Parade of cultures to open GCA convention

Students of Grace Christian Academy will parade around their school on Monday, Oct. 20, to signal the start of a weeklong activity in connection with the Mission Convention.

GCA principal Faith Dela Rosa said the Parade of Cultures would begin at 8am on the school ground where the students would assemble. They would then march outside and pass through the Capital Road and back to the campus.

“The parade is just the start of several activities we lined up for the week,” said Dela Rosa.

She said they have invited guests to witness the occasion and inspire the students.

GCA held its Second Annual Career Day on Oct. 10 with the theme “Preparing For the Future.”

Dela Rosa commended the organizing committee headed by GCA counselor Connie Chandler for a successful occasion.

Chandler said the event gave an opportunity for the students to plan for their future.

She said a variety of guest speakers were invited to share their experiences with the students, especially among those graduating this school year.

“We make sure that we have speakers in different fields,” Chandler said.

Among them were Calvo’s Insurance general manager Eli Buenaventura, Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Jim Arenovski, Senate President Pete Reyes and Robert Byrd Scholarship Federal Program officer Tim Thornburg.

The list also included officials from the Northern Marianas College, International Business and Professional College, University of Guam ROTC Program, United States Marine Corps, Saipan SHEFA and Chamindade University.

Special visitors came from American Memorial Park Rangers, MCV Broadband, Department of Public Safety and PTI.

GCA has a total student population of 90 from ninth to 12th grade.

“This is the most important time for the senior students to know and understand what the world is all about because after graduation they don’t know what to do,” Chandler stressed.

She said the occasion was an opportunity for the guests to motivate the students so they would start thinking about their future.

“We also included the freshmen because we want them to start planning for their future early on in their studies,” she said.

Dela Rosa said the occasion was successful because the students were being made aware of a lot of opportunities ahead of them after high school such as scholarship grants.