(PSS) — Ninety-six students, groups, and schools won in various categories of the Fourth Public School System-Chamorro & Carolinian Language Heritage Studies or CCLHS Language & Cultural Performing Arts Competition.
Held at Koblerville Elementary School on Jan. 17 and 18, the competition gathered over 700 “champions of indigenous culture” from the Commonwealth’s public elementary, middle, and high schools.
It was the biggest CCLHS competition since the CNMI-level event was launched in 2018.
The winners will represent the CNMI in the regional competition that will be hosted by the University of Guam.
This year, students competed in various categories: Essay, Poster, Storytelling, Children’s Choir, Choral Reading, Dual Speech, Oratorical/Proficiency, Male/Female Solo Singing, Cultural Chant, and Contemporary Dance.
Winners
Performing Arts: Storytelling (Elementary, Chamorro, Kindergarten-Grade 1): 1st Place, Athena Feger, Kagman Elementary School; 2nd Place, Khenzo Barcinas, Koblerville Elementary School.
Storytelling (Elementary, Chamorro, 2-3 level): 1st Place, Khaleel Barcinas, Koberville Elementary School; 2nd Place, Triza Manglona, Tinian Elemenary School; and 3rd Place, Umatalaf Naputi, Kagman Elementary School.
Storytelling (Elementary, Chamorro, 4-5 level): 1st Place, Khaiceel Barcinas, Koblerville Elementary School; and 2nd Place, Kalea Arriola, Oleai Elementary School.
Carolinian Arts, Storytelling: 1st Place, Isabel Taman KagES; 2nd Place, Ofa Pua KagES; and 3rd Place, Dovianne Tudela KES.
Performing Arts: Storytelling (Middle School, Chamorro): 1st Place, Jacinta Quitugua, Sinapalo Elementary School; 2nd Place, Ha’anisha Taitano, Francsico M. Sablan Middle School; and 3rd Place, Vashon Quitugua, Chacha Ocean View Middle School
Performing Arts: Storytelling (Middle School, Carolinian): 1st Place, Alexander Salundguit, Hopwood Middle School; and 2nd Place, Gunner Kapileo, Francisco M. Sablan Middle School.
Oratorical Proficiency, Middle School, Chamorro: 1st Place, Zaijan Hocog, Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr.-Sr. High School; 2nd Place, Anthony Deleon Guerrero, Hopwood Middle School; and 3rd Place, Francisco Moses, Tinian High School.
Oratorical Proficiency, Middle School, Carolinian: 1st Place, Ayana Elameto, Hopwood Middle School.
Oratorical Proficiency (High School, Chamorro): 1st Place, Damian Atalig, Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr.-Sr. High School; 2nd Place, Aisha Deleon Guerrero, Marianas High School; and 3rd Place, Davin Nekaifes, Kagman High School.
Oratorical Proficiency (High School, Carolinian):1st Place, Jorina Selepeo, Marianas High School.
Dual Language Proficiency: Winner, Marianas High School.
Essay (Elementary, Chamorro): 1st Place, Joedric Torres; 2nd Place, Dovianne Tudela; and 3rd Place, Lucia Bercilla.
Essay (Elementary, Carolinian): 1st Place, David Hosono.
Essay (Middle School, Chamorro): 1st Place, Jayden Pacia, Dandan Middle School; 2nd Place, Austin Muna Tinian Middle School; and 3rd Place, Doreane Tudela, Hopwood Middle School.
Essay (Middle School, Carolinian): 1st Place, Yuan Xu, Francisco Middle School; 2nd Place, Elika Mendiola, Francisco M. Sablan Middle School; and 3rd Place, Que’ana Limes, Francisco M. Sablan Middle School.
Essay (High School, Chamorro): 1st Place, Maina Johnson, Kagman High School; 2nd Place, Jon Pinaula, Kagman High School; and 3rd Place, Tovian Masiwemai, Kagman High School.
Essay (High School, Carolinian): 1st Place, Kenaria Esner, Marianas High School; 2nd Place, Elana Wabol, MHS; and 3rd Place, Kaiyolanie Selepeo, MHS.
Poster/Drawing Category (Elementary, Chamorro): 1st Place, Adelyne N. Basa, Koblerville Elementary School; 2nd Place, Maria Embuido, GTC Elementary School; and 3rd Place, Ella Marchadesch, GTC.
Poster/Drawing Category (Elementary, Carolinian): 1st Place, Dorina Olaitiman, Koblerville Elementary School; 2nd Place, Brandon Indalecio, San Vicente Elementary School; and 3rd Place, Elia Montano, SVES.
Poster/Drawing (Middle School, Chamorro): 1st Place, Caysa Marchadesch, Tanapag Middle School; 2nd Place, Doreane Tudela, Hopwood Middle School; and 3rd Place, Vincent Rios, Chacha Ocean View Middle School.
Middle School (Carolinian): 1st Place, Elika Mendiola, Francisco Middle School; 2nd Place, Apple Basillo, FMS; and 3rd Place, Doreane Tudela, FMS.
High School (Chamorro): 1st Place, Beatrix Lacsa, Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr. Sr. High School; 2nd Place, Rayne Indalecio, Kagman High School; and 3rd Place, Connie Seman, KHS.
Choral Reading category (Elementary, Chamorro): 1st Place, WSR; 2nd Place, Olea Elementary School; and 3rd Place, KagES.
Carolinian category: 1st Place, Garapan Elementary School; and 2nd Place, OES.
Middle School level (Chamorro): 1st Place, Hopwood Middle School; 2nd Place, Chacha Ocean View Middle School; and 3rd Place, Dandan Middle School.
Carolinian category: 1st Place, Francisco M. Sablan Middle School.
Children’s Choir category (Chamorro): 1st Place, Koblerville Elementary School; 2nd Place, TinES; and 3rd Place, WSR.
Children’s Choir (Carolinian): 1st Place, Koblerville Elementary School; 2nd Place, OES; and 3rd Place, KagES.
Solo Singing Male category (Middle School, Chamorro): 1st Place, Isaiah Ojeda, HMS; and 2nd Place, Beniah Murphy, COVMS.
Carolinian category: 1st Place, Jevince Elameto, HMS; and 2nd Place, James Ngotel FMS.
High School, Chamorro Category: 1st Place, Tyler Sasamoto, MHS; 2nd Place, Jayden Reyes, TinHS; and 3rd Place, Davin Nekaifes, KHS.
High School, Carolinian Category:1st Place, Damien Santos, MHS.
Solo Singing Female (Middle School, Chamorro): 1st Place, Le’ana Lizama, COVMS; and 2nd Place, Luwaisor Fitial, HMS.
Middle School, Carolinian division: 1st Place, Neisha Kukun, HMS; and 2nd Place, Cayl Acera Cabrera, FMS.
High School, Chamorro Category: 1st Place, Trishelle Basa, KHS; 2nd Place, Denicia Lizama, RHIJHS; and 3rd Place, Aldyann Igisaiar, MHS.
Carolinian category: 1st Place, Karlymae Lizama, MHS.
Cultural Dance (Middle School, Chamorro): 1st Place, HMS.
Carolinian: 1st Place, TMS; 2nd Place, HMS; and 3rd Place, FMS.
High School, Chamorro and Carolinian Categories: MHS.
Contemporary Dance (Middle School, Chamorro): 1st Place, HMS; and 2nd Place, FMS.
Carolinian Category, Middle School: 1st Place, HMS; 2nd Place, TMS; and 3rd Place, FMS.
High School, Chamorro Category: 1st Place, MHS; 2nd Place, Da’ok Academy; and 3rd Place, Saipan Southern High School.
Carolinian Category: 1st Place, MHS.
Fourth edition
The revival of the CNMI-wide CCLHS competition was part of Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho’s agenda when he has hired as commissioner of education in January 2024.
The planning for the 2025 event began in early 2024 when the Board of Education, led by its former chair, Herman A. Atalig, supported Camacho’s proposal to hold a competition this year.
In turn, Dr. Camacho asked the PSS Federal Programs Office and Office of Instructional Services to support the staging of the event.
This marks the fourth edition of the competition, with the first taking place in 2018 and subsequent events in 2019 and 2022, when over 500 students participated. Previously, the schools sent their representatives/delegations directly to the University of Guam’s Chamorro Language Competition (Inacha’igen Fino’ CHamoru).
To stage this year’s competition, Commissioner Camacho worked with Federal Programs Officer Jacqueline Che and her team, PSS Instructional Services through its then-Senior Director Jackie Quitugua and current Senior Director Dr. Rizalina Liwag, and Koblerville Elementary School Vice Principal Jonas M. Barcinas, who is PSS’ former CCLHS program director.
Champions
Commissioner of Education Camacho said the competition supports PSS’s CCLHS program.
“We have to revive this PSS-wide competition because it is very important to our aggressive work to promote our CCLHS program and our standing as who we are as a people. We want to make sure that we develop, and we grow, and we guide the students to understand who they are,” Camacho said.
The competition, he added, support “this special gift that we call public education.”
“I want to say that while you compete tonight and tomorrow, there’s going to be some winners, and there’s going to be some people who are going to place below first place and all that, but know that all of you students are champions. You are champions of the Chamorro and Carolinian languages and heritage,” he told the participating students.
Koblerville Elementary School Vice Principal Jonas Barcinas, a former CCLHS program director and one of the competition’s lead organizers, said the event enables students to share and demonstrate their cultural knowledge and skills through song, dance, writing, storytelling, and speech.
BOE Chair Kodep Aschumar Ogumuro-Uludong, in his remarks, said: “I want you to know that I am a big, big proponent of cultural preservation. We will do everything we need to help support and move us forward this school year.”
Marianas High School’s team topped the Chamorro and Carolinian divisions in the contemporary dance categories. On stage, they were honored by Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho and the organizing committee led by Koblerville Elementary School Vice Principal Jonas Barcinas.
Oleai Elementary School’s Choral Reading team.
Tinian Elementary School finished second in the Children’s Choir competition, Chamorro category.
Koblerville Elementary School’s choral group won the elementary category of the Chamorro and Carolinian children’s choir competitions.
Francisco M. Sablan Middle School students placed third in Chamorro cultural dance and second in Chamorro contemporary dance. With them are Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, FMS Principal Cherly Osung, Federal Programs Officer Jackie Che, Special Education State Director Donna M. Flores, school administrators, and organizing committee members.
The top three winning teams in the Chamorro and Carolinian elementary storytelling competitions pose for a photo with the organizing committee led by Koblerville Elementary School Vice Principal Jonas M. Barcinas, Federal Programs Officer Jacqueline P. Che, SPED State Director Donna Flores, school principals Annette Calvo, Ben Jones, Christine Tudela, Naomi Nishimura, and Cherlyn Osung.
The middle school poster/drawing category winners are presented on stage.
The winners of the elementary school poster/drawing contest pose on stage with Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho and the organizing committee members.
