More than 220 stories from American Samoa students have been entered in a story competition sponsored by Samoa Stationery and Books Pago and Eveni Pago, and organized by the Samoa Observer.
Organizing Committee member, Marj Moore said the Committee is thrilled with the response to this first promotion to take place in the territory.
Moore paid tribute to the parents and teachers who had encouraged their young people to write and to S.S.A.B. Pago and Eveni Pago for making the competition possible.
Schools involved include Aua Elementary School, Peteli Academy, St Theresa’s, Manulele Tausala, Manumalo Baptist, the South Pacific International Christian School, Matafao Elementary, Pavaiai Elementary, Alataua Lua Elementary, Leone High, Fa’asao Marist, Tafuna High, Samoana High and the American Samoa Community College.
The stories from close to 15 elementary and secondary schools and the American Samoa Community College, will be judged separately from the Samoa competition.
The topic this year for both countries is ‘My World – as it is or how you would like it to be’.
Moore said this allows students to give their view of their lives but it also allows them to dream about the kind of world they would like to live in.
As well as sharing the stories through the competition, Moore said this particular topic could lend itself well to the tourism sector in the promotion of American Samoa and Samoa as a destination.
Despite the push for Samoan language instruction in elementary schools by the local Department of Education, KHJ News has been told that only 5 of the entries are in the Samoan language.
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For now, the stories are with the judges after which a prize giving ceremony will be held in Pago Pago around the end of April or beginning of May.
