Jan 22, 2009




Name: Francine Bernadette Chargualaf Cruz
Village: Dededo, Guam
From a family of: 6
School and area of study: University of Guam, Undeclared
In my family, I am known as the: Youngest, the Hugger.
Favorite non-academic activity:  listening to music and reading books.
I am really good at:  time management.
Career path: I am currently a freshman at the University of Guam.
How did you become aware of the Micronesia Challenge Young Champions: I was informed by my friend Aguarin who is a Young Champion as well. I went on the website and read the goal of the Micronesia Challenge. It sparked my interest and I decided to try it out.  
As a Young Champion, what do you hope to achieve: I always wanted to give back to my island. I hope to make a difference by educating the public on issues affecting our terrestrial and marine life.
How have you noticed your village and island has changed in terms of the environment and sea? I was born and raised on Guam. As the years passed, I have noticed a lot of development and road construction.  The island was changing before my eyes. The hearsay of global warming and pollution was not a reality for me until I learned about it for myself. In terms of the environment and sea, I’ve seen a lot of plants being cut down for new development and because of these new developments when it rains the sediments run into the sea and messes with the coral reef.
Are you working on any special projects right now? 
How is that special project coming along? 
What do you hope to accomplish becoming a Young Champion?
By 2020, I hope that:  The Micronesia Challenge thrives and reaches the goal of conserving 20% terrestrial and 30% marine life or exceed those expectations.