By Emmanuel T. Erediano
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Variety News Staff
COURAGE, strength, and hope were “something more meaningful than anything else,” said Caitlin Tinney, a Northern Marianas College student pursuing an associate degree in nursing while raising two children.
Her testimony brought tears to members of NMI Soroptimists during the 2026 Live Your Dream or LYD Award ceremony at Bravo Kitchen & Bar on Saturday. Tinney, 27, received the award in the form of a scholarship given to a woman who serves as the primary financial support for her family while overcoming barriers in pursuing post-secondary education.
Tinney thanked the Soroptimist International NMI Chapter for the opportunity and also expressed gratitude to NMC for informing her about the award program. “If it weren’t for the email that NMC sent me, I wouldn’t have had the chance to submit an application,” she said.
When she first received the LYD flyer from NMC, she recalled thinking, “Oh. This could definitely help me; I should apply.” But a tiny voice whispered, “Why waste your time? You won’t get it.”
Two years ago, Tinney and her children were attacked by “someone very dear and near to us, someone who was supposed to be our protector and safety.” Since that day, their lives have changed. The dreams and goals she had were no longer there, and the strength and courage she once had seemed to vanish, as if it had been stripped from her that day.
“I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know how to move forward. I only knew that I needed to make sure my children live their best in hopes they never remember the nightmare they survived,” Tinney said.
Every day, she said, she tried her best to ensure her children had the best day possible and an even better tomorrow.
“As any parent, we put our children first before ourselves. But often, we let ourselves go. We forget who we are, we forget our dreams and goals. And to be honest, I had completely lost myself,” Tinney said.
When the discouraging voice returned as she read the LYD flyer, she realized it had to go.
“At first, I let the voice win and closed my laptop. But as I looked at my children, I was given courage. With courage comes strength. I was able to push that voice aside and submit an application,” she said.
“If you know me, you would know I tend to run away from opportunities, letting that little voice make me feel unworthy or incapable,” Tinney said.
“If there is one thing I learned, it is that sometimes you need to get out of your comfort zone, explore, and take a leap of faith. The moment you put one foot through a door, you’ve already closed the one pushing you out.
“You may not have gotten what you wanted, but you were given something more meaningful than anything else: courage, strength, and hope,” she said, as she congratulated the other awardees: Clarinda Aldan, recipient of the Vision Award, as well as Darlene Chuweiluk and Brittney Ucherbelau, recipients of the Wish Awards.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
