Saipan
Mission
“Live to learn. Live to love. Live to give.”
Description
Saipan SDA School is a K-8 school with around 100 students. The school also operates a child development center for children 18 months to 4 years of age. The school is located just minutes away from the western side of the island overlooking the Philippine Sea with a fleet of US Navy boats on the horizon. Saipan is known for its amazing diving as well as its rich history in WWII. Exploring the island, it is possible to stumble across unused bullets or even larger mortars or shells. With easy access to Asian countries via SPN airport, it is easy and fairly inexpensive to travel abroad to South Korea or Japan for school breaks.
Quick Info
| Average fundraising goal | $3,700 |
| Living Allowance | $500 per month |
| Requirements | 1 year of college experience |
| Language | Chamorro is the local island language, however since it is an American territory, teaching and most business is conducted in English. |
| Timeline | Summer positions are available for summer school and CDC teachers. The SDA school also looks for CDC staff and maintenance/grounds staff to serve during the school year. For the 9-month SMs, there is a required training in Hawaii usually during the first week of August. |
Positions
Summer Program Teachers
Childhood Development Center (CDC) Teachers – ages will depend on availability
CDC Teacher's Aid
Maintenance Assistants
Grounds Assistants
IT Director
More Info
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
The school is located centrally in Saipan near the downtown tourism area. There are two churches on the island. Central Church is found near the school while Kaman church is on the east side of the island. Unfortunately, San Antonio church was dissolved after a major typhoon.
Student Missionaries are responsible for their own food. There are plenty of different stores on the island that usually have a wide variety of food. Joeten and Triple J food stores usually have a large supply of American food products from cereal to veggie meat. There are also many other more “local” stores that have the typical Asian fare that might be expected.
The school recently installed a $75,000 housing project, allowing future student missionaries to live on the school campus. Installed were three 2-bedroom apartments with a shared bathroom and living room/kitchen area. All apartments include AC, hot water, and gas stoves. The laundry room is complete with a washer and dryer but is in a separate "trailer" adjacent to the apartments. SMs are expected to provide their own quarters for the laundry.
The school owns several vehicles that are shared between student missionaries for the duration of their stay. The school takes care of the general maintenance and gas.
Island Activities
Saipan boasts a host of activities to engage in during free time. Along with the typical diving, snorkeling, and swimming, the island also has a smaller tourist island that is available to visit. Managaha is a short ferry ride away and tickets are free for Saipan residents. On the island there are nice sandy beaches, many different coral features, as well as options for parasailing and different boating activities. Water sports aren’t your thing? There are many different hiking trails to amazing viewpoints and cultural sights. The island also hosts a monthly men’s basketball league for those 21 and older. If you’re any good, you might even make it into the daily newspaper.
