Speech teams ready for national competition next week

Sixteen student competitors of the high school National Speech and Debate Association put on a special showcase presentation Monday evening at the San Antonio Social Hall. The state champions performed their pieces from the category they championed in the March regional competition.

This year’s national team include the tandem of Marianas High School’s Yuuki Nishida and Jayrald Mercene, who will represent the islands in duo interpretation. Marianas Baptist Academy’s Kanata Omori will compete in the U.S extemporaneous speech category. Mount Carmel School’s Thomas Manglona II will compete in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate; MHS’ Masrur Alam, in the foreign extemporaneous speech; Saipan Southern High School’s Katrina Punzlan, original oratory; SSHS’ Trianna Del Rosario, Chamorro dramatic interpretation; MBA’s Alina Ishikawa, dramatic interpretation, MCS’ Soon Hyung Kwon, humorous interpretation; SSHS’ Devina Atalig, Chamorro poetry; Grace Christian Academy’s Minna Ito, expository speech; MHS’ Ann Norcio, commentary; Saipan International School’s Minori Yoshida, prose; GCA’s Yujin Lee, poetry; GCA’s Dong Ha Lee, storytelling; and MHS’ Scarlet Chen, impromptu.

According to NSDA practice and showcase coordinator Dencio V. Manglona, Monday’s event followed countless hours of volunteer work from teacher coaches and tremendous effort from students and their parents. “We put a lot of work and effort into this showcase and practiced the past two months. I feel this team is strong,” Manglona, a former high school NSDA competitor, said. “I feel this is a strong team…the team will support each other when they need to and stay strong.”

The students are expected to leave island on Saturday and make their way to Overland Park, Kansas, where they will represent the CNMI in their categories and compete with over 5,000 other students from around the globe from June 15 to 20.

One competitor, Kanata Omori, said he is more than prepared for the competition. “I am prepared for this trip. This should be fun. I am looking forward to meeting new people and competing against the best of the best.”

Fellow competitor and 2013 junior forensic league 3rd place national dramatic interpretation champion Yu Jin Lee expressed similar sentiment.

“Each year is a new group of students and new competition. I remind myself that there is always room for improvement as I continue to practice for the national competition,” she said.

“The showcase was an unforgettable experience,” Masrur Alam told Saipan Tribune. “This is my first time competing and I am looking forward to competing against other students from around the world. I hope we all do our very best.”

One parent, Victoria Nishida, said, “It was awesome to see great improvement with the performances. …Every year they improve and I am really proud of them. Every time they go to the national level they make it a point to learn new things.”

The students practiced to perfect their pieces over the past weeks under the guidance of coaches Harold Easton and Dencio Manglona from Marianas High School, Frank Borja and Andrew Golden from Saipan Southern High School, Keith Tessen and Celia Jang from Saipan International School, and Filmah Buenaflor and Tobed Smith from Mount Carmel School. Marianas Baptist Academy’s Gospel Trinidad and Eleonor Alejo, and Grace Christian Academy’s Ami Joy Danganan and Daniel Dilse also served as coaches for this year’s national team.

The National Junior Forensic League also held its showcase last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School cafeteria in anticipation of the national competition. The members of the NJFL team representing the CNMI are Northern Marianas International School’s Candice Aldan, for original oratory; GCA’s Dianne Arnold and Pegg Pixley, for duo interpretation; and MBA’s Minju Kang, for prose reading interpretation. Esther Kim from GCA will be representing the island in poetry; MBA’s Won Kwon Kim, for Lincoln-Douglas Debate; Hyun In Noh, extemporaneous speech; Saipan Community School’s Esther Park, storytelling; MCS’ Reica Ramirez, impromptu; Grace Christian’s Melody Woo, humorous interpretation; and Hopwood’s Kelvin Wolf, for Dramatic Interpretation.

Two winners representing poetry and dramatic interpretation in the Chamorro language were also presented at Saturday’s showcase. Hopwood’s Chloe Salvosa and San Vicente Elementary School’s Nina Vladsimo performed their categories, respectively.

Western Pacific Regional NSDA board member Harold Easton said he is confident in this year’s national team. “I anticipate that they will do their usual best. They traditionally do quite well and I do not see any reason why they will not do the same for this year. This will be one of the best experiences in their life,” he added.