Three CNMI students awarded Junior Statesmen scholarships

Three students from the CNMI have been awarded full scholarships to the 2004 Junior Statesmen Summer School, according to the Department of the Interior and The Junior Statesmen Foundation.

The winners are Casey Camacho Borja, Tinian High School; Emmanuel Borja, Mount Carmel High School; and Nicole Benjamin, Grace Christian Academy.

The scholarships, funded by the U.S. Interior Department, cover all tuition costs and round trip transportation to the Summer School of the students’ choice.

Month long sessions of the Junior Statesmen Summer School are conducted on the prestigious university campuses of Stanford, Northwestern, Princeton, Yale and Georgetown.

Two of the scholarship winners—Emmanuel and Nicole—will be attending the Stanford Summer School; Casey will be attending the Princeton University session.

Summer School students take college level courses in American Government and Speech, while they develop and polish their leadership skills.

Highlighting each session is a high level speakers program giving students a chance to meet and question legislators, other elected officials, judges, reporters, political campaign consultants, and others in the political arena.

Each night, Summer School students debate controversial political issues in a simulation of Congress.

Admission to the Summer School is competitive. Admission decisions are based on academic achievement, leadership, and interest in politics or government. Applicants submit a copy of their transcript, a three-page personal essay, and an academic recommendation.

Tuition, which covers all academic expenses, housing and meals for the month, is $3,500. Transportation to the school is not included in the tuition.

Continental Micronesia offers reduced fares for students attending the Summer School, thanks to Katie Black in Promotional Sales.

For the past seven years, the Northern Marianas government has generously allocated funds to pay part or all of the Summer School tuition for local residents who did not receive a Department of the Interior Scholarship. In March, the Saipan delegation set aside $50,000 to assist students to attend the program. Students from Rota and Tinian will be seeking tuition assistance from governmental officials on their islands. They hope to persuade governmental leaders that, by providing financial assistance to their future leaders, they are insuring good government for years to come.

For the past 13 years, Interior has offered full tuition and transportation scholarships to the Junior Statesmen Summer School to outstanding high school students in the CNMI, Guam, the Republic of Belau, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

In the past twelve years, 225 students from the CNMI, 269 students from Guam, and 125 students from the Republic of Belau have attended The Junior Statesmen Summer School. Some 36 students from the CNMI have been accepted to the 2004 Junior Statesmen Summer School.

For more information about Junior Statesmen Summer School and Interior Department scholarship winners, contact Jeff Schorr at Interior at 234-8861 or Karen Prosser at The Junior Statesmen Foundation in California at (800) 334-5353.