The day’s events started at 2 p.m. with a parade from the San Antonio basketball court to the Hopwood stage.
Teenagers of Saipan had a large role in the event’s organization.
Members of Teen Talk and the Take Action Youth Advocacy, or TAYA, kept the crowd attentive and on their feet with constant “energizers” which were simple word games and cheers that relied on crowd participation.
TAYA organizer Heartim Williams said he was “very happy” to be there.
“We hope to educate the younger students about the bad effects of alcohol use. We’re here for peer mentoring too.”
“I felt obligated to be here,” says Teen Talk member Jesse Boyer. “I really feel that I, as a youth, need to give back to the community, which is where I’m here.”
A massive dance competition was held as the entertainment of the day. Nine public schools from across the island were seen wowing the crowd with their skills. Koblerville Elementary School, however, proved to be a crowd favorite. It had, by far, the most dancers who were the liveliest of all the schools. The crowd’s cheers were deafening as KoES performed.
San Vicente Elementary School students seemed especially enthusiastic about their performance. After their dance routine, they rushed out into the crowd and started spraying each other with cans of silly string.
Organizers of Kick Butts Day later announced that the winners of the dance competition will be announced next week.
“We just can’t decide who to choose as a winner right now,” they said.
The organizers will go to the winner’s school next week and personally inform them of their victory.
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