The theme for this year was “Charting a course for new horizons.” As the island opens again, so does the road to a new, safer approach to Charter Day for UOG.

The festivities kicked off Thursday, Mar. 31, 2022, with a limited in-person ceremony that was live-streamed on UOG’s Facebook Page. Attendees this year were also required to register with Eventbrite and digitally sign in before entering the festival.

UOG implemented additional safety precautions on the day of the event, such as event staff wearing masks.

The event was held in a perimeter within UOG’s central courtyard, with security set up at different points to redirect attendees to the proper sign-in tent.

After signing in, attendees could enjoy festivities, including food trucks like UOG staple Hooker’s Fusion, live musical performances from local bands, and various activities held by student clubs and vendors.

Gabriella Prelosky, Treasurer/PRO for UOG’s Marine Opportunities/Nature Association (MONA), has had the opportunity to attend Charter Day both as an attendee and now as a member of a student organization.

She notes the difference in the size of the event compared to previous years’ celebrations.

“It is a lot smaller, which is understandable per COVID guidelines, but there are a lot of really interesting clubs and food trucks that I haven’t seen before at other Charter Days,” Prelosky comments.

Her club runs a touch-tank for echinoderms, which features various sea cucumbers, sea sponges, and sea plants.

Kieran Rios, a member of the Agriculture and Life Science Club, states that aside from changes like the masks, the same community and crowds are back to celebrate. “The support is phenomenal,” Rios comments. “Everything looks kind of the same.”

Rios’ club has several kinds of plants for sale and a game of cornhole. Those who tested their skills got a smaller plant for participating and had the opportunity to win more plants. If a player managed to get all five beanbags into the hole, they had their choice of a large plant to take home.

Games like these make Charter Day fun for students and families as well.

One attendee and her young son have been waiting for two years to return to Charter Day. Each year, she picks him up from school, and the two get some food, play some games, and enjoy the festivities together.

 “I think it’s great, and I hope they continue this year after year again,” she states.

Whether it’s a tradition or one’s first Charter Day, attendees look forward to the fun the day can hold. One of the event staff spent his first Charter Day helping others sign in. “I’m ready to feel the energy everyone here can provide,” He stated.

Despite the smaller scale of the event and safety precautions, Charter Day remains a day of food and fun that every UOG student should participate in at least once. “I believe they should experience it way more than once,” Rios states. “And even after you graduate, regardless if you don’t even go to UOG, you should come down to Charter Day. It’s an amazing experience.”

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Reported by: Cianna Yanger

The Guam Department of Education launched Operation Guardian, a short-term measure launched on Jan.13 to assist schools dealing with staffing shortages caused by COVID-19 and the recent surge of the Omicron variant.

According to GDOE’s Weekly Covid Dashboard, as of Wednesday, February 9, 2022, there are 309 new cases and 328 active cases across GDOE’s schools. About 13.7 percent of these cases are GDOE employees.

Every morning, schools in need of assistance request for help, after which staff from GDOE’s central office are placed in response.

Many of the staff sent to assist do not have backgrounds in education, teaching, and classroom management experience.

Jane Doe, a GDOE educator, explains how Operation Guardian helps from a teacher’s perspective.

“I think it’s a better solution than having teachers absorb the classes – but I do think that it’s a double-edged sword because you do have some people that aren’t trained to be teachers in the classroom,” Doe comments.

Another big challenge and concern is to make sure protocols are followed for both students and staff. According to GDOE’s Weekly Covid Dashboard, key mitigation measures that have been put in place include mandatory mask requirements, physical distancing, seating charts, promoting vaccination, and facilitating vaccination clinics for students through the ages of five to 11.

As of Wednesday, February 9, 2022, only 27.5 percent of those within the five to 11 age group are fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the vaccination rate of those within the 12-17 age group is 80.9 percent.

Parents like Celia Dydasco understand that while it cannot be helped, she disagrees with the idea of placing untrained staff in the classroom. Schools should stay open – but staff and students alike must stick to protocols.

“I have nothing to worry about except for the fact that – you know – people are sending their kids to school sick,” Dydasco states. “That’s my main concern. If your child is sick, keep your kid home.”

While one of the main benefits of staying home is safety, students lose out on the important social interaction a classroom setting provides. In-person classes allow them to work with and learn alongside their peers as well as allow teachers to assist them should they be struggling.

For students like Aiden Dydasco, being back in person has been a welcome change.

“Pros are I get to see my friends, and I’m not as distracted,” Dydasco says. Aside from being required to wear a mask, the fact he can interact with his friends far outweighs his experience of attending school online.

As of Tuesday, February 1, 2022, GDOE has reported a lower number of central staff being deployed for Operation Guardian. While Operation Guardian keeps schools open, Doe believes this should be kept as a contingency plan and not a regular response to staffing shortages during emergencies.

“I honestly think it should be kept as a last resort,” Doe says. “Not only you’re having a high turnover of different subs – but you’re disrupting those people’s original jobs. But I think it’s a better idea than having to have teachers absorb classes in an already full class.”

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The organization started in 1913 as the American Society for the Control of Cancer. At that time, a cancer diagnosis meant near-certain death. Their primary goal was to raise the public’s awareness about the disease.

In 1936, a legion of volunteers whose sole purpose was to wage war on cancer was organized, and in the years that followed eventually reorganized into the American Cancer Society.

In 1970, Guam joined the fight when Former First Lady Lourdes Camacho established the American Cancer Society Guam. No matter the location, the mission of ASC remains the same: save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.

This mission carries on even in a pandemic. Since COVID-19 is especially dangerous to those with compromised immune systems, cancer patients are among those at the highest risk when exposed to the virus.

Community, Cancer and COVID-19

For Tina Noket, ACS senior community development manager, the fight against cancer goes on even during the lockdown.

A UOG alumna with a background in social work, Noket initially got involved with ACS through work before taking on her current position. She assists ACS in delivering cancer education and develop awareness programs and patients’ services for Guam’s community.

She also plays a part in organizing ACS’s many events, the most prominent being the annual Relay for Life held in May.

Other events include the Real Men Wear Pink campaign, various conferences, and training for medical professionals, survivors and the community to get involved.

Volunteers like Cerina Mariano offer their time to ACS and encourage others to do so.

“There’s different kinds of tasks for different kinds of strengths, and the staff is always so appreciative of any help they can get,” Mariano said.

While this year’s Relay for Life has been postponed due to the current COVID-19 situation, ACS continues to run operations remotely.

The pandemic has severely impacted the group’s annual fundraising activities such as Relay for Life and greatly limits the group’s efforts to gather.

“We are working with our volunteers on a plan that would allow us to continue to engage our community in the fight against cancer while adhering to the executive orders put forth by the Governor,” Noket said.

Cancer survivors like David Santos have also been affected by the cancelation of the event.

Santos was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2016 and had received treatment in the Philippines.

Santos wanted to run the Relay with his family this year in honor of his older brother, who lost his fight with the disease in September 2018.

“I want to do more for those who aren’t as lucky as I am,” Santos said. “Groups like ACS are important because they show the people looking for the cure how important their jobs are.”

Patients can reach still reach ACS via telephone. They are delivering limited patient services such as gas cards, scarves, and hats via the mail weekly. Patients can also call their 800.227.2345 toll-free number should they have any questions.

Noket encourages the community to come together in support now more than ever. “To quote Helen Keller, ‘Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much,” Noket said.

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