Students from junior high and high schools on Saipan, Rota and Tinian will be competing for cash prizes and trophies during this event.
Their poems will be in a variety of styles and address topics relating to culture, identity and change in the Northern Marianas.
Competitors will be scored by panels of judges in two criteria: poetry content and recital quality. Content judges will consider the use of symbolism, imagery, and metaphor, while recital judges will score each poet’s style and delivery.
Poem content will count for 70 percent of the score and recital quality 30 percent.
The Sengebau Poetry Competition is sponsored annually by the NMI Council for the Humanities to foster local literary capabilities.
Interested individuals wishing more information about this event may contact 235-4785 or visit the Web site at www.nmihumanities.org.
Cooking contest adds youth category
(DEQ) — The Cook A Rainbow event is back and in addition to nonprofessional category, a youth category has been added.
“We’ve been inspired with previous cooking contestants that we decided to add a new category for this annual event,” said Patricia Coleman, contest coordinator.
The challenge is still open to nonprofessionals — members of the community with no association to a restaurant or food service establishment.
Participation is limited and interested cooks must sign up.
Judging will be based on taste, creative presentation, texture, use of fresh local ingredients and originality.
Registrations must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. on March 30 to Rose Castro or Patricia Coleman at NMC-CREES. Entries may also be submitted via fax at 234-0054.
The Cook a Rainbow Challenge will take place at the Sabalu Market on Saturday, April 25 at 10 a.m.
For more information, contact Rose or Patricia at 234-5498 ext. 1726 or 1703.
Accreditation team visits Saipan Southern High School
(Saipan Southern High School) — Along with several other public schools, Saipan Southern High School had its mid-term visit on their full six-year accreditation recently.
The two-member visiting committee spent the one day visit at SSHS making observations, checking the progress on critical areas of follow up since their full self study, and meeting the faculty and school community.
The midterm visiting committee members were Joseph Laturnau, school renewal specialist, Hawaii as chairman, and Ann Horiuchi, educational specialist, Hawaii.
Their final report following the visit was submitted to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and to the schools leadership.
The visiting team stated in its report that, “It should be noted that the school appears to take data analysis seriously and competently, and the school considers all possible explanations of student results and makes intervention plans accordingly.”
The team spent most of its time in the classrooms under observation looking for progress in the 15 areas for follow-up that were identified when the school received its six-year accreditation.
The team states in its report, “Clearly, the school seriously and thoughtfully addressed each critical area for follow-up.”
The report goes on to say that “Despite the economic downturn, the difficulty in acquiring needed resources, and the challenge of meeting the needs of a diverse student population, the school has capitalized on the leadership of the principal and administrative team, the professional commitment of the school faculty and staff, and the willingness of the parents and community members to achieve their vision and to support students.”
The report listed some of the strengths the team observed as having:
• Students who are active, enthusiastic, motivated, and respectful.
• Administrators who are creative, innovative, and aggressive in acquiring needed resources.
• Teachers who provide students with an engaging curriculum, infuse technological applications, and show genuine care for the academic and social well-being of each child.
• Multiple opportunities for students to extend learning.
• A safe, orderly, and healthy environment that nurtures the students and encourages success.
• A clear vision and mission.
• Significant development of appropriate Expected Schoolwide Learning Results or ESLRs.
• Strong support from the parents and community.
Usually, a visiting team will derive from its observations and visit, several additional recommendations for the school to continue to follow up on as previously tasked in the six-year award.
However, in the visiting committee’s report for Saipan Southern the school was not given any additional concerns.
“The visiting committee feels the school has taken seriously its commitment to ensuring that all students achieve the ESLRs and are prepared for life after high school. No additional recommendations are given,” the report stated.
This is considered a major accomplishment by the school and its community as SSHS consistently strived to stand out in the Public School System as a model school.
Full copies of the report are available at the school or by e-mailing a request to [email protected].
NMC-CREES to host banana workshop
(NMC) — Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research Extension and Education Services program will be conducting a two-day banana workshop on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
The workshop, which is open to the general public, will highlight the disease management, maintenance, and care of the varieties of bananas in the CNMI.
The workshop will also host University of California at Davis Professor Ivan Buddenhagen as the guest speaker.
Buddenhagen, who holds a Ph.D. in plant pathology from Oregon State University, has dedicated most of his long career to promoting plant disease resistance and management as well as production and crop improvement of bananas and other tropical crops.
The workshops will be held on Saipan at the Pacific Islands Club on March 16-17; on Rota at the As Paris Restaurant on March 18-19; and on Tinian in Classroom D at the NMC-Tinian on March 20-21.
A registration fee of $5 is required to attend both days of the workshop session, which will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.
The workshop sessions will consist of presentations in the morning and a field trip to banana farms for a hands-on experience in the afternoon for both days.
For more information, log on to www.nmcnet.edu or www.crees.org, or call 234-5498 ext. 1707.
DPW solid waste management facility hours of operation
(DPW) — The Marpi solid waste facility and Lower Base refuse transfer station will no longer be open on government holidays. The normal hours of non-holiday operations are as follows.
Marpi facility
• Monday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Lunch closure, Monday through Saturday, 12 noon to 1 p.m.
Lower Base refuse transfer station
• Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, closed from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
Contact the Solid Waste Management Division at 322-2745/2761 for more information.
