By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

A SENIOR student from Kagman High School was singled out for recognition by the Public School System which honored local volunteers in the AmeriCorps program on Saturday at the Aqua Resort Club.
PSS received a three-year grant amounting to $1.65 million to implement the AmeriCorps program which aims to improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.
Jennifer A. Iriarte accumulated the most volunteer hours, 280, tutoring elementary school students.
“I only have one class in the morning from 8:30-9:45. To use my extra hours for a worthwhile cause, I joined AmeriCorps and helped first graders in Kagman Elementary to improve their reading skills,” Iriarte told Variety.
She said she worked at least seven hours each day tutoring the children.
“It really makes me happy seeing the kids making progress in their reading skills,” she said. “It’s my way of helping the community and PSS achieve its mission.”
Last Saturday, PSS commended the 38 students from CNMI public schools who joined AmeriCorps, and these included Christine A. Pamfilo, who spent a total of 276 hours volunteering at William S. Reyes Elementary School; Oliver Manglona, 251 hours, Sinapalo Elementary School; Jerick M. Austria, 248 hours, Sinapalo Elementary; Denise A. Mendiola, 230 hours, Songsong Junior High; and Tasi Faith C. Taitano, 226 hours, Sinapalo Elementary.
Besides the students, the 12 site supervisors were also recognized: Johanna Taimanao, Kagman Elementary; Maria Sablan, Rota Jr. High; Bertha Orsini, Oleai Elementary; Vanessa Hocog, Rota Elementary; Zandra Ilo, Tinian High School; Brenda Safer, Tinian Elementary; Eric Evangelista, Koblerville Elementary; Leila Camacho-Yumul, Paulette Tomokane, Garapan Elementary; Augusto Evangelista, William S. Reyes Elementary; Marsha Arriola, San Vicente Elementary; and Martha Kintol, Dandan Elementary.
Geri Willis, the AmeriCorps program coordinator for the CNMI, said its implementation here is showing “great success.”
“The students are awesome. Within less than four months, we got good results based on the presentations of our volunteers. We’re very proud of these 38 students who have made the program a success here in the CNMI,” she said.
The program is now starting to recruit the next batch of volunteers, Willis said.
She said applicants will go through an interview process and orientation.
The sponsors of Saturday’s events included Aqua Resort, the Pacific Islands Club, Pacific Telecom Inc. and Big Dipper.