony Deleon Guerrero, 9th grade

GCA Junior High Lady Eagles Basketball Team

Chelsea Henzon

Julianna Magtalas

Azriel Fatialofa

Charisse Camacho

Tae Hee Kim

Cassie Regan

Eunji Hahn

Julia Taitano

Coach: Genesis Prieto

Assistant coach: Leah Fabila

The Junior High Lady Eagles Basketball Team of Grace Christian Academy pose with their coaches after the championship game at the Marianas High School gym. (Contributed Photos)

Grace Christian Academy’s National Junior Speech & Debate Association October winners have their picture taken at the Rev. Raymond S. Kinsella Library.