USO Guam and Matson Navigation hosted the 14th annual Rock and Run For Our Heroes 5K event Saturday, Dec. 8, at Skinner’s Plaza, Hagatna.

The event began at 5 a.m. with numerous DJ’s performing for the participants as they arrived. The festivities were led by radio personality Kyle Mandapat.

Race time began at 6 a.m. after a performance of the national anthem and the Guam hymn. Runners were challenged with a slippery race course after light rain briefly occured before the race began.

Guam Olympian Derek Mandell was crowned with first place overall award, finishing with a time under 17 minutes. Mandell recently came back from Japan, where he competed in the Osaka Marathon.

The first 1,000 finishers of the race were able to receive a free dri-fit t-shirt. A photo booth was also present after the race for runners to capture their experience with their friends and family.

Runners were also eligible for the grand prize, a United Airlines round-trip airfare to Asia or Micronesia.

The funds raised during this event will be used to support members of the military and their families.

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SGA president Evander DeGuzman called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Representatives from different student organizations were in attendance.

Several bills were introduced by the SGA senators and put up for discussion. An act introduced by senator Benjamin Morita was approved by the council.

The act intends to provide funds to support a Thanksgiving event to be held at UOG.

An act introduced by senator Marilea Torcelino was also approved by the council after much deliberation.

“This 4th regular session was our first session in which a situation like this happened and it being my first term as a senator, it was very intense and serious,” Torcelino said.

The act approved intends to provide funds to support UOG’s ROTC Ranger Challenge team, who will be travelling off island to compete with other schools.

After the meeting, students were treated to a free dinner, courtesy of the SGA. The dinner was catered by Jamaican Grill.

The 5th regular session for the SGA will be held on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. For more information, contact Evander DeGuzman at 671-788-9699.

All photos courtesy of Bradley Bartonico.

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With previous teaching stops in Florida, San Diego, Washington, and Washington D.C., Barbara Gail Jacala-Whalen can say she has been all around for work.

 With over 20 years of teaching experience under her belt, Jacala-Whalen has experienced different types of demographics in her classroom. However, the English and critical thinking instructor has finds that teaching in her home island stands out from the rest. 

“Coming back home it’s different,” Jacala-Whalen says. “I always appreciate it, though. Because it’s something familiar, and the values between each location is different. There’s something to say about the sincerity of students here on Guam. The value system within the society is so much less egotistical. The group dynamics, there’s more community in the classroom and shared among students than there are in other places I’ve been.” 

Though she has been away for the past 20 years, Jacala-Whalen finds comfort in knowing that the values and culture in Guam remain the same. 

Jacala-Whalen is currently in her second year of instructing at the University of Guam.

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