It served as Humatak's only school for more than six decades.  Now, F.Q. Sanchez Elementary School has been named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual list of endangered places. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has used the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places to raise awareness about the threats facing some of the nation’s greatest treasures. Chief Program Officer of the Guam Preservation Trust Joe Quinata said he's excited about the news. 

"We just received notice from the governor that the funds to rehabilitate the school is on its way to the Guam Preservation Trust. We, the Guam Preservation Trust, had nominated the F.Q. Sanchez school back late last year, in November into the America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic site program and amongst all of the submissions from the nation, F.Q. Sanchez school made it to 11 Most," he said.

The school was built in 1953 and designed by world-renowned modernist architect Richard Neutra. Its name comes from Humåtak resident Francisco Q. Sanchez, the school's first principal and an early pioneer of historic and cultural preservation in the village.

"Richard Neautra’s son, Raymond Neautra was online to share with us a story of his father and a story about his father designing the F.Q. Sanchez school, as well as the school in Inalahan and the school in Adelup, where the Governor’s complex is. He also designed the government house," Quinata said. "But the historic F.Q. Sanchez school is the only structure that is really intact as he left it back in 1953."

The school has been closed since 2011. However, in March, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero's signed Bill 172-36 which would allow $3.5 million in funding to go towards the rehabilitation of the school. With the school now placed on the Endangered Historical sites list, Humatak Mayor, Johnny Quinata hopes that more funding will be available to add to the renovation of the learning facility.

With F.Q. Sanchez being added to the list of endangered sites, the Guam Preservation Trust hopes that it will attract more visitors from the mainland and around the world to learn more about our island’s culture and rich history.