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Planning for the University of Guam (UOG) Island Wisdom Mini Regatta began in August 2025, in pwo navigator Larry Raigetal's office at the UOG Micronesian Area Research Center (MARC). We had come to him looking for a STEM Ambassadors Program (STEMAP) project idea grounded in reciprocity with the community. What he shared was bigger than we expected: a long-held vision for a Micronesia-wide voyaging cup, starting from Guåhan and sailing to Saipan and back, rooted in the living tradition of Pacific and Micronesian wayfinding. The Mini Regatta, he explained, could be a first step toward that.

My focal group was Faneyåkan Sinipok, an elementary CHamoru language immersion program. The group consisted of around 25 students ranging from kindergarten through 5th grade. In this program, students are taught all the usual subjects, but completely in the CHamoru language, along with an emphasis on place-based education. The project title was An Gaige Giya Inalåhan, which translates to When In Inalåhan. The southern village of Inalåhan holds various key sites that display the island’s beautiful landscapes and portray it’s rich history and culture – making it an ideal venue for this group.

As a civil engineering student from Guam, I’ve always seen engineering as more than formulas and blueprints, it’s about solving real problems that affect our island home. This spring, I had the opportunity to lead a community STEM workshop as part of the STEMAP program, where I introduced middle school students to the world of civil engineering in an interactive and culturally relevant way.