Previous Story
Foundation formed for islands’ young writers
|
Posted on Aug 19 2004
There is a new non-profit organization on the island and it calls itself the Pacific STAR Young Writers’ Foundation, formed exclusively for educational purposes to assist the Pacific STAR Center for Young Writers.
The fledgling organization had its initial meeting in early in June, during which it elected its officers: Anicia Q. Tomokane, president; Jonas M. Barcinas, vice president; and Christine Halloran, secretary/treasurer.
The Center for Young Writers, located at Dandan Elementary School and directed by Katharyn Tuten-Puckett, has been renamed the Pacific STAR Center for Young Writers. Since 1996, Tuten-Puckett has worked with almost 200 students who have published eight books in the CNMI to develop “local books for local readers.”
The foundation will support the Pacific STAR Center for Young Writers by soliciting and raising funds, publishing and distributing books developed by the Center, providing necessary materials for the Center, assisting with editing, and obtaining copyrights. Foundation members will work in collaboration with the Center staff to promote the Pacific STAR Center for Young Writers.
The first project of the foundation is the book presentation ceremony for We Drank Our Tears: Memories of the WWII Battles for Saipan and Tinian as Told by Our Elders.
Some 74 students, grades K-12, from public and private schools, participated in the development of this book by interviewing relatives and neighbors who were willing to share their memories of personal experiences during the war years.
The ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 24, from 3:30pm to 5pm, at the Center for Aging in Garapan Park, across Gold’s Gym. Books will be available for purchase.
