Island Snapshots – February 2019
- ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DOLLAR-Construction workers at the Imperial Pacific Resort construction site prepare to board the bus after the end of another workday. Construction of the multimillion-dollar casino-hotel is expected to slow down after Filipino workers holding H-2B visas are now being sent home due to the removal of the Philippines from the program. (KEVIN CALIBO)
- CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR MCS Mount Carmel School continues its Super Typhoon Yutu recovery efforts, which have been aided by continuing contributions from donors off-island. Students at Aquinas High School, a Catholic school in Augusta, Georgia, donated several boxes of school supplies, which has helped many alumni who lost much during the typhoon. The school has also received financial donations from the Knights of Columbus in Norfolk, Virginia. The school even received a new batch of life skills books from John Bendt, the great grand nephew of Fr. Arnold Bendowsky, who founded the school in 1952 with the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz. The books are used in the school’s Knights Seminar course, which helps MCS seniors prepare for life after high school by studying the college admissions process, career exploration, and financial literacy. (Contributed Photo)
- CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR MCS Mount Carmel School continues its Super Typhoon Yutu recovery efforts, which have been aided by continuing contributions from donors off-island. Students at Aquinas High School, a Catholic school in Augusta, Georgia, donated several boxes of school supplies, which has helped many alumni who lost much during the typhoon. The school has also received financial donations from the Knights of Columbus in Norfolk, Virginia. The school even received a new batch of life skills books from John Bendt, the great grand nephew of Fr. Arnold Bendowsky, who founded the school in 1952 with the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz. The books are used in the school’s Knights Seminar course, which helps MCS seniors prepare for life after high school by studying the college admissions process, career exploration, and financial literacy. (Contributed Photo)
- CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR MCS Mount Carmel School continues its Super Typhoon Yutu recovery efforts, which have been aided by continuing contributions from donors off-island. Students at Aquinas High School, a Catholic school in Augusta, Georgia, donated several boxes of school supplies, which has helped many alumni who lost much during the typhoon. The school has also received financial donations from the Knights of Columbus in Norfolk, Virginia. The school even received a new batch of life skills books from John Bendt, the great grand nephew of Fr. Arnold Bendowsky, who founded the school in 1952 with the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz. The books are used in the school’s Knights Seminar course, which helps MCS seniors prepare for life after high school by studying the college admissions process, career exploration, and financial literacy. (Contributed Photo)
- MMB DONATION At the end of last week’s celebration of Catholic Schools Week 2019, the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz foundation surprised Mount Carmel School with a donation of $10,000 to help the school with its ongoing recovery efforts from Super Typhoon Yutu. MMB Sr. Katherine Bromwell, center, presented the donation to school president, Galvin Deleon Guerrero, right, and student Mikee Mendoza, in front of a mural that depicts some of the MMB sisters who pioneered the opening of the school over 60 years ago. Deleon Guerrero was humbled by the donation. “MMB sisters founded this school, sustained it for decades, and continue to help through prayers and hosting our students’ spiritual retreats at the Maturana House of Prayer. This is yet another example of their commitment to Mount Carmel School and Catholic education. We are truly grateful.” (Contributed Photo)
- MARIANAS STRONG Docomo Pacific presents the Marianas Young Professionals, or MYPros, with a donation on Feb. 7 to help the islands rebuild and recover from Super Typhoon Yutu. The funds were collected from community members in Guam as part of the “Marianas Strong Wave & Contribution Drive” held late last year. Pictured with the Docomo Pacific team are MYPros co-founder emeritus Nola Hix, third from left, MYPros executive director G Van Gil, fifth from left, and MYPros intern Peyton Gomez. The donation to MYPros is part of Docomo Pacific’s total contribution of over $8-million worth of free services and donations made over the past few months to help families affected by the storm. (Contributed Photo)
- GUAM-BOUND Mount Carmel School music teacher Julian Greening, upper right, leads the school band during a recent performance. The band is gearing up to compete, for the first time ever, in the Tumon Bay Music Festival in Guam. (Contributed Photo)
- HOSPITAL DONATION-The Commonwealth Health Center opens a container of donated goods from the Ayuda Foundation in Guam. The Ayuda Foundation partnered with MedShare International out of Atlanta, Georgia and Guam businessman Emilio Uye to fill the 40-foot container with medical supplies and equipment. All of the items in the container were selected from an extensive inventory to ensure that the hospital got what it needed and would not be burdened with storage or disposal of unnecessary items. Jesse Tudela, director of Health Services at CHC, received the donation on behalf of the Saipan hospital. (Contributed Photo)
- HIGHLIGHTING PARENTS-Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios signs the National Parent Leadership Proclamation yesterday across the Tanapag Middle School. (Erwin Encinares)
- UOG SCHOLARS Two University of Guam students received scholarships in January from the Palau Women’s Club of Guam. Freshman biology major Mary Heather B. Jingco, third from left, and freshman pre-nursing major Megan P. Babauta, center, each received $1,000. The students were selected based on their grade point average, community service involvement, and personal career objectives. From left, Margie Bautista, treasurer; Esther Espangel, vice president, both of the Palau Women’s Club of Guam; Jingco; Babauta; Lawrence F. Camacho, dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success at UOG; Laurie Pangelinan, president of the Palau Women’s Club; Alicia Borja, vice chairman for the Scholarship Program with the Palau Women’s Club of Guam and a past recipient of the scholarship; and Mark A. Duarte, director for Financial Aid at UOG. (University of Guam)
- PGFC KNIGHTS Mount Carmel School congratulates her PGFC Knights on their recent victories: Justin Mallari (first place, Readers Forum Masters; first place, Impromptu); Wayne Ano (first place, Impromptu); Carly Dela Cruz (third place, Readers Forum; Masters, third place Impromptu); Angel Tengco (fourth place, Impromptu); and Sarah Angela Melchor (fifth place, Readers Form Masters). (Contributed Photo)
- TOUCHDOWN FOR THE KNIGHTS! At this year’s Pacific Trading Super Bowl party at Pacific Islands Club, Mount Carmel School AlumKnight and supporter Norman Tenorio won the grand prize in the party’s raffle, a 55” Polaroid LED TV sponsored by Triple J Truckload Store. Upon winning the TV, he donated it to his alma mater, which put it to use right away as a video kiosk in the main hallway of the Maturana building. The school used the occasion to also launch a video version of its daily newsletter, the Knights Herald, on the school’s YouTube channel. The Video Knights Herald can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–oZfmktNN0&list=PLZbb8PaphMYVGn4T4v0OkvS_pLgns-waQ. (Contributed Photo)
- TOUCHDOWN FOR THE KNIGHTS! At this year’s Pacific Trading Super Bowl party at Pacific Islands Club, Mount Carmel School AlumKnight and supporter Norman Tenorio won the grand prize in the party’s raffle, a 55” Polaroid LED TV sponsored by Triple J Truckload Store. Upon winning the TV, he donated it to his alma mater, which put it to use right away as a video kiosk in the main hallway of the Maturana building. The school used the occasion to also launch a video version of its daily newsletter, the Knights Herald, on the school’s YouTube channel. The Video Knights Herald can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–oZfmktNN0&list=PLZbb8PaphMYVGn4T4v0OkvS_pLgns-waQ. (Contributed Photo)
- STUDENT EXCHANGE The University of Guam signs a five-year memorandum of understanding with Nakamura Gakuen University to promote student exchange between the universities in pursuit of academic, language, and cultural enrichment. From left, University of Guam president Thomas W. Krise and Nakamura Gakuen University president Satoshi Kai sign the MOU last Feb. 11. Nakamura Gakuen University is a junior college, university, and graduate school in Fukuoka, Japan, that offers studies in nutrition, English, early childhood and elementary education, and business. (University of Guam)
- CASH FOR COLLEGE About 300 college-bound students participated at Northern Marianas College’s recent Cash for College workshops on Saipan and Rota. NMC staff members and volunteers provided free, one-on-one financial aid assistance to new and current students. The next Cash for College workshop was held on Tinian last Feb. 12, 2019. NMC’s Financial Aid Office can still help you find money for college. Contact the financial aid staff at 237-6792 or email daisy.propst@marianas.edu.
- PTO STAFF OF THE YEAR The 2019 State Pupil Transportation Staff of the Year, Saipan’s Arnel Ermitanio, second left, front row, is flanked by finalists, Rota’s Rhysanne Hizon, left, front row, and Tinian’s Renato Benghit, second right, front row. Education Commissioner Glenn Mu˜Na, second left, back row, and Board of Education chair Janice Marie A. Tenorio, extreme right, front row, led the presentation of awards last Saturday at the Pacific Islands Club Saipan, which was one of the highlights of the Pupil Transportation Week celebration of the Public School System. (PSS)
- BACK AT NMC-Both staff and students of the Northern Marianas College celebrate their return to the As Terlaje campus yesterday with some barbecue, burgers, and hotdogs. (Erwin Encinares)
- HUNKERING DOWN Employees of the Saipan Mayor’s Office disassemble a tent in anticipation for Typhoon Wutip this weekend. (Contributed Photo)_
- The Marianas Political Status Commission met yesterday at the Saipan Mayor’s Office conference room. (Contributed Photo)
- GOVERNORS’ MEETING Gov. Ralph DLG Torres joined the governors of the Western Governors Association for a breakfast meeting with acting administrator of the Environmental Protection Administration Andrew Wheeler, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, and acting Interior secretary David Bernhardt. The breakfast meeting centered on discussions of challenges faced by each state and territory. This included fire prevention programs, water quality, contamination on dairy production, invasive species, clean energy initiatives, economy, agriculture, nursing home crisis, and state control water ways, among other issues. The CNMI and Guam focused on the need for H-2 workers for construction projects for military buildup and the rebuilding of about 4,000 homes destroyed by Super Typhoon Yutu. (Contributed Photo)
- NMIA DONATIONS -The officers and members of the Northern Marianas Insurance Association—Eli Buenaventura (NMIA president and general manager of Calvo’s Insurance), Suzi Perez (Northern Marianas Insurance Association vice president and manager of Takagi & Associates), Gol Corpuz (NMIA treasurer and general manager of Century Insurance), Jessica Sablan (NMIA director and supervisor of Pacifica Insurance), Terry DL Guerrero (NMIA member and president of Equitable Insurance) and Anthony Benavente (NMIA member and supervisor of Associated Insurance Underwriter) presented a gift of $500 each to Karidat Social Services, the Salvation Army, and the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter for Valentine’s Day. NMIA Karidat executive director Lauri Ogumoro, American Red Cross executive drector John Hirsh, and program coordinator Annie Lizama of the Salvation Army received the donations on their organization’s behalf. (Contributed Photos)