By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

SAIPAN Southern High School’s Junior ROTC Manta Bay Battalion got the highest score among Pacific schools in this school year’s cadet formal inspection evaluation.
Senior Army Instructor Sgt. Maj. Joaquin Kiyoshi said the Manta Bay Battalion under the command of Karen Echon scored 591.54 — which is higher than the scores of other participating JROTC battalions from Guam, American Samoa and Hawaii.
The cadets were evaluated on Dec. 16, 2006 by command inspectors from Fort Lewis, Washington.
With a maximum score of 600, the cadet formal inspection is based on the performance of the corps of cadets on cadet staff briefing, curriculum knowledge, in-rank inspection, cadet attendance/participation, cadet supply room inspection, records and administration, training management, public affairs, drill, ceremony and color guard.
The SSHS cadets battalion also scored 1,950 out of 2000 maximum points in the school program inspection for school year 2006-07.
At 2 p.m., yesterday, the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council handed the cadets a resolution recognizing, commending and congratulating them, their instructors and school principal for their “exemplary performance.
The resolution was signed by council chairwoman Marian DLG Tudela, vice chairwoman Antonia M. Tudela and secretary Angel S. Hocog.
The municipal council also congratulated Kiyoshi and his assistant First Class Sgt. Richard Haugh for their “strong military leadership and teaching skills.”