Educators gather on Rota for conference

More than 500 educators from across the U.S.-affiliated Pacific have come to Rota to attend the 21st Annual Pacific Educational Conference.

The Rota Municipality, CNMI Public School System, and Pacific Resources for Education and Learning are joint sponsors of the conference.

The conference began Tuesday night with a Parade of Nations through Song Song Village from Rota Junior High School to Pinatang Park. Delegations from American Samoa, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Guam, Hawaii, the continental United States, and the CNMI marched behind their flags, which were carried by students from the Rota High School JROTC Buck Battalion.

PSS Education Commissioner Rita Hocog-Inos welcomed the delegates. Rota Mayor Benjamin T. Manglona, gave the keynote address.

He said that by the end of the week, he hoped that all delegates would agree that “Rota is beautiful, Rota is friendly, Rota is delicious, and Rota is romantic.”

He encouraged anyone holding future meetings, seminars, or conferences to consider Rota as the place to come.

The president and CEO of PREL, Dr Thomas Barlow, introduced the Teachers of the Year, who were selected by each of their education departments. He noted that this conference was unique for at least two reasons.

“This is the first Pacific Educational Conference held outside a metropolitan center,” he said. “We are pleased that Rota was willing to host this major event, and we are grateful to the many people here who have contributed to making it a success.

“Although we are used to having a diversity of cultures at PEC, we know that diversity is broader than that. This is the first PEC that has wide participation from people who are deaf or have hearing impairments, and sessions are being interpreted in American Sign Language. A group is attending from California State University at Northridge, as well as from Guam,” he added.

More than 100 different sessions are being offered for teachers during the rest of the week. They range from arts to mathematics, literacy to vocational education.

Also, 12 exhibitors from the region and the continental U.S. are displaying and demonstrating their educational products. The conference ends mid-afternoon Friday. (Nancy Lane)