H Å FA ADAI E VERYDAY | FEBRUARY 2019  | Volume 7, Issue No. 11
M.U. Lujan Elem. School Students Include
Håfa Adai Pledge Values in Daily School Culture
Student representatives from M. U. Lujan Elementary School’s 5th Grade Student Council and grade levels took the Håfa Adai Pledge on February 11, 2019 on behalf of the entire student body, who were in attendance. Representatives from the Guam Visitors Bureau administered the pledge event that kicked off the school’s preparation for Chamorro Month. Back row from left: GVB Culture and Heritage Officer, Dee Hernandez ; GVB Public Information Officer, Josh Tyquiengco ; M. U. Lujan Elem. School Vice Principal Elias Taisapic ; representatives of the student body; M. U. Lujan Elem. School Principal Natasha Dela Cruz ; and GVB Acting Director of Tourism Research, Nico Fujikawa.
The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) had the pleasure of welcoming more than 500 students, 68 faculty and staff from M. U. Lujan Elem. School as members of the Håfa Adai Pledge Kids program on Monday, February 11, 2019 at the school’s campus in Yona.

Administrators, teachers, students and family members attended the Håfa Adai Pledge ceremony that was held during M.U. Lujan’s Student of the Month assembly that also kicked off preparation for their Chamorro Month festivities. The students of M.U. Lujan Elem. School, home of the Dragons, made a roar as they opened the ceremony with several performances, which included cultural dances, chants, and songs led by Chamorro teachers Siñora Eva Cruz and Siñora Loretta Cruz.

“The opening ceremony was an amazing display of the school’s dedication to incorporating their Håfa Adai Pledge initiatives into their everyday school culture,” said Dee Hernandez, GVB Cultural and Heritage Officer.

Chamorro teacher Siñora Loretta Cruz noted, “These monthly performances are one of the ways our community here at M.U. Lujan celebrates and perpetuates our Chamorro culture.”

GVB’s Public Information Officer Josh Tyquiengco led the student body in their pledge to protect Guam’s culture, share the Håfa Adai Spirit, and protect the island’s natural resources. Siñora LeVonne Mantanona led the students in signing their certificates.

GVB Acting Director of Tourism Research, Nico Fujikawa thanked the teachers, parents and most especially, the students for enthusiastically sharing their cultural pride. He said, “Our job at GVB is to share our culture with our visitors. We are very proud to see that our culture is thriving at the school level. The best way to keep the culture alive is to live it, and you all are living it!”

GVB thanks M.U. Lujan Elem. School for their determination and effort to perpetuate and promote Guam’s unique culture. Watch the full signing ceremony here!

GVB invites all local schools, clubs and students to take the pledge at the upcoming HAP Kids event taking place during GVB’s Ko’ko’ Kids Fest on March 24 from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.at the Gov. Joseph Flores Memorial Park (Ypao Beach). Details can be found on GVB’s website: visitguam.com.
Skydive Guam’s Vasili Mladinov Celebrates 26,000th Jump
Guam Visitors Bureau Public Informations Officer, Josh Tyquiengco, joins Skydive Guam Inc. Tandem Skydive Instructor, Vasili Mladinov, at 14,00 feet for his 26,000th jump on February 9, 2019.
On February 11, 2019, Guam Visitors Bureau Public Informations Officer, Josh Tyquiengco, hanging 14,000 feet above Guam with Skydive Guam Inc. Tandem Skydive Instructor, Vasili Mladinov .

The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) was thrilled to join Skydive Guam Inc. in celebrating Tandem Skydive Instructor Vasili Mlandinov’s 26,000th jump on February 9, 2019. Skydive Guam hosted a Håfa Adai Pledge renewal ceremony that included a momentous jump from 14,000 feet in the air. Skydive Guam Inc., which has locations in Guam and Saipan, renewed the commitment it made in 2012 to help to educate its staff about Guam’s culture and historic sites and to preserve and protect Guam’s natural beauty by helping to keep Guam clean.

Mlandinov, who has been skydiving jumping for close to 50 years, mentioned during the ceremony that January will mark his 20th year as a resident of Guam. During his career, Mlandinov served as Captain of the Soviet Skydiving National Team for 10 years. He has broken world records in formation skydiving, and he is a seven-time national skydiving champion in Russia.

GVB’s Public Information Officer, Josh Tyquiengco, witnessed Mlandinov’s expertise firsthand as Tyquiengco and Mlandinov made a tandem jump over Guam from 14,000 ft. above sea level. A renewal ceremony was held at Skydive Guam, Inc.’s main office in Tiyan immediately after they landed. GVB celebrated its second jump with the Skydive Guam team and the Håfa Adai Pledge Program’s 10-year anniversary.

Ricky Woodall, general manager of Skydive Guam Inc., noted the importance of incorporating their Håfa Adai Pledge commitments into daily business operations. As valued partners in the tourism industry and the HAP program, Woodall and his team work hard to promote Guam’s beauty shown from their unique perspective, all while extending the Håfa Adai spirit to Guam’s visitors and local community.

Skydive Guam Inc.'s Vasili Mladinov's 26,000th jump!

VIDEO: Skydive Guam Inc.'s Tandem Skydive Instructor Vasili Mladinov takes the sky with Guam Visitors Bureau Public Informations Officer Josh Tyquiengco for Mladinov's 26,000th jump.
W.A.V.E. Club’s Håfa Adai Pledge Ceremony Sets 2019 Record with More Than 1,000 Members
Guam Visitors Bureau President and CEO, Pilar Laguaña , joined by Kenta Togashi , Guam sports enthusiast visiting from Japan, administers the Håfa Adai Pledge on January 30, 2019 to elementary and middle school representatives of the Tourism Education Council’s W.A.V.E. Clubs at the Islan Ideas Conference.

The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) welcomed more than 1,000 W.A.V.E. (Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically) Club members at the Tourism Education Council’s (TEC) Islan Ideas Youth Expo held at the Pacific Islands Club’s Pacific Pavilion on January 30 and 31. W.A.V.E. Club members, representing 19 middle and high schools from Guam and Saipan, set a record as the largest Håfa Adai Pledge signing for 2019.

Pilar Laguaña, GVB President and CEO, opened the ceremony on January 30 with great excitement stating, “We need to really care for our tourism industry. Each of you has the power to be the best you can be and contribute to making Guam a better place to visit and a better place for all of us to live.”

GVB Public Information Officer Josh Tyquiengco led the students in reading their pledges, “I pledge to protect our culture, I pledge to share the Håfa Adai Spirit, and I pledge to protect our natural resources.”

GVB shared the importance of the tourism industry for Guam and proudly welcomed the students to the program with an official signing ceremony. Many of the W.A.V.E Club members are returning participants from the 2018 conference, and many were refreshing their commitments.

The Håfa Adai Pledge Kids Program and the TEC W.A.V.E. Club share a common goal of helping the youth understand their individual power in initiating change, preserving Guam’s unique culture, and to make Guam a better place to live, work, and visit.

GVB thanks its industry and community partners Tourism Education Council Board Chairwoman and Senator Donna Muña Quinata, Board Chair Kevin Delgado, Board Chair Maridel Perez, and TEC
Executive Director Heidi Ballendorf for making this event possible.

If your business is interested in taking the Håfa Adai Pledge, please call: 1-671-646-5278.
Living the Håfa Adai Pledge:
Kevin Mattern
Kevin Mattern has served as the Assistant Chief Engineer at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa for 17 years. He is also a proud Veteran of the U.S. Air Force, retiring after 20 years as an electrical maintenance technician. He is one of the Hilton’s most hardworking and dedicated managers. He was also recognized as the Team Leader of the Quarter during the third quarter of 2017.

Kevin works hard to ensure the hotel is well maintained for guests, which can be a daunting task considering the property sits on 32-acres and has three towers. Even though he works behind the scenes, he always stops to greet hotel guests when they pass by. He is naturally kind-hearted and friendly and truly loves the island he calls home.

Kevin is considered a favorite among the staff, because he is very approachable. He is willing to listen and help his staff with any problems, even if they’re not work related. For instance, one of his employees was planning a wedding and was overwhelmed by the expenses. Kevin offered to bake the wedding cake for the momentous occasion. He also regularly volunteers for employee events. Kevin once designed and built a carnival game out of his garage for a recent Hilton Halloween carnival that was attended by more than 500 guests. These are the type of things he does regularly that contributed to his Team Leader of the quarter recognition.

Kevin's exceptional gift of making visitors and peers feel welcome, appreciated, and heard is the true definition of inafa'maolek. His diligence matched with his compassion for others enables not only him, but the Hilton community as a whole, to provide its guests and our local community with the best service and Håfa Adai Spirit possible.
From left: Former Senator  Dennis Rodriguez, J r., GHRA President  Mary P. Rhodes ,  Kevin Mattern , Senator Regine Biscoe Lee, and GVB Chairman of the Board  Milton Morinaga.
Meet Jesse Rosario , Owner and Nutrition Professional at the Boka Box. Our friends at Boka Box are here to help you understand what choosing the right foods can mean for everyone on Guam, both locals AND visitors! Join us and see how Tourism Works for them!
HISTORY DELEGATION OF GUAM PODCAST :
STROLLING AROUND GUAM
The History Delegation of Guam has created these podcast playlists for our island community and visitors to learn more about historical and cultural sites in Guam. Download and play as you stroll through the featured villages of Hag å t ña , Inal åh an, and Hum å tak for an exciting tour-like experience!


LEARN CHAMORRO
I love you forever.
Hu Guaiya Hao Para Siempre.