AFTER 20 rounds, Maria Enriquez of Garapan Elementary School took home the 2022 CNMI Public School System’s State Level Spelling Bee title. The winning word was “farfel” — a small pellet- or flake-shaped pasta used in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine.
Hopwood Middle School’s Walter Josh N. Clave of Hopwood Middle School came in second while Dandan Middle School’s Mary Joy Viloria placed third.
The top three — as well as the school-level winners — are eligible to compete in the Regional Spelling Bee set for March 12 on Guam.
The CNMI-wide competition was sponsored by the school district and was held at Kensington Hotel Saturday. There were no competitions in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.
“The benefits of spelling bees extend beyond language,” Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada said. “Since students are required to spell words while on stage, they also develop self-confidence, communication and public speaking skills, and the ability to thrive under pressure.”
He added, “I am so glad that we are finally getting back to some sense of normalcy after two years.”
For three rounds, four students from Garapan Elementary School, Dandan Middle School, Francisco M. Sablan Middle School, and Hopwood Middle School spelled all the words correctly.
By round 12th, Preciouz Kenzie B. Lontoc of Francisco M. Sablan Middle School earned 4th place in the competition.
For the next three rounds, three students vied for the championship.
The 2022 CNMI PSS State Level Spelling Bee hosted 13 elementary and middle public schools from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
The following are the school-level winners and runners up who competed in Saturday’s state-level competition:
1) GES School Champion – Maria Enriquez
2) GES Runner Up – Aliyana Garcia
3) KAG School Champion – Aubrey Taitano
4. KAG Runner Up – Jamie Pereira
5) KES School Champion – Phil William L. Lumactod
6) KES Runner Up – Merleen Tamerang
7) OES School Champion – Isabel Maximina Carreon
8) OES Runner Up – Chloe Rivera
9) SVS School Champion – Mitsue Borja
10) SVS Runner Up – Kyrie Palec
11) SNP School Champion – Kamea Blas
12) SNP Runner Up – J’Ana Hocog
13) TIN School Champion – Nusrat J. Syed
14) TIN Runner Up – Christofe Donald Patio
15) WSR School Champion – Clodia Merjilla
16) WSR Runner Up – Israt Jahan Jannat
17) DMS School Champion – Mary Joy Viloria
18) DMS Runner Up – Genelyn Lansangan
19) FMS School Champion – Preciouz Kenzie B. Lontoc
20) FMS Runner Up – Amber Faith Reyes Guevarra
21) HMS School Champion – Walter Josh N. Clave
22) HMS Runner Up – Aryan Sheikh
23) TMS School Champion – J’Dean Leilisheng Calvo
24) TMS Runner Up – Ry’ahna Quitan
25) TJSHS School Champion – Juris Gian G. Cabarles
26) TJSHS Runner Up – Jenard Ivahn A. Nuyda
Giselle Butalid from the PSS Office of Curriculum and Instruction gave the welcoming remarks and recognized the community’s tremendous support for this year’s event. She extended appreciation to sponsors and donors of the spelling bee: Lollipops’ $50 gift certificates, Gentle Brook Café and Shirley’s Coffee Shop, Kensington Hotel Saipan for pool passes, Monster Pizza, AC Pacific LLC dba I Love Saipan, One Legacy LLC, and our NMI Museum of History and Culture.
All student competitors also received monetary donations from Saipan Marianas Corporation.
The competition’s pronouncer, Vinni Orsini, PSS’ social studies program manager, was “amazed at the talent of the students.”
“I’m sure in the future, they will become walking dictionaries for our community,” he added.
The judges were Jaclyn Rose Quitugua of the PSS Office of Curriculum and Instruction, Lorraine Catienza from the PSS Office of Instructional Technology and Distance Education, and Loremel Hocog of Kagman High School.
The 2022 Public School System State-Level Spelling Bee winners from left: Giselle A. Butalid, coordinator; Bobby Cruz, instructional technology and distance education director; Lorraine Catienza, competition judge; Loremel Hocog, competition judge; Jaclyn Rose Quitugua, lead judge and facilitator; Vinni Orsini, pronouncer; Dorina Salavaria, teacher; Dandan Middle School’s Mary Joy Viloria, 3rd placer; Peter Loken, Garapan Elementary School coach; Garapan Elementary School’s Maria Enriquez, champion; Megan Nevitt-Loken, Hopwood Middle School coach; Karen Manuel, Hopwood Middle School vice principal; Donna Flores, special education program director; and Associate Commissioner for Instructional Services Eric Magofna.
From left: Peter Loken, coach; Megan Nevitt-Loken, teacher; Maria Enriquez, 2022 CNMI PSS State Level Spelling Bee champion; Mary Anne Enriquez, the child’s mother; Jomer Enriquez, her father; and brother.
From left, Dorina Salavari, teacher; Mary Joy Viloria, 3rd placer; Peter Loken, coach; Maria Enriquez, 1st placer; Megan Nevitt-Loken, teacher; Walter Clave, 3rd placer; Jesse Sablan, coach; Karen Manuel, HMS vice principal; and Eric Magofna, associate Commissioner for Administrative Services.
From left: Mary Joy Viloria, 3rd place; Maria Enriquez, 1st place; and Walter Josh N. Clave, 2nd place.
Fourth placer Preciouz Kenzie B. Lontoc of Francisco M. Sablan Middle School.
Nusrat J. Syed, Tinian Elementary School’s school-level winner.
From left, Jenar Ivahn A. Nuyda, TJSHS school-level Spelling Bee runner up; and Jursi Gian G. Cabarles, TJSHS school-level winner.
