“Blast Off with Books” drew the participation of students from all grade levels, according to event chairwomen Clare Cruz and Corin Rengiil.
The students wrote fiction, nonfiction, biographies, autobiographies, fiction and poetry.
“This was an opportunity for students to engage in the writing process and bring out their creativity and imagination through making up a story and creating illustrations for them,” Rengiil said.
The Chamorro-Carolinian Language and Heritage Studies required students to create books in Chamorro, Cruz said.
“This is to encourage students to become more familiarized with the importance of culture and how it can be expressed through writing and not just speaking,” she added.
This year’s Chamorro book winners were:
1st-3rd grades
1st place, “Ababbang” by Sheena Varias
2nd place, “Haffa Un A’atan” by Kaphon Huang
3rd place, “Pot Guahu” by Alannah Sablan
4th-6th grades
1st place, “Gaga Siha” by Davina Magofna
2nd place, “Lina’la Tasi” by Russ Dequito
3rd place, “Pumeska si Tata” by Krysa Palacios
The young author’s book in Chamorro category was chaired by Ronnie Aguon and Virginia Richard, who are the school’s Carolinian Chamorro Language Heritage Studies teachers.
Rita Carreon, the school’s spokeswoman, said three students were named overall winners in the English category.
Emigrace Vinuya won the grand prize in the kindergarten to first grade division, while Chevy Kate Alipio topped the second to third grade division.
Jasmin Indalecio finished first in the fourth to sixth grade level.
Carreon said the school’s community readers program was also very successful due to the participation of many volunteers from different government agencies and private businesses.
Event chairwomen Beverly Surla and Catherine Acera-Cabrera said the activity helps promote reading and encourages members of the community to voluntarily read to the students.
Among those who volunteered were Jerry Dian and Rose Diaz from Early Childhood Education; Naomi Diaz and Robin Lizama from the Children’s Development Assistance Center; Florence Pangelinan, Jeff Tomokane, Martha Sablan, Vinycia Seman and Mayor Donald Flores from the mayor’s office; John Hirsh and Roxanne Ferrer from the American Red Cross; Laila Y. Boyer, Marianas Variety; Reina Camacho, Division of Environmental Quality; Jershwin Angeles, Shirley’s Café; Bob Coldeen, KSPN; and former Miss NMI-International Jennifer White-Aguon.
This year’s San Antonio chairwoman for the National Library Week — which highlighted the Read Aloud/Student to Student program, the class banner competition and the National Bookmobile Day — was Della Jean Castro.
Castro said the Read Aloud event allowed students to interact with one another, learn to be outgoing while developing their skills in expressionistic reading.
Bernice Fejeran was this year’s chairwoman for the school’s Earth Day’s celebration and beach cleanup.
