MHS Chamorro Club bags gold in Guam contest

The silver medalists in the competition?s ?Dramatic Cultural Interpretation? category gather for a photo prior to their performance on Monday. (Contributed Photo)

The Marianas High School’s Polksai Chamorro Club was the big winner in the recently concluded Chamorro Language Competition at the University of Guam Field House, bringing home seven major awards in various categories.
This year, MHS sent a 17-member delegation to the annual competition that saw the participation of hundreds of students from the CNMI and Guam.

The group’s adviser and language arts teacher, Anita Sablan, said yesterday that the Polksai Chamorro Club successfully bagged three gold medals, two silver medals, and two bronze medals in seven categories.

The two-day competition was held on March 10 and 11.

Individual winners were Zackery Yamagishi, who won a gold medal in the Speech category, and Raymond Nakazato, who was named champion in the Male Singer category.

The Polksai Chamorro Club was the overall winner in the Song with Dance category, besting contenders from Guam. The dance troupe is composed of 10 members: Davin Ada, Raymond Nakazato, Zackery Yamagishi, Jeffrey Babauta, Gregorio Muna, Edward Ogo, Angeline Orsini, Monica Lizama, Riannalyn Manabat, and Melisha Lizama.

According to L.J. Castro, who serves as the dance troupe’s coach, the group’s diligent rehearsals since January truly paid off.

The Polksai Chamorro Club is a consistent participant in the Guam competition and brings pride and honor to the Public School System and the Commonwealth each year.

“For many years, MHS Polksai Chamorro Club has done a pretty good job in this competition and we’re very proud of our students,” Castro told Saipan Tribune yesterday.

MHS was also successful in the Dramatic Cultural Interpretation category, where it bagged the silver medal this year. This group is composed of Gemma Somol, Monica Lizama, Melisha Lizama, Jenalien Jonathan, Riannalyn Manabat, Shawn Hideos, David Muña, Raymond Nakazato, Franco Santos, and Fermin Renguul.

Melisha Lizama won a silver medal in the competition’s Female Singer category.

The two bronze awards went to Monica Lizama in the Proficiency category and Gemma Somol in the Poetry Recitation category.

According to Castro, club members were able to meet key elected leaders and personalities in Guam during the competition.

Castro has been dedicated in sharing his wealth of knowledge in Chamorro cultural dances, stories, and chants with the group.

“I can’t think of any other best way to encourage our students to continue to care for their ‘roots’ than this competition. Language is the main element of our culture that we need to preserve and promote,” he said.

Meantime, club adviser Sablan expressed gratitude to the following groups and individuals who contributed to the success of the club this year: Marianas High School, Public School System, parents and guardian, community members, and Lumi Bermudes who is the PSS coordinator for the CCLHS program. The club members also expressed their appreciation for the financial support they received from St. Jude Renal Care, Tan Holdings, Rep. Edmund Villagomez (Cov-Saipan), Sen. Ray Yumul (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Frank Dela Cruz (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Chris Leon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), and Rep. Ray Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan).

Sablan also recognized Alvin Sablan, Darwin Sablan, and Castro, who dedicated a tremendous amount of their time to prepare the delegates for the competition.