RC&D in the News

Saipan Tribune, Saturday, December 23, 2006

DEQ awards prizes to recycling winners
By Marconi Calindas
Reporter

Recycling heroes gathered once more at the Division of Environmental Quality Conference Room yesterday to receive their prizes for winning the recycling competition held in November.

The Northern Marianas Academy, a private school in the Commonwealth, topped this year’s CNMI Recycles Day competition. The school collected a total of 50,380 lbs of recyclable materials. There were 34 NMA students who participated in the contest, bringing in 1,481.8 lbs of trash per student.

Marianas Visitors Authority director Perry A. Tenorio joined DEQ officers Tina Sablan and Reina Camacho in presenting the prizes to the winning schools yesterday.

NMA won $600 cash prize, plus 30 waterpark passes to Pacific Islands Club and 20 seedlings, courtesy of the CNMI Forestry.

Eucon International School ranked second, with a total of 22,459 lbs of recyclable materials. This means the109 students who participated brought in an average of 206 lbs of trash.

Public school Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School placed third after each of its 221 student brought in 166.7 lbs of trash for a total of 36,837 lbs.

San Antonio Elementary School ended up with 115.6 lbs per 239 participating students for an overall total of 38,020 lbs.

Grace Christian Academy ranked fifth with 75 lbs per student (total of 360 students). The private school accumulated a total of 27,220 lbs of trash.

Saipan International School, William S. Reyes Elementary School and Koblerville Elementary School followed the ranking with 63.9 lbs, 36.7 lbs, and 33.3 lbs per student respectively.

There were 24 private and public schools that participated in this year’s Recycles Day competition.

The competition based its scores on the recyclable wastes gathered by each student that participated in the competition.

This year’s CNMI Recycles Day partners and supporters included Ericco (provided free recycling collection for the schools); Ginen Saipan; Pepsi; Pacific Islands Club; Hotel Nikko Saipan; Hafadai Publishing; Saipan Shipping; MS Villagomez; and Java Joe's as corporate sponsors.

Government supporters were the Office of the Governor; Office of the Lt. Governor; Marianas Visitors Authority (prizes, logistical support); DPW; DEQ; Department of Lands and Natural Resources, Forestry Division (for the seedlings of all participating schools); and Office of Rep. Cinta Kaipat; Office of Rep. Absalon Waki. Nonprofit partners: Saipan Chamber of Commerce; Marianas RC&D; MINA; and MOVER.

This year’s contest committee members were Camacho, Angelo Villagomez, Steve Hiney, Barrett Ristroph, Bree Reynolds, Frank Tudela, Ed Diaz, Elly Stoilova, Ken Kramer; Cinta Kaipat; Absalon Waki, Gus Kaipat, Viola Kaipat, Nina Rivera, Marites Castillo, Merced Ada, and Sablan.