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Hopwood group shines at Chamorro competition
Hopwood Middle School’s “Simiyan Marianas” have their picture taken at the 2017 Guam Chamorro Language Competition. (Victor Cabrera)
Simiyan Marianas, represented mostly by students from Hopwood Middle School, won first place for Oratorical and second place for Chant “Lai’lai” at the 2017 Guam Chamorro Language Competition in Guam.
In 2016, the group won first place for Chant, second place for Poetry, and third place Oratorical at the same contest. In 2015, Hopwood won second place in Chant and in 2012, third place in Chant.
This year, Tinian Middle School also won several medals for other literary competition elements.
A total of four middle schools competed: Hopwood Middle School, Inarajan Middle School, Mount Carmel Middle School, and Agueda I Johnson Middle School.
Simiyan Marianas is under the tutelage and leadership of April Repeki, who has been taking delegations from Hopwood for the past five years.
This year’s consists of a very diverse group of students. Through the Chamorro Carolinian Language Heritage Studies, Hopwood students were not only exposed to the Chamorro Language, but other cultural aspects as well.
“We were grateful to be a part of this competition as Hopwood strives to give students a better understanding, exposure, appreciation, and preservation of the local language and heritage as a Chamorro people,” said Hopwood principal Jonas M. Barcinas.
“We not only encourage our students to strive academically, but we also encourage them to express their talents through music, dance, poetry and so much more. We are very fortunate to have such a talented group of students that were able to share their love for cultural performance,” he added.
The Simiyan Marianas Club extends its appreciation to Hopwood Middle School staff and administrators, Education Commissioner Cynthia I. Deleon Guerrero, Board of Education, Guam Chamorro Language competition organizers, and parents of its member-students, as well as the companies that made Educational Tax Credit contributions. (PR)
