(MCS) — Recently, students in the CNMI competed in the annual National Junior Speech and Debate Competition. To avoid congregations, organizers of the event had students submit video recordings of their performance on YouTube that were later reviewed by a panel of judges. Many of Mount Carmel School’s students placed during the competition and registered for multiple categories, including storytelling, original oratory, prose, poetry, declamation, impromptu, and extemporaneous performances.
Seventh-grade student Oscar Bien Buenaflor won first place for the extemporaneous category and third place for his impromptu performance.
Victor Santos, who is also in seventh grade, won second place in storytelling, second place in original oratory, and fifth place in the prose category.
Sixth-grade student Justin Mallari won second place in declamation and fourth place in poetry.
Henry Yeom, who is also in the sixth grade, won 5th place in original oratory with his brother, Stephen Yeom earning fourth place in the same category.
Among all the members of the CNMI’s NJSDA National Tournament Team, Justin Mallari will compete in the declamation category, Oscar Bien Buenaflor will compete in the extemporaneous category, and Victor Nash Santos will compete in the storytelling category.
The national competition is organized to take place online between June 13 and 19, 2021.
Mount Carmel School President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero shared, “We are extremely proud of our students who competed in the recent regional competition. I am also grateful to the organizers of these events for finding a safe way for our students to compete in academically challenging competitions like the regional NJSDA competition. Extracurricular activities like the NJSDA are some of the clubs we highly encourage many of our students to participate in which have also served as the foundation for many of our students and AlumKnights that have gone on to compete or serve as public speakers and leaders.”
For more information on Mount Carmel School’s extracurricular activities, visit www.mountcarmelsaipan.com
