Students enjoy SSHS Cultural Day

By Jacqueline Dela Cruz
MV Teen Reporter

Saipan Southern High School students celebrated their last Cultural Day for the school year last Friday on campus, with the entire school going “Western.”
“Last year’s Cultural Day was themed Pacific culture, this year is the Western culture then next year will be Asian culture, followed by Spanish and German,” said vice principal Craig Garrison.
There were also amazing games and challenges such as tug-of-war, pie eating contest, Tee Pee creative design contest, and a jailhouse. All events were organized by the school’s Student Council.
Class performances and contests
Freshmen class president Honey Elayda, 15, was pleased with the fundraising they did last Friday.
“The most memorable thing that happened to me on Cultural Day was selling food,” she laughs. “We fixed our booth and Tee Pee everyday after school for four days. Our class stands out from the rest because of the teamwork we have.”
The freshmen class also won first place for the pie-eating contest this year represented by Geovany Satoshi.
Sophomore class president Shawn Cruz, 15, said: “It took active class members three weeks to organize our booth and Tee Pee. Our class really has a big heart and we are known as an independent class. Our booth really stood out because of the wanted posters of students and teachers—just like from the old Wild West Culture with the pictures of bad guys who were wanted by the cops.”
Cruz said the sophomore class stayed focused on the sales they made. “We didn’t crack under pressure,” he added. For the pie-eating contest, sophomore representative Edwin Castro came out 3rd place.
Junior class advisor Paul Mauri believes they have the most creative Tee Pee and booth.
“It took us a good two weeks to fix our booth and Tee Pee, and I believe our Tee Pee for sure will win this year. We’ve always won on Cultural Day, our sales usually are at the top and our dance performances are either 1st or 2nd place,” he said.
The junior class also offered the most sales of food such as Tacos, BBQ, red rice, and drinks for Cultural Day. “Our distribution of the food sales made me happy knowing that it will be successful.” Senior class president Lance Santos, 17, says, “It only took us one day to fix our Tee Pee and booth. Our class had an idea to paint the side of our booth and the Art class helped us out by painting the top of our booth.”
Overall, seniors won 1st place on the tug-of-war contest against the classes and teachers. The class also turned out 2nd place for the pie-eating contest represented by AJ Allen.
Clubs and Students
The boys basketball team offered a jailhouse water game.
Advisor and Coach Joel Punzalan says that the team is fundraising early so that they could go on a tournament in Korea and Guam next year, as they have no sponsors.
“We are a hit, I’m telling you… we banked! The team fundraised about $400, and it is pretty a good amount of fundraising that happened in just one day,” said Punzalan.
National Honor Society president Karen Echon, 18, said that the club had the best and most organized booth. “Our goal right now is to fundraise for an NHS sash for the seniors and for the Fun in the Sun event. The Fun in the Sun event is like a farewell celebration of the club,” she said.
What was memorable for you during SSHS Cultural Day 2007?
Marlin Depich, 12th grade, 18: Spending time with friends and the free time we had.
Carrie Camacho, 12th grade, 17: Playing with the outsiders, especially the kids and babies. It was fun this year because they had new games.
Mercedes Cabrera, 12th grade, 18: Watching the jailhouse with the people inside it was a lot of fun! And this year’s Cultural Day was much better and more successful.
Alexio King, 11th grade: Watching the people in the jailhouse get wet and the tug-a-war contest of seniors against the teachers.
Jodeen Borja, 10th grade, 16: The jailhouse because it was so funny.

‘Katchafire’ scorches Saipan

By Bernard Rivera
MV Teen Reporter

New Zealand’s very own native band, Katchafire, hit Saipan with a hot concert that brought inflamed fans and newer ones to the dance floor.
Katchafire left fans wanting more after burning the stage of World Resort Saipan last Saturday with unforgettable music.
MV Teen had a chance to speak to the band members as they prepared for their concert.
We are brothers and always will be “Katchafire.”
Katchafire started as a family band with Logan Bell as a guitarist and vocalist, his brother Jordan Bell on drums and his father Grenville Bell as lead guitarist.
Other band members are Haani Totorewa on keyboards, guitar, and vocals, Jamey Ferguson on keyboards, saxophone and vocals, Leon Davey on percussion, harmonica, and vocals and Ara Adams-Tamate who plays the bass.
Katchafire’s distinct sound is “very Southern Pacific and the sound has a whole lot to deal with Pacific reggae,” said Logan Bell.
MV Teen: What sort of music did you grow up with or what inspired you as a band?
Ferguson: It would come from such elements in music such as Jazz, Classical…
MV Teen: Oh really?
Ferguson laughs: Yeah, pretty much. It’s more of like, music as a whole. Any kind of style of music I think, we could open it.
Ferguson: Bob Marley inspired me.
Logan Bell: Yeah, yeah, yeah, UB40, Steve Pulse…
MV Teen: What sort of atmosphere does the band love to feel when performing?
Logan Bell: You know, some nights you enjoy the big crowds. With all of the screaming people, but also you enjoy some nights with just a couple of hundred of people in a room. Something that is really close, really hot, and something that just feels really good.
MV Teen: What experience do you want the audience to feel while in the concert with Katchafire?
Logan Bell: I want them to feel one, you know. I want them to feel the spirit of Katchafire. I want them to feel our music right down to the core. I do hope that they know the words and are all very enthusiastic to sing with us. And so yeah, I just want to give a good show.