Saipan student achievers in need of help

Edrianne Flores, a 17-year-old junior student at the Marianas High School, has had numerous accomplishments in the field of academics, winning third place in the CNMI Attorney General’s Cup when she was a freshman, getting various honors in the National Forensics League and being included in the prestigious Who’s Who Among American High School Students.

With a grade-point-average of about 3.9, Flores wants to further hone her talents and this is where she, and several other students, are asking private individuals and companies for their help.

The Junior Statesman of America’s Summer Scholarship has approved Flores’ application to the program, granting her the opportunity to attend college courses at Stanford University.

However, less than two weeks before the program begins, Flores still faces funding problem to support her tuition, airfare and living expenses. Thus, she has been selling tickets for packed lunches to raise funds, scheduling a luncheon fundraising event across the Century Insurance Center on Beach Road, Garapan on June 19 from 11:30am to 1:30pm.

“I really need help for my airfare,” she said. “The scholarship program will help me improve myself to become a more independent and a more community-involved citizen. It will hone my ability to make a difference.”

Flores is just among the 31 student achievers in the CNMI who were allowed to attend the JSA summer school program that would run from June 27 to July 22. Some students would attend courses at other nationally prestigious learning institutions like Yale, Princeton and Georgetown universities, besides Stanford, where they would attend courses in American government, economics and speech communication.

Like Flores, majority of the students face funding problems. Michael Owen DeLeon Guerrero, president of Mt. Carmel School’s JSA chapter, said 13 students from his school, including himself, have been accepted to the competitive program.

“We would like to thank parents and companies for their donations,” he said, but added that “we would need more help.”

Christi Omengebar, the program’s coordinator in the CNMI, said the tuition fee is $3,500 per student. The students would also need money for their roundtrip airfare and living expenses during the duration of the program.

Omengebar said 23 students come from Saipan, including two who got full scholarships from the Department of the Interior: Nicole Benjamin and Emanuel P. Borja. The Legislature appropriated $50,000 to defray costs that would be incurred by Saipan students, but one of them—Filipino citizen Carl Sumalpong—would not be eligible to avail of the funds.

The rest of the Saipan students include Flores, DeLeon Guerrero, Vincent Aldan, Ronn Arii, Carmelita Gutierrez, Roselle Calvo, Edward Camacho, Jacqueline Che, Ray Crisostomo, Marilou Gariguez, Matthew DeLeon Guerrero, Anneka Hofschneider, Sung Hyuk Ra, Teruko Jo Crisostimo Ichihara, Andrew Pangelinan, Justise Marie Quitugua, Donovan Sablan, Rei Joyce Taman, Jenise Takai and Merced Villagomez.

Omengebar said the Tinian municipal council has also appropriated some $18,000 for the six Tinian students: Tahnee Aquiningoc, Martina Diaz, Antonio Evangelista, Tashia Sanchez, Wayne Sanchez and Antolynn Maratita. She said the Rota legislative delegation has a pending resolution to allot funds for Rota student Martin Quitugua.

Donors who would like to help the students may call Omengebar at tel. no. 235-0226 or contact the students individually.