Fig 1. MegaSkills Billboard Reminders on Saipan, Outside the Schools and Along the Roads, a Unique Way to Send the Message.

My visit to the beautiful, South Pacific Island of Saipan, U.S.A., to conduct MegaSkills Training (April, 2005) was enlightening and instructive. My mission in Saipan was to provide teacher, school administrator and parent training for public school staffs to enhance their collaborative efforts. Take look at a few of the pictures I brought back. (Below) You get a sense of the spirit and commitment to MegaSkills on this tiny island way out in the Pacific Ocean. It is remarkable. According to Saipan school administrators, since the introduction of the HSI MegaSkills program more than a decade ago; there has been a significant increase in student academic achievement and character development.

 

Approximately fifty people attended the three days of training where they worked hard to plan parent involvement events. They expressed commitment to provide rich educational experiences for the future citizens of CNMI. They are also committed to parent support and involvement in the academic progress of children. School Staff are encouraged by the government posting of highway billboards that emphasize the importance of preventing and reporting child abuse and care of the aging. Although the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) became part of the U.S.A. in 1944 after the defeat of Japan in WWII, its people, history and current conditions are not well known. The original Chamorro language of the island is spoken by most residents, yet the predominant "public" language of education and society is English. Residents of the other islands of the CNMI, Tinian, Rota and Guam come to Saipan via small planes to attend MegaSkills training, conduct business and/or visit offices of the central government.

Fig 2. MegaSkills Training was Held at Garapan Elementary School. Principal Yvonne (Boni) Gomez Led this New Initiative to Bring MegaSkills to Saipan.

 

It was hard to leave the island "paradise" of Saipan after just a few days. Everyone I met was enthusiastic about being an American citizen, enjoying democracy, including the major chains of fast food outlets as well as small businesses! Tourism continues to be the major industry with Japan sending the majority of travelers. As each generation of Chamorro Americans completes a post-secondary educational program, the future for Saipan remains bright. And it is wonderful to learn how MegaSkills is making a big difference for the students and families of Saipan.

Fig 3. Saipan MegaSkills Participants Ready the Program for Presentation to Parents and Children.