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Manta Ray Band gets $12K
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Posted on Jan 18 2006
Saipan Southern High School’s Manta Ray Band can now continue to make beautiful music rather than trouble themselves with financial matters for their upkeep after the Saipan Rotary Club donated $12,000 to the band last week.
Rotary officers led by president James Whitt, Agnes McPhetres, Patrick Calvo and Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama drove down to Koblerville last Friday, Jan. 13, to personally hand over the check to the members of the student band.
SSHS principal Peter Le’au and vice principal Craig H. Garrison gathered some of the students at the school cafeteria in the morning to witness the awarding ceremony.
Lizama, who heads the Rotary’s Community Services Committee, said the club selected the Manta Ray Band because of the students’ enthusiasm for their craft.
“The kids, they need the money for additional instruments,” he said.
Manta Ray Band adviser and Teacher of the Year runner-up William Dewitt was very thankful for the donation, saying “This was the best Friday the 13th I have ever had in my life.”
Le’au was equally appreciative of the Rotary’s contribution and said the group has given more hope to the students in spite of the bleak economic situation prevailing in the CNMI.
“We are so happy that there are still people around that help the community,” he said. He added that the Rotary would not regret their assistance to the Manta Ray Band since the members always work hard and take their music quite seriously.
The SSHS principal said the students’ attitude toward music is exceptional and their morale went higher with the Rotary donation.
He said that SSHS Manta Ray Band is the only school in the CNMI that has a complete ensemble of student musicians in the CNMI.
