Garapan Elementary School students join education and HBR officials in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new school cafeteria on Tuesday. In photo are Board of Education Chairman Antonio L. Borja, Vice Chairman Herman Atalig, Secretary/Treasurer Gregory Pat Borja, Member Maisie B. Tenorio, Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada, Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Eric Magofna, PSS-Child Nutrition Program Director Dale Roberts, PSS-Facilities Development and Management Interim Director Martha Kintol, GES Principal Derwin Johnson, GES Vice Principal Jacklyn Quitugua, HBR International Managing Director John Saludez, and HBR Construction Manager Sonya P. Dancoe, PE.
Board of Education Chairman Antonio L. Borja explains the importance of the new Garapan Elementary School cafeteria.
PUBLIC education officials and schoolchildren led the official groundbreaking for the $4.1 million Garapan Elementary School cafeteria on Tuesday morning.
The cost of the federally funded project includes the design, planning and construction of a single-story, concrete, air-conditioned facility with a large kitchen and an office. The contractor is HBR International.
It will be similar to the cafeterias of Marianas High School and Koblerville Elementary School.
Board of Education Chairman Antonio L. Borja said the groundbreaking is a “testament to the power of collaboration, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of our students.”
Planning for the new GES cafeteria began in 2022.
“Countless dedicated individuals worked tirelessly to ensure that every aspect of this cafeteria is designed with the utmost care and attention to detail,” Borja said.
Joining him at the groundbreaking ceremony were BOE Vice Chairman Herman Atalig, Secretary/Treasurer Gregory Pat Borja, Member Maisie B. Tenorio, and Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada.
The new cafeteria will be a spacious and conducive facility that will support student learning, Ada said.
“The fact that this project is 100% federally funded speaks volumes about the federal government’s belief in the importance of providing our students with a conducive space for their nourishment and overall development,” he added.
He said the new cafeteria “will be a hub of nourishment for both the body and mind, fostering friendships, learning, and growth.”
Ada at the same time expressed appreciation for the work of Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Eric Magofna, PSS-Child Nutrition Program Director Dale Roberts, Facilities Development and Management Interim Director Martha Kintol, Garapan Elementary School Principal Derwin Johnson, and Vice Principal Jacklyn Quitugua, among other education officials.
The construction of the new GES cafeteria will be completed by June 2024, according to John Saludez, managing director of HBR International.
He said, “Hearing the commissioner talk about the usefulness of the MHS and KES cafeterias inspired us at HBR International to continue our work with the islands’ education stakeholders and make this project happen. This is for the community, and the children.”
Construction manager Sonya P. Dancoe, PE, for her part, said: “We want to assure everyone that we will do this in the safest possible way. We will work together as a team, and this will be done as soon as possible so we can all enjoy it.”
Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada delivers his remarks while Garapan Elementary School Principal Derwin Johnson, Public School System-Facilities Development and Management Interim Director Martha Kintol and PSS-Child Nutrition Program Director Dale Roberts look on.
HBR International Managing Director John Saludez, right, introduces his team that will oversee the construction of Garapan Elementary School’s new cafeteria.
