GCA students bag 24 awards in PGFC regionals

Grace Christian Academy students bagged 24 major awards as the Primary Grades Forensic Conference concluded with its regional competition last Saturday, April 27, at the Grace Christian Academy on Navy Hill.

Five GCA students won gold medals in five events for both divisions: kindergarten to 2nd grade and 3rd grade to 5th grade.

The winners of gold medals in grades K-2 division were En Mei Huang and Hans Ordas. In the grades 3-5 division, the gold medalists were Misako Ota, Min Su Andy Kim, and Arielle Matutino.

Huang, a first-grader at GCA, won first place in Impromptu Speaking and fourth place in Dramatic Interpretation. “I learned some lessons from the football players like I need to work hard and practice in order to win. After the announcement of winners, I was so happy and excited to call my Mom and Dad to tell them that I won first place,” she said.

Ordas, a second-grader, won first place in Humorous Interpretation and second place in Impromptu Speaking.

“I love my piece in Humorous Interpretation. It is kind of funny and I was excited to recite it for the judges. I was nervous and also excited in Impromptu Speaking, but I did my best and I let God do the rest. Thanks to my Mom and Dad for coaching me and to Ms. Esther and my GCA family,” he said.

The tandem of fourth-graders Misako Ota and Min Su Andy Kim won first place in Duo Interpretation.

Ota, who has been working hard memorizing and practicing with her partner Andy Kim after school, said, “I am happy that my partner and I won first place. It was a fun and worthwhile experience joining PGFC events. I want to thank my great coach, Esther Manzano, who taught me well to be prepared and confident and also my family and friends who supported me in all my school activities.”

Kim also thanked his partner. “Our hard work really paid off and we are so happy that we won first place. I am so grateful to my coach, Mrs. Esther, my tutor, Mr. Levi, and my parents. I will try to do my best again next year.

Arielle Matutino, a fourth-grader at GCA, who won first place in both Dramatic Interpretation and Impromptu Speaking, said she was really shocked when they announced that she won first place in her two events. “It is not easy to win in Impromptu because the topic is about NFL teams. I was quite nervous, but I am thankful to God for giving me the courage and confidence during the competition. Thanks a lot to my coach, Ms. Esther, and especially my mom for always supporting me,” she said.

The three silver medalists in the K-2 division were second graders Hannah Gabaldon in Impromptu Speaking, Hans Ordas in Humorous Interpretation, and Qihan Wang in Readers Forum. Third-grader Eliane Nerisse Pagaduan won a silver medal in grades 3-5 division Impromptu Speaking.

The three bronze medalists are all 2nd graders: Hannah Gabaldon, Mariska Badal, and Deon Titus Torres. They won third place in Readers Forum, Impromptu Speaking, and Chamorro Readers Forum, respectively.

The list of major awards includes fourth and fifth places. The fourth placers are all in K-2 division. They are first graders En Mei Huang in Humorous Interpretation and Anne Gabriel Arriola in Impromptu Speaking and second graders Qihan Wang in Dramatic Interpretation and Breanna May Lopez in Reader’s Forum.

The fifth placers in the K-2 division are Anne Gabriel Arriola in Impromptu Speaking and Breanna May Lopez in Dramatic Interpretation.

In the 3-5 division, the fifth placers are the third-grade Duo Interpretation of the Llyana Jaira Manalang and Aiyana Victory Fatialofa, the Choral Speaking group of Llyana Jaira Manalang, Aiyana Victory Fatialofa, Avania Clarisse Quichocho and Zeyu Lucas Yuan and Akira Ito’s Dramatic Interpretation. The fifth place in Impromptu Speaking by fifth-grader Nestor Ablog Jr. completed the list of major awards.

Grace Christian Academy PGFC coach and coordinator Esther Manzano said the challenge of PGFC competition this year was Impromptu Speaking.

“They patterned it like the National Junior Speech and Debate Association by giving the topic in advance for the competitors to research. The last topic for the regional competition about the NFL teams was quite hard, even for me. You really need to research about them for you to say something. Giving our students sites to read, printing handouts about the topic, making a speech outline for them to write, and practicing after school helped our students ace the Impromptu Speaking events in both divisions,” she said.

The PGFC competition encourages public and private school students to become proficient in reading, public speaking, and interpretations.

The GCA administration, faculty and staff, and parents would like to extend their congratulations to all the winners and thank everyone who participated including the coaches, parents, judges and volunteers in this year’s PGFC competitions.

Final Round Winners

K-2 DIVISION
Impromptu Speaking 
En Mei Victoria Huang, 1st Place
Hans Gabriel Ordas, 2nd Place
Mariska Badal, 3rd Place
Anne Gabriel Arriola, 4th Place
Humorous Interpretation 
Hans Gabrielle Ordas, 1st Place
Hannah Gabaldon, 2nd Place
En Mei Victoria Huang, 4th Place
Anne Gabriel Arriola, 5th Place

Dramatic Interpretation 
Qihan Wang, 4th Place
Breanna May Lopez, 5th Place

Reader’s Forum 
Qihan Wang, 2nd Place
Hannah Gabaldon, 3rd Place
Breanna May Lopez, 4th Place
Chamorro Reader’s Forum 
Deon Titus Torres, 3rd Place

3-5 DIVISION
Impromptu Speaking  
Arielle Mae Matutino, 1st Place
Eliane Nerisse Pagaduan, 2nd Place 
Rafael Busby, 4th Place
Nestor Ablog Jr., 5th Place

Dramatic Interpretation 
Arielle Mae Matutino, 1st Place
Akira Ito, 5th Place

Duo Interpretation
Misako Ota, 1st Place
Min Su Andy Kim, 1st Place
Llyana Jaira Manalang, 5th Place
Aiyana Victory Fatialofa, 5th Place

Humorous Interpretation 
Rooney Gil, 4th Place

Choral Speaking 
Llyana Jaira Manalang, 5th Place
Aiyana Victory Fatialofa, 5th Place
Avania Clarise Quichocho, 5th Place
Lucas Zeyu Yuan, 5th Place

First-Third Round Winners

K-2 DIVISION
Impromptu Speaking
Semi Finalists A
En Mei Victoria Huang, 2nd Place
Anne Gabriel Arriola, 3rd Place

Impromptu Speaking
Semi Finalists B
Hans Gabriel Ordas, 1st Place
Mirielle Badal, 2nd Place
Mariska Badal, 5th Place

Readers Forum
Semi Finalists A
Qihan Wang, 1st Place
Breanna May Lopez, Top 6

Readers Forum
Semi Finalists B
Hannah Gabaldon, 2nd Place

Readers Forum Quarter Finalists B
Hannah Gabaldon, 1st Place

Readers Forum
Quarter Finalists B
Breanna May Lopez, 1st Place
Qihan Wang, 2nd Place

3-5 DIVISION
Impromptu Speaking 
Semi Finalists A
Janus Roman Calayo, 1st Place
Eliane Nerisse Pagaduan, 3rd Place 
Arielle Mae Matutino, 4th Place
Akira Ito, 5th Place

Impromptu Speaking Semi Finalists B
Rafael Busby, 1st Place
Nestor Ablog Jr., 4th Place

Duo Interpretation
Semi Finalists A
Misako Ota, 2nd Place
Min Su Andy Kim, 2nd Place
Seungwon Ashley Han, 3rd Place
Seungwon Alvin Han, 3rd Place
Llyana Jaira Manalang, Top 6
Aiyana Victory Fatialofa, Top 6

Readers Forum
Semi Finalists
Lucas Zeyu Yuan, Top 6
Nestor Ablog Jr., Top 6
Rooney Gil, Top 6

Readers Forum
Quarter Finalists
Lucas Zeyu Yuan, 5th Place
Eliane Nerisse Pagaduan, Top 6
Avania Clarise Quichocho, Top 6
Rooney Gil, Top 6
Nestor Ablog Jr., Top 6

Readers Forum First Round
Eliane Nerisse Pagaduan, 2nd Place
Avania Clarise Quichocho, 3rd Place
Lucas Zeyu Yuan, Top 6
Rooney Gil, Top 6
Nestor Ablog Jr., Top 6

Other Finalists

K-2 DIVISION
Impromptu Speaking
Mirielle Badal

Dramatic Interpretation 
Aiyana Victory Fatialofa
Mirielle Badal

3-5 DIVISION
Impromptu Speaking
Janus Roman Calayo
Akira Ito

Duo Interpretation
Seungwon Ashley Han
Seungwon Alvin Han

Choral Speaking 
Misako Ota
Min Su Andy Kim
Seungwon Ashley Han
Seungwon Alvin Han
Clarisse Angelique Marzan

PGFC Coach/Coordinator: Esther Manzano
Judges/volunteers: Grace Duran, Marilyn Aldan, Alyssa Jean Pantaleon, Arvin Dayao, Martin Pangilinan, Claude Aquino, Jonathan Lee, Tae Yong Kim, Tae Hee Kim, Eunice Nicole Pagaduan, Angieleysha Punzalan, Claire Angela Marzan, Justin Del Rosario, Anna Nunez, Miriella Dilse