The three programs, which are all a part of “Trio,” include Student Support Services, the Educational Talent Search Program, and the Upward Bound Program.
The ETS open house will be held in Building I, and the UB and SSS open houses will be held at Building J on the As Terlaje campus. All open houses will run from 1 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
“The Trio open house is a great opportunity for students and other community members to learn about the different programs that NMC offers,” NMC President Carmen Fernandez said. “I especially encourage parents to come find out how we can help their children prepare for college success.”
The SSS program is committed to meeting student needs for career guidance, financial support for college, and related support programs to lend support to student achievement.
The ETS program identifies and assists individuals who have the potential to succeed in higher education and aims to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed in high school and enroll in the postsecondary education institution of their choice. It is also designed to help high school students prepare for college.
The UB program provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance and opportunities to succeed in their pre-college performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits.
Upward Bound serves high school students from low-income families along with high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree.
The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.
All Trio programs are 100 percent funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
All community members are encouraged to participate in the open house event.
For more information, log on to www.nmcnet.edu or call 234-5498 at the following extensions: Marian Tudela (UB), ext. 1278; Janice Tenorio (SSS), ext. 1282; and Jeanette Villagomez (ETS), ext. 1347.
Upward Bound students volunteer reading at the library
(NMC) — High school students of Northern Marianas College’s Upward Bound Program volunteered their time this past Saturday to read selected books to children ages ten years and under at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library’s Saturday Reading Program. UBP students also engaged in other activities with the children, such as coloring and playing educational games.
“I certainly enjoyed the time we spent with the children, especially the look on their faces as we read to them,” said UBP student Czarina Jucutan. “I look forward to doing this again.”
The volunteer reading, which is one aspect of the community services in which Upward Bound students are encouraged to give back to the community, is part of the program’s Trio month celebration for the month of February. In addition to reading stories to elementary students, UBP students also attended seminars, participated in recreational activities, and took part in career exploration activities.
“This is a wonderful experience for the volunteer readers, especially those aspiring to become teachers and give back to the community,” said Upward Bound Director Marian Tudela. “I am sure that the students will continue to look back at this fulfilling experience and mirror it in every action they take.”
The program, which offers its services to public high school students, is dedicated to its mission to guide students to success in secondary education, as well as encouraging students to enroll and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.
There are 120 students currently enrolled in the program. Applications will be available from May through September 2009.
For more information about the Upward Bound Program, call Marian Tudela at 234-5498 ext. 1278, e-mail [email protected], or log on to www.nmcnet.edu.
Palau conducts animal census
KOROR (Bureau of Agriculture) — How many pet monkeys are there in Palau? How many have escaped, and where are they? How many dogs, cats, pigs, and chickens are there? What other animals do people keep as pets?
These and other questions will be answered by the Palau animal census began in Ngermid, Koror.
The census is a joint project of the Bureau of Agriculture and Palau Conservation Society, with the support of the Koror State Sanitation and Animal Control Division, and the Palau Animal Welfare Society.
Funding support for the census is being provided by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund of Conservational International.
The main objective of the census is to locate all pet monkeys in Palau, but information will also be gathered about other animals.
This information on the location and numbers of monkeys and other animals in Palau will help us better understand their impact on the environment, public health, our food supply, tourism, and the economy.
The census is being conducted by two Palau Community College interns, Ngedikes Benedict, and Ngirbechat Arsenio, working under the supervision of Dr. Joel Miles at the BOA.
These two young people have the responsibility to visit every house, business, and office in the entire country, to find the answers to the questions above.
The census will be completed by the middle of May this year.
Once the census has been completed, the same organizations will conduct a free sterilization project for all pet monkeys, to ensure that they are not capable of reproducing.
It is common knowledge in Palau that monkeys have caused serious socio-economic and environmental damage to the island of Angaur, where they were introduced in the early 1900’s.
Sterilizing pet monkeys outside Angaur will ensure that similar damage does not happen to the rest of Palau.
The census is one of the first steps in a long-term effort of the National Invasive Species Committee which will eventually remove all wild monkeys from the island of Angaur.
Removal of the monkeys will enable the economy and environment of the island to be restored.
The members of the NISC are working with the government and people of Angaur State to accomplish this long term goal.
The BOA requests cooperation from all residents of Palau: the one-page interview form will take less than five minutes to complete, and the information being gathered is of great importance to the economy and environment, as well as to the health of all the people of Palau.
All pet owners rest assured: your pet animal will not be harmed or taken away as a result of the census.
For additional information about the census, or about monkeys, Joel Miles at the Bureau of Agriculture, Malakal office, 680-488-2504.
For information about animal health, call the Koror State Animal Shelter, 680-488-5645.
