Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death on Guam. According to I Pinangon, data from 2014 shows the rate of local suicide incidence to be 21 deaths per 100,000 in the population. Compared to the rate of suicide the U.S. mainland at 13 deaths per 100,000, the local rates are significantly higher.

I Pinangong strives to decrease the presence of suicide through community presentations, campus outreach and additional suicide prevention services. These services are available to the students, faculty staff and the local community.

The program regularly conducts activities.

The program primarily hosts gatekeeper presentations in classrooms around campus.

FY101 professors usually requests for these presentations to be held in their classroom at the beginning of the semester.  These presentations are usually targeted at the introductory courses each semester. Students are educated about the warning signs of suicide and risk factors.

Gatekeepers also include coping strategies to help students in their daily lives. These presentations are beneficial to have in the classroom because students can identify with the warning signs and seek help.

I Pinagong also provides services to the community. Sometimes they will help families coping with the loss of a loved one to suicide through postventions. They help the families process the effects of a suicide.  

The program focuses on building awareness of suicide on campus and extend this awareness out to the community.

One of I Pinangong’s most popular events is a suicide prevention program forum held in September, Suicide prevention month at the UOG CLASS Lecture Hall. At the forum issues surrounding suicide is addressed by panelists in a discussion based style. Members of the community are welcome to attend this free public event. Over the past few years, numbers in attendance has increased.

Mayumi Krause, head program assistant of I Pinangong, said: “Suicide is a touchy subject and there is still a lot of stigma surrounding it but we have seen year to year that people are more willing to talk about it. ”

Some professors also advertise the event in their classes and encourage their students to attend.

Peace office members highlight updates suicide stats at this event. A keynote speaker also gives a talk on suicide prevention and their personal experiences.

Panel members introduce themselves and their role in the community. Then members of the audience are welcome to ask questions.

I Pinangong regularly hosts outreach activities weekly where they focus on various mental health-related activities.

The worry box activity allows students to write a worry into the box anonymously and this allows them to set that worry aside for the time being. In a weeks time they come back to the worry and reevaluate the outcomes of that worry.

Another activity is the little things activity where students and faculty wrote down a coping strategy that they use to alleviate their stress and anxiety on a board. Some of these coping strategies could range from running to listening to music. After they post their coping strategy on the board, they take another one and try it out for themselves as a coping skill.

I Pinangong tries to do two to three different outreach campaigns throughout the semester.

Additionally I Pinangong can refer individuals who know someone who is thinking of suicide to ISA psychological services, the mental health facility on campus at the University of Guam that is available to students, staff and community members.

Periodically, I Pinangong may host trainings on SafeTalk, a half-day training on suicide prevention. This alertness training is for participants age 15 and older to become a suicide alert helper. participants are trained to recognize signs of suicide and the actions to take to connect victims with life saving intervention resources.

Through educating the campus community about suicide prevention measures and practices.

In addition to the presence of suicide prevention through the I Pinangong program on campus, a Suicide Prevention and Response Protocol for the staff and faculty of the University of Guam has been created last academic school year.

I Pinangong aims to host trainings and presentations on this response protocol in each school to spread the awareness of suicide prevention on campus.

All these efforts help to spread the awareness of the problem of suicide not only on campus but also to the local community.

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Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death on Guam

Records of suicide on Guam date back to the mid-19th century. A sharp rise in local suicides took place after the 1960s which became alarmingly high by 80s and declined after the year 2000. However, suicide is still prevalent in our community today.

Of these suicides, 60 percent occur among those under the age of 30. In comparison to the U.S. mainland, this statistic is unusual. Suicides in the states usually happen late in life after a loss of a spouse or a diagnosis of cancer to those who surpass fifty.

In Micronesia, the majority of suicide victims are young males between the ages of 15-24. These suicides often happen suddenly without external signs of suffering or downward spirals of depression.

“The narrow focus among young men 15 to 24 does not fit into western notions or patterns of suicide,” said Don Rubinstein, Ph.D., UOG Professor of Anthropology. 

Rubinstein has studied suicide throughout Micronesia since the 1970s. He has lived with families and communities affected by this issue. He has found that suicide in the islands were impulsive and usually a result of something that seemed so trivial like a scolding by a parent when the child was late to work the land.

Suicides in Micronesia tend to be episodic, and come suddenly rather than showing signs of suffering early on.

Hanging is a popular choice of method for suicide among young males, whereas ingesting of poison is more common among women.

Death by hanging accounted for 90 percent of suicides in Micronesia during the 70s.  However, it was not suspended hanging and instead leaning backward. This meant that the victims died from a lack of oxygen not air. It is a very passive method and can reveal questions and insight to the pattern of suicide as a cultural issue.

According to Rubinstein, suicide rates in Micronesia were three times greater than the U.S. rates of suicide during the Reagan presidential campaign, which at the time considered suicide to be a national crisis during the 80s.

Rubenstein explained that sometimes suicide attempts are not intended to end in death. Sometimes a suicide attempt is a dramatic cry for help.

For every 100,000 males aged 15-24, 20-25 Americans lost their lives to suicide while in Micronesia 250 out of 100,000 died for that same demographic.

This statistic is staggering in comparison. In the states, suicide was a serious problem yet in Micronesia the rates of suicide were three times higher than that in the mainland.

In 2009, the Guam Youth Suicide Prevention Grant provided funds to create a profile of suicide on Guam to be a baseline measurement for the focus on life.

According to this report, from 2000 to 2007, suicides accounted for one death every two weeks.

And while we have these statistics recorded, we still do not have a clear sense as to why they happen.

Reports on suicide do not go in depth with solutions.

TU;MA, a social movement spearheaded by Jesrae Moylan, who lost her brother to suicide, formed to help reduce suicides within the local community. Moylan is passionate about this issue as she lost her brother Ray to suicide. Taking Up Mental Awareness is named after Ray’s nickname, uncle Tuma.

Moylan explained that while the TU;MA team is not a group of experts, its members have been affected by suicide. They aim to provide a safe place in the community to “talk up” this issue and prevent it.

The social movement hopes to reach those struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide through the use of social media and outreach events.

They held their first suicide awareness wave in 2018 and was met with great support.

“There is a lack of suicide awareness in schools and that is where it starts with the youth” Moyland said.

Moylan aims to reach the youth to educate them on outlets and options to express their emotions. “Sometimes kids just want attention,” Moylan said. Moylan wants to see more teachers and law enforcement who are trained in suicide prevention. 

Organizations such as TU;MA and health centers provide the community with a safe space to share their experiences with suicide and heal from mental illness.

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On Tuesday December 4, the St. Paul warriors won victory over the Guam High Panthers girls basketball team with a score 69-30. This win put the warriors in line for the IIAAG finals on Friday the 7th against the Academy of our Lady of Guam Cougars.

St. Paul Warriors coach, Paul Pineda was proud of his team. “…what you see out on the floor is a testament to what each and every girl puts out at practice” Pineda said.

Warrior Isla Quinata set the stage at the opening of the game with a three point play. 8 minutes into the game the warriors were in the lead with 20-8 on the scoreboard. Guam High panthers were on trail trying to catch up the scoreboard. By intermission, the warriors were now leading with 36-14. Ending the game with 69-30.

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On Sunday October 14, 2018, a free health fair was held at the Ordot-Chalan Pago community center as a community outreach effort.

Free health screenings were conducted by volunteers from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

This was the first time a health fair was hosted in the village to bring a more grass roots approach on health and wellness outreach.

Majority of the volunteers were from the Seventh Day Adventist Clinic including nurses and doctors and family members.

They conducted blood pressure and sugar tests as well as BMI measurements and one on one consultations with a doctor.

Participants went through five stages where they measured their height weight and blood levels. After consulting results with a doctor, healthy food demonstrations hosted for the community to sit in on.

Participants were provided with recipe printables and food samples as the demonstrations were conducted.

Locals learned the health properties of certain ingredients such as chia seeds, himalayan salt, oats, nuts and grains.

When exiting the community center, participants were gifted with a vibrant life magazine and other health pamphlets.

Waiting in the parking lot was an array of items for those in need comprised of donated second hand clothes, shoes and toys by volunteers.

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In 2005 Belgium native, Else Demeulenaere relocated from Switzerland to the southern village of Ipan with her husband Tom Schils and two month old son Bas.

Years following, their family grew with the additions of second son Ekko and daughter Luna Isa. For the first seven years on island, Else devoted her time to care for her children and ensure they cultivated a strong connection with nature. Everyday they would walk to the beach from their home.

During this time Demeulenaere also started a community garden in her backyard and would teach on sustainability. Today Demeulenaere is currently the associate director for the Center of Island Sustainability at the University of Guam.

She is a botanist and dedicates her time to preserve native plant with an ecosystem based approach. Her work goes hand in hand with her husband Tom Schils Director of the Marine Laboratory.

This power couple’s dynamic relationship has instilled a  great appreciation for Guam’s environments upon their children.

What is done to the land affects our oceans and as islanders with limited resources, living sustainably is vital to protect the health of our island environments. Else leads a sustainable lifestyle not only through her work but also in her home life and serves as an inspiration to us all.

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According to archaeologist Bart Lawrence, Ph.D., charcoal remnants in soil layers reveal humans first introduced fire to the island for agricultural purpose known as a slash and burn technique.

According to ecologist Dwayne Minton, Ph.D., up to 10% of Guam’s area is burned by anthropogenic fires, meaning they originate from human activity.

The National Park Service confirms that the island lacks conducive natural or spontaneous ignition sources. In order for wildfires to occur spontaneously in nature, humidity should fall below 25%. Guam’s humidity levels average above 80%.

The distance from the land and sea creates a disconnect of the impending danger that fire poses to Guam’s island terrestrial and marine ecosystems. What is done to land in the ridge impacts what happens to the reef.

Guam Department of Agriculture Forestry and Soil Resource Division Cooperation Fire Protection Program Manager, Christine Fejeran, said: “It’s all connected. Fire in the ridge is smoke in the village. Smoke in the village is a 911 call because someone can’t breathe. It’s all connected. Fire in the ridge is sediment in the river. Sediment in the river is Ugum water treatment plant being shut down. It’s all connected.”

Significant negative effects of fires on the island are an increase in erosion and badland formation. Badlands are brown sore spots of land devoid of vegetation. Without plant life and root systems in place, sedimentation easily washes downstream into the watershed and pollutes the water.

In 2002, local fishermen noticed a decline in the sizes of their catch due to accelerated erosion that followed construction development throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s. Sediment harms corals by directly smothering them and by blocking out sunlight in the water column preventing them from producing 90% of their energy through photosynthesis. With an increase in sediment runoff, coral reef health declines along with the fish population.

Wildfires also lead to a decline in native species. After every fire, the health of the trees and plants in that ecosystem diminishes. Burning native species gives invasive species the opportunity to take root and overcome them.

Data reveal that in 2016, there were 770 fires on Guam, resulting in 6.2% of the islands area scorched. Last year Guam suffered from 398 fires leaving about 2.8% of the islands area burned. To alleviate these damages local organizations partake in restoration efforts.

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A technical report released by WERI in March 2010 concluded that arson was the cause of most wildfires on Guam. A majority of these fires occur in the southern region of the island. These grassland fires are historically tied to arson specifically for poaching purposes.

Poachers set fires with the intention to attract deer. The deer are drawn to the new grass shoots that grow after an area is burned. Down south, fires are frequently set in areas including Leo Palace, Dan Dan Malojloj, Ija Inarajan, Umatac and Merizo.

Joey San Nicolas, chief of the Guam Fire Department believes arsonists are aware of the threats burning has to the island ecosystems and local community.

“The area burned is abundant in wildlife and when the new sprouts of vegetation grow, it attracts the game into open areas.  I believe they know very well the impacts including government resources expended, dangers to surrounding properties and persons, and the environment, regardless they continue to burn these areas,” said San Nicolas.

In recent years only  a low number of suspected arsons have been charged and prosecuted. San Nicolas believes a lack of arrests plays a role in allowing arson-caused wildfires to persist.

Mark Aguon, chief of Guam Department of Agriculture Forestry Enforcement, expresses frustrations with the difficulty in arresting arsonists. Aguon explains that the law makes it hard to conduct an arrest because authorities are required to witness the suspect physically light a fire.

Aguon said: “Even if we are to see a lone jeep leaving a path where the fire started, we cannot arrest them because we did not see it. Even if they have soot on their hand, We have brought it up to officials before.”

Guam Law 5GCA Ch 63 subsec 63403 states: “It shall be unlawful for any person to start, or allow a fire to extend, onto government land or the land of another causing damage or destruction to plant or animal life or to any property thereon. Any person violating this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”

The Guam Forestry conservation officers patrol the southern part of the island on the lookout for signs of fire or illegal activity.

They put out the savanna fires, however they do not conduct arrests. Arrests are made by forestry law enforcement.

San Nicolas shared an example of the difficulty in making an arrest or charge for arson.

San Nicolas said: “We had evidence of a large rock wrapped in a newspaper was partially burned and determined to be the cause of the fire. The evidence was found near Rt 17 where a passer-byer could have simply thrown it from a moving vehicle. No further leads were determined and therefore case remains cold.”

“Real hunters don’t burn because many hunters are fishermen too and they know they are ruining their chances in the water,” said Guam Department of Agriculture Forestry and Soil Resource Division Cooperation Fire Protection Program Manager, Christine Fejeran.

The Guam Fire Departments is currently working with Legislature to update the Fees and Fines schedule which would provide a significant impact and deterrence for criminal arson activity.

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Joey Crisostomo Jr., from Let’s Ride Guam, said being eco friendly was a core part of their business plan, as managing a business is important and you also need to learn when only filing one of the two W2 forms for your business.  The Crisostomos are passionate about maintaining and enjoying the Southern region of the island.

They are focused on eco tourism and cater to tourists, locals and the military community, by hosting adventure tours in the south.

“We want to show visitors the beauty of Guam outside of Tumon,” Crisostomo Jr. said.

One of their rules is to leave the place cleaner than they found it.
Their group sponsors trash clean ups and utilizes their light weight vehicles to clean hard to access ground.

With the health of the environment in mind,  representatives from the off roading community gathered with conservationists, scientists and community members to brainstorm guidelines for responsible off roading on Feb. 15.

Panelists Joey Crisostomo, President of Cars Plus, Mike Taitano of Guam Jeeps, Jay Jones of Triple J Auto, and Joey Crisostomo Jr. from Let’s Ride Guam took the initiative to learn how they could practice their outdoor passion responsibly and make partnerships to restore island environments.The roundtable discussion was facilitated by the University of Guam’s Center for Island Sustainability, Sea Grant and EPSCoR.

Austin Shelton, Ph.D., executive director of CIS, hosted the discussion and gave a brief overview on badlands and their effects on coral reefs. According to Shelton, Guam has the most diverse coral reefs in the U.S. with over 375 species.

Lately, sediment and algae have been killing Guam’s reefs. During heavy rains, sediment is washed downstream and smothers coral. Badlands are one of the main sources for sedimentation and irresponsible off roading can lead to more erosion which adds to this environmental stressor.

The Crisostomos wanted to gather the community and the experts to come up with guidelines to enjoy their sport responsibly.

Jay Jones from Triple J Auto expressed a similar sentiment.  

“I see the changes that have happened over the last few years and I’m concerned about it because I want these areas to remain accessible and viable for my children and my grandchildren,” Jones said.  

Mike Taitano announced that his group would meet at paseo to plant trees the following weekend.

According to Crisostomo Jr, Let’s Ride Guam uses light weight vehicles weighing 115 lbs or less with small tires that do not tear up dirt in the same way that bigger heavier vehicles do.

“ We are here to work with the community to make a restoration plan and create partnerships,” said Crisostomo Jr.

The round table generated several points considered for guidelines that the off roading community is in the process of implementing with Tread Lightly and will adopt and self regulate.

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History
Placement tests are utilized to sufficiently place students at their ideal academic skill level. UOG has traditionally used human scoring to grade the english placement tests which consists of two parts. Students are required to construct an essay in response to a given prompt under the essay portion within and fill in the blanks under the clozed section.

“One size does not fit all” says Sharleen Santos-Bamba, Ph.D, and UOG CLASS associate dean. Standardized placement tests may be a good test but is it the best test for our local population aks Santos-Bamba. The prompts that are used for the UOG placement tests are written by locals who can relate to students in a way that standardized tests lack.

Because prompts are formed around cultural issues, students have more leeway to respond with clear examples that they are familiar with. This allows students more confidence to write a well written essay and score higher explains Santos-Bamba.

“We try to have topics that our students are familiar with and can relate to because that’s the best way to get someone to write about something. Those are things they can respond to with confidence and that’s really important when we look at assessments” said Santos-Bamba.

Human Scoring
Essays are graded by a carefully selected team that looks at how effective the writer structured and supported their thesis with evidence.

“Its a lot of work to do human scoring. You need a body to go in and read the 600 essays. And it is more expensive but our administration continues to support it as long as we can sustainably do so” shares Santos-Bamba.

The tests go through a double blind grading system where two members read over the essay and default to a third party if the concluding placement differs.

“Open enrollment will always have placement benefits of human scoring. They treat the test taker as a human with all the complexities that come with writing and critical thinking” says Perez “With artificial intelligence you can’t have that.”

Online
The English placement team has piloted an online version of the English placement test last Fall 2017. With these results the team plans to refine the test and make it a viable option for students from neighboring islands. Local students will also have the opportunity to test online if they reserve a slot.

College Readiness Initiatives
The UOG english composition team has conducted college readiness programs and outreach at local high schools since 2010.

“These initiatives started around the time teachers from the high schools reached out to us asking what they could do to help their students place into the college level.” says Chris Garcia, Professor of english composition.

Professors from the UOG composition department spoke to instructors on college writing expectations. They explained to teachers what their students could expect on the placement exams and how they can better prepare them for it.

“Because of that interest [from teachers], we got to see the quality improve over time. More and more students placed higher within the past 7-8 years.” said Garcia.

EN109
EN085 and EN100 have been eliminated as a result of higher placement scores, creating EN109 in their place. This four credit course allows students to refresh basic english skills. If students excel through EN109, they have the opportunity to go straight into EN111.

EN109 focuses on developing thesis driven essays and studying the types of evidence that are used to support those claims. They also work on composing sentences that use academic conventions says Garcia.

Looking Forward
College readiness initiatives can positively influence placement scores as we have seen within recent semesters. The University of Guam continues to cultivate a relationship with local high schools. The English department has already administered placement tests at the schools and spoke of opportunities such as dual enrollment and writing camps said Perez. Getting students familiar with higher education expectations will better prepare them for college success.

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Participants engaged in panel discussions and received presentations on topics such as using science in the courtroom, climate change effects in the Pacific, challenges with island-sustainability, the health of our coral reefs, new environmental technology such as eDNA, policy and legal response, environmental litigation, enforcement, and marine protected areas.

The conference unified scientists and judicial members and gave them the opportunity to share the issues, concerns, and solutions that they face within their own island districts.

“What was very eye opening for me in part from this conference was the challenges of my colleagues,” Carbullido said. “We need to develop more resources and learn to appreciate how these various parts of our environment interrelate so that we can be better informed.”

The Pacific Judicial Council consists of members from Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. Together they collaborate to improve the administration of the courts and justice in the Pacific region.  Delegates from these islands attended the conference to provide education to their judicial officers.

“The question we have in the judiciary is how can we use the tools of the legal profession to integrate with the science so we can make better decisions,” Carbullido said.

The primary goal of this conference is to educate the judges on the science related to environmental issues and integrate this knowledge to place better laws.

According to Carbullido, more and more environmental issues are coming to the forefront due to the effects of climate change, air pollution, water pollution and land regulation.

“We want to preserve the pristine beauty of our environment so that our children and our grandchildren can continue to experience the beauty of Guam and Micronesian islands” said Carbullido.

President of the Pacific Judicial Council, District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydignco-Gatewood shared her interest to learn more about environmental issues.

“Educating ignorant judges like myself is very important. Especially in the context of understanding future cases” said Tydingco-Gatewood.

The event’s keynote speaker was Noah Idechong, senior fisheries advisor of Palau.  Idechong shared his experiences in marine conservation. When Palau had encountered a fisheries problem in the 1980’s, Idechong outreached to 95% of the population of Palau starting from the chiefs and fishermen through the PRIDE Campaign.

“It’s about ownership,” Idechong said. “Taking ownership of your land and your shores because no one else will do it for you.”.

To end the conference, attendees toured the Fouha bay on the Humåtak Watershed Adventure. There they had the opportunity to make seed sling stones and released them during the hike down. During the trek, they saw badlands firsthand and learned about negative effects of sedimentation on coral reefs in the bay.

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“We’re passionate about being a place where people can connect with both the land and the culture that is deeply tied to it,” said Vince Pool, park manager at Sågan Tinanom.  

The project initiative started in July of 2016.  Since then, it has hosted over 400 volunteers. Volunteers range from teens to adults and meet regularly on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m..

“Sågan Tinanom” translated into English from CHamoru means “Place of Plants”

The lot was originally assigned for housing additional school staff in the 1960’s. However, those plans never came to fruition. Instead the land has been re-designated as a neighborhood park that would also include a football field.

Sågan Tinanom first started as a project in the Friends of the Parks Guam program under Island Girl Power. The intention was to revitalize the land that had been neglected and overgrown for over 50 years.

The park is dedicated to being a safe environment where classrooms and community members can physically connect with nature and actively learn and practice sustainability.

“When students come to Sågan Tinanom, one of the first things that we talk to them about are the meanings of those words—indigenous, endemic, introduced, and invasive,” explained Pool.

The limestone forest is full of invasive plants and trees such as Spathodea campanulata, African tulip as well as indigenous and endemic plant life. Students can learn the importance of eradicating invasive plants and preserving endemic and indigenous species.

They also learn of historic and cultural uses of the plants and trees such as making åmot, scavenging for food, building materials and jewelry making.

“We’re also committed to supporting self-sustainability on Guåhan through diversity and food-security by developing a portion of the Nature Park into the Sågan Tinanom Fruit Forest,” said Pool.

The nature park is currently underway of creating their first 30 feet by 30 feet “plant focus areas” and finalizing the permit for its Fruit Forest.

The plant focus areas will be used to grow and teach on specific different groups of native plants, while the fruit forest will be used to grow vegetation including non-native fruit trees that are capable of growing in tropical climate such as acai, tamarillo, jaboticaba, abiu, black saptote, plantains and others.

According to Pool, these small steps can help decrease our dependence on imported produce and raise sustainability through conservation.

Several school clubs, sports teams, and community organizations and agencies have been involved with Sågan Tinanom during its founding year.

“We’ve been extremely blessed to have so many volunteers since beginning our very first days with one or two people and a couple of machetes,” Pool said. “It’s been great working with the various government agencies that are supporting our efforts. Many of them have come out, walked through the trails, gotten to know more about what we’re doing first hand, and we’ve heard more and more that a place like Sågan Tinanom is needed.“

Sågan Tinanom recently hosted their first Indigenous Art Workshops where young women had the opportunity to make jewelry out of spondylus.

According to Sågan Tinanom’s instagram page, “For most of the girls, this was their first time ever using a dremel and it was so exciting to see their designs take shape,”  

Sågan Tinanom plans to host more free workshops connecting the community with carvers, weavers, and herbal healers within the upcoming months.

If you would like to partner with Sagan Tinanom you can contact them on their Facebook page at Sågan Tinanom / Dededo Nature Park or through email at sagantinanom@gmail.com.

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