Previous Story
SIS plays host to Korean students
Miss Marianas 2019 Shannon Tudela Sasamoto poses with Saipan International School students after reading to the students about mental health as part of the “World Read Aloud Day” at SIS in As Lito last Feb. 10. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
The Saipan International School continues with its “Welcome to the Marianas” program this month as it plays host to exchange students from South Korea who are in the Kindergarten to 6th grade.
Through hands-on activities, guest speakers, and field trips, the Korean students are learning more about the Marianas, in addition to their regular units of study. SIS has been hosting the students since January to enhance their knowledge of the history, geography, and culture of the islands. Among the things that they have learned are plate tectonics, the “Ring of Fire,” and how the Marianas Trench and the Mariana Islands were formed, the history of the Chamorro people and more.
The students have also participated in several cooking activities, taste-testing, and the upper elementary students learned how to dance the traditional fire dance. Students also learned about the native wildlife on the islands and how to preserve the diversity of species that call Saipan home. The CNMI Division of Coastal Resources Management taught the students about coral reefs, their history and formation, and the work that is being done to preserve them for future generations.
Last January, SIS scheduled field trips for the students to the NMI Museum, where they learned about the various histories of the islands—the Chamorro and Carolinians, the Spanish period, the German period, the Japanese period, the United Nations period, and the modern history when the CNMI became a U.S. territory. The students also visited Sugar King Park, where they learned about the history of the sugar cane industry on the islands.
SIS also had a mid-year Sports Day at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium in Susupe. The students, along with exchange students, competed side-by-side on physical abilities and endurance in 12 different events. SIS ended January with a full-day celebration at Micro Beach.
