Kagman High graduates 135 Ayuyus

Kagman High School seniors cheered “A-Y-U-Y-U” one last time as their four years of high school together came to end at the American Memorial Park yesterday.

KHSs Class of 2015 was welcomed with a large crowd spilling over the seats of the park’s amphitheater yesterday afternoon. Such dignitaries as Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG. Torres, members of the Legislature, and other leaders also welcomed the class.

As some of the guest speakers and emcees spun it yesterday, the Public School System—after the graduations of Marianas High School and Saipan Southern High School the previous two days—saved “the best class for last.”

Clea-San-Nicolas, valedictorian.

Class valedictorian Clea San Nicolas, in her address, reminded her fellow graduates of the “evolution” and “molting” during the last four years.

“We have broken out of our old shells,” she said.

“In the last tidal wave [senior year], time quickly passed as we completed our high school years. Many of us developed senioritis—a disease with a long list of symptoms—procrastination, fatigue, headaches, entitlement, and mood swings.

“Like in our freshmen year, our emotions were once again a confusing mix of trepidation, confidence, fear, hesitation and enthusiasm,” she said.

But as the year went on, San Nicolas said—to loud cheering from her classmates—they soon came to realize that “the only thing to cure to senioritis was graduation.”

“We will break out of our shells, we will molt, growing and falling, dreaming and doing,” she said.

Paolo Josef Reyes, salutatorian.

Salutatorian Paolo Josef Reyes, who was voted “most serious” at their senior prom, asked to close his address with “one last cliché.”

“Listen closely. Why aim for the sky, when there are footprints on the moon?”

“Brainstorm your answers—I want your answers in an essay, MLA (Modern Language Association) format, with at least 500 words,” he joked.

Following San Nicolas and Reyes in the KHS’ “Top Ten—or students with the highest grade point averages—were Mebric Navisaga, Malaina Gabriel Kileleman, Kioki Kyler Kapileo, Emmalou Mae Cabrera, Kimverlyn Mae Butters, Christian Jacob Punzulan, Dimitrios Camacho, and Dionne Jasmine Asano Deleon Guerrero.

Education Commissioner Dr. Rita Sablan acknowledged the seniors for being the pilot class for their Distance Education—or online learning—program when it began four or five years ago.

Sablan, who taught a couple of those classes, said her two top students then, were also the two top students yesterday, San Nicolas and Reyes.

Board of Education chairman Herman T. Guerrero also commended the seniors for their class average of a 2.6 GPA.

Victorino Torres, lawyer and brother of the lieutenant governor, brought his “quack on” to the ceremony when he pulled out a “duck call,” the traditional whistle used to emulate the sound of duck.

Victorino Torres, who gave the keynote speech, was telling the students to be the “best they can become” in whatever they do. Torres is also a competitive poker player.

He demonstrated the different kinds of calls he and his brothers studied up on to attract ducks to them.

“I don’t know if were the beset duck hunters out there. But I can tell you this; we were the best duck hunters that we could become. Promise me that you will be the best you can become.”