Visitor’s Channel sponsors MyWave Club project

The Visitor’s Channel, or TVC, has linked up with the Marianas Tourism and Education Council to develop a motivational program to help student’s understand the value of the tourism industry in the CNMI.

After several meetings, MTEC chair Mark Swinton, who also is general manager of Dai-ichi Hotel Saipan Beach, and TVC vice president Laurie Peterka both feel that they are close to completing a framework to promote student activities involving tourism.

Two years ago, MTEC and the Public School System agreed to start MY WAVE clubs in CNMI schools to promote tourism among students. There are now more than 20 MY WAVE student clubs. MY WAVE stands for Marianas Youth Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically.

Last March members of the Marianas High School MY WAVE club visited members of Rota High School MY WAVE club. MHS teachers Tim Faska and Byron Jones led the MHS students to Rota.

The MHS and Rota MY WAVERS produced video clips to encourage tourists to visit Rota. Jeffrey Van Meter, an MHS 2004 graduate, helped Jones photograph the Rota scenes. Afterward, members of the Film Department of the Northern Marianas College produced a television commercial from the student-produced Rota video scenes.

The Visitor’s Channel (MCV 3) is airing the club’s commercial for the entire month of November in support of the club’s efforts and with the hope that more students will get actively involved in tourism through MY WAVE Clubs throughout the CNMI.

“Our goal is to help students develop a personal interest in promoting the CNMI. We believe this is possible by helping MTEC to develop a program that involves a mentoring sequence from within the MY WAVE Clubs—advisors to the older students and the older students to the younger students. Hands-on learning and teaching allows students to develop a realistic sense of priorities, responsibilities, and accountability,” said Peterka, who is also director of Sales for The Visitor’s Channel.

Established in 1994, TVC promotes inter-island tourism on Saipan and Guam via television. Awarded the Excellence in Tourism in Guam in May 2002, TVC continues to find ways to work with the local community to enrich programming and encourage new artists and material.

TVC, along with MTEC, MY WAVE, and the NMC Film School, have plans to create a second clip to be aired in Spring 2005, when phase two of the motivation program will be launched.