Ms. Janice Perez Atoigue 1999 Guam Cherry Blossom Princess
This year's Guam Society of America Cherry Blossom Princess is Ms. Janice Perez Atoigue of Mitchellville, Maryland. The 19 year old Chamorrita will be representing Guam during the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, scheduled for March 28th to April 11th. The Guam Society of America will be honoring Janice with a dance gala on Saturday, March 27th (please check out Offisland.com events web-site for details). Among the numerous activities the princess will be attending is the Lantern Lighting Reception on April 4th, sponsored by the National Conference of State Societies, where she will be introduced to all the other State and Territorial princesses. One of these princesses / representatives will eventually be crowned the 1999 Cherry Blossom Queen, who will represent the U.S. during the Japan National Cherry Blossom Festival in April. Janice is presently a sophomore at the University of Maryland, majoring in Biology. She is a participant of the Asian American Student Group and a member of the University's Dance Team that ranks ninth Nationwide. In 1997, Janice attended the Suitland High School (Maryland) for the Visual Performing Arts Program with a major in dance and graduated at the top 6 percent of her class of 620 students. Also, at Suitland High School, she was inducted into the National Honor & French Honor Societies; and was picked as co-Captain for her PomPom Squad. Her artistic talent in dancing earned Janice notable recognition when she was featured in the Who's Who High School Student of America in 1995; and when she was chosen by the founder of the prestigious dance Theater of Harlem in New York, Arthur Mitchell, to attend the residency dance Theater of Harlem at Suitland High School. Janice Atoigue's proud parents are former Guam residents, Lawrence Taimanglo Atoigue (Sinajana) and Jacinta Perez Atoigue (Yigo). Her one, and only, sibling, Lawrence Atoigue, Jr. attends high school in Maryland. Her primary ambition is to become a medical physician; while working part time as a Redskinette (cheerleaders for the Redskins-Washington, DC Football Team) or a Wizard (Washington, DC Basketball Team) dance team member. For more information on the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the numerous activities planned, surf on over to http://www.gwjapan.com/cherry/events.html |