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2011 FSM National Law Day

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Supreme Court): June 27, 2011 - The FSM National Law Day is one of the court's annually sponsored programs that features high school students representing their states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap in debates on issues of national significance.

The purpose of the Law Day when it was first organized and held in 1991 was to involve high school students and the general public in discussion of issues important to the Federated States of Micronesia as a developing nation. The FSM National Lay Day has become an important activity of the court. Since its inception on July 12, 1991, over 150 high School students from the four states have already been involved in the event and over $150,000 in scholarship funds has been issued. For the past nineteen years, the Federated States of Micronesia, through the Supreme Court, has been providing the opportunity to high school students to participate in the development of our nation through debates on issues important to the FSM, and the same opportunity to the general public to be involved in these discussions as well.

A coordinating committee is appointed each year by the Chief Justice to organize the law day. The committee selected its chairman after the appointment and decides on the topic of the debate. This year's topic is:

"BE IT RESOLVED that the Federated States of Micronesia Constitution should be amended to allow a state to secede from the Federated States of Micronesia"

Each year, the court pays to send the student debaters to the venue of the debates and provides scholarship money for their post-secondary education to attend colleges and universities of their choice including the College of Micronesia-FSM. The scholarship money is given to the student debaters upon their submission of letters of acceptance to the colleges or universities of their choice to the court.

Representing the each state are:

Pohnpei Team
High School: Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School
Coach: Ben Russell Fiqueras
Debaters: Carol Ann Carl and Bernis Pernes

Chuuk Team
Xavier High School
Coach Name: Ms. Sheryl Yumiko Lomongo
Debaters are Eleanor Titiml and Brandon Taiwermal

Kosrae Team
Kosrae High School
Coach: Lyna R. George
Debaters are Sepe Serlyann A. Isaac and Louisa Y. Yang

Yap Team
Not yet known

The venue for the 2011 FSM National Law Day is Yap State. . The ceremonies and debates will commence at 9:30 a.m., Yap time, and will be broadcast live throughout the Federated States of Micronesia on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 from the State of Yap.