DA’OK Academy students impressed teachers, parents, and Public School System officials as they showcased their robots ahead of the Summer 2025 Sharks Exploration certificate ceremony held Friday in the Koblerville Elementary School cafeteria.
The PSS summer program is federally funded.
The robot demonstration was part of the culmination of the students’ Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Robotics class, which showcased the results of their five-week training under independent robotics consultant and educator Arnel Gruspe.
In addition to STEM Robotics, Da’ok Academy students also received certificates for completing Project Discovery classes, which included lawn care, retailing, and culinary training.
Grade 12 student Nathalie Matsunaga, the leader of Team Curiosity, admitted that she initially struggled with robotics.
“At first, I had a little trouble learning it because I thought it was hard,” she said. “But Teacher Arnel taught us very well, so by the following week, I enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun learning how to do it — specifically, how to make the robot turn a certain way.”
Besides listening in class, Matsunaga said she studied outside of school and experimented with the program to complete the team’s robotics project.
Da’ok Academy Principal Christine Tudela expressed pride in the students, noting that they were able to complete their robotics projects in just five weeks — a subject offered for the first time in the summer program.
She said the second part of the program focused on Project Discovery, where students learned from various modules, including lawn care, retailing, and, most recently, culinary arts. Students also had the opportunity to integrate cultural learning, such as learning how to fish in the Saipan lagoon.
“It was the creativity of our teams that pushed them to make it more engaging,” Tudela said.
PSS Senior Director for Student Support Services Jackie A. Quitugua praised the students’ achievements.
“The students’ success in STEM Robotics just tells us that our students are very creative and imaginative — and they have the knowledge and skills. We just need to provide them with opportunities to learn and apply those skills, like the robotics program introduced this summer,” she said.
Also present at the event were PSS Science Program Manager Asap Ogumoro, Da’ok teachers Dr. Alfred Ada and Joan Reyes, and the students’ proud parents.
The robotics teams were:
Team 1 – Sum Ting Wong: Britneylene Junie Lizama, Avalone Mendiola, Angellyna Jewel Atalig, and Johnson Alam
Team 2 – Team Chang: Kenny Dela Cruz, John Bokuku, Kauhane Cabael, and Carter Castro
Team 3 – Team Curiosity: Nathalie Matsunaga, Owen Quitugua, Jayanna Ruiz, Liahlyn Tumada, and Brettania Fanagiluy
Team 4 – Mama Cita: Jared Saures, Samuel Rigby, Jackary Saures, Leelan Litulumar, and Jayvin Bisek
All students received certificates for both the STEM Robotics and Project Discovery classes.
Instructor Arnel Gruspe said the students began with basic microbit programming and advanced to building self-balancing and walking robots.
“The class should have ideally been a semester-long course lasting three and a half months,” Gruspe said. “But we fast-tracked it to five weeks, which was just enough for the students to build their own robots.”
Daok Academy students hold their certificates after completing the Summer 2025 Sharks Exploration on STEM Robotics and Project Discovery.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
Owen Quitugua and Jayanna Ruiz introduce Curiosity, the robot they helped build.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
Nathalie Matsunaga shows a boy how to interact with the robot Curiosity.
Da’ok student Britney Lizama demonstrates how her team’s robot, Willy, works during the Summer 2025 Sharks Exploration STEM Robotics exhibit at Koblerville Elementary School cafeteria on Friday.
