Some of the supporters of Tasi to Table pose with its staff during “An Evening with TTT” at the Pacific Islands Club on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024.
TASI To Table hosted “An Evening with TTT” event at Charley’s Cabaret of the Pacific Islands Club on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024.
In attendance were sponsors, club members, and past participants of Tasi To Table.
The program, now in its fourth year, has set out with the mission to “build capacity in our youth to become stewards of the CNMI’s future as well as safeguarding our marine resources.”
To that end, TTT hosts educational seminars on marine environment for high school students.
According to Dominic Pangelinan, club advisor at Kagman High School, students commit to 120 hours of experiential learning over a two-year period.
The club “provides entry level experience to a wide variety of fisheries activities,” including fishing, swimming, boating safety, sailing, and environmental stewardship.
Other benefits include opportunities to network with peers and the chance to earn elective credit. TTT students also host and organize the Wahoo in the Marianas fishing derby.
Pangelinan said 70 students are currently enrolled in the program, representing Da’ok Academy, Saipan Southern High School, Kagman High School, Marianas High School, and Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Senior High School.
Kina Rangamar, a former program participant, said she joined the club with no fishing experience but left as a fishing derby winner.
“I had no idea how to hold a reel, I did not know what a derby was, [and] I actually couldn’t even swim,” she said. “By my second year in Tasi To Table I had visited both Tinian and Rota. Rota for my first time. I had won a derby with my first marlin, and I was president of my school club. But the best part of all of this was finding my career pathway and passion through the experience.”
