An, Chua lead junior high graduating class of MBA

  Emily An and Delaney Kyle Chua led the 2012 junior high school graduates of the Marianas Baptist Academy during its 25th Commencement Exercises at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe last Friday.

Of the 17 graduates, An was honored with the “Highest Honor” award while Chua was bestowed the A-Honor.

The junior high school graduates, along with the high school graduates, were awarded their diplomas by school president Yang Hoon Lee, principal and vice president Ramiro H. Trinidad, secretary/treasurer Leah R. Alfred, guest speaker Jennifer Dockter, Math teacher Tony Flores, and Science teacher Lorna Liban.

The 13-year-old An is the older of two children of Lee Tae-Kyung and An Min Ho. She has joined various competitions such as the Academic Challenge Bowl, National Junior Forensic League, Mathcourt, and Geography Bee.

In an interview following Friday’s ceremony, An said it took a lot of tears and hardships to achieve the highest honor in her class.

“I’m really thankful to my mom who helped me toward this goal, which is graduating the best in eighth grade,” she said.

An also credited her teachers who taught her the “real world” by challenging her and giving her the important lesson of facing the consequences of her own choices and actions.

An, who plans to pursue high school studies also at MBA, said she found wonderful friends at MBA. “Trust your friends because they’re always there for you. Always be grateful to your parents, no matter what they say,” said An, adding that she plans to be more involved in community service in high school.

A-Honor awardee Chua is the second of three children of Celso and Nancy Chua of Gualo Rai. He has actively joined academic competitions, including NJFL and Mathcourt.

Chua, 12, revealed that it wasn’t that difficult for him to graduate with honors. “It’s very easy to get good grades if you study and focus in it,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Chua acknowledged God, his family, and the school principal who were all instrumental in his academic success. He plans to study high school either in MBA or at Saipan Southern High School.

Other junior high school graduates this year are James Christopher Calma, Yi Jun Chen, Eden Abigail Deang, Henry Kyle Hofschneider, Ki Youn Kim, Myoung Ki Oh, Robert Ismael Solis, John Michael Arugay, Gary Chan, Daniel Han, Joel Jang, You Na Lee, Debby Siu, Shizuka Takayama, and Andrei Stephen Woodruff.