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SHRM, PIC donates to KHS’ Million Dollar Scholar
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- The Society for Human Resources-NMI Chapter donated $1,500 to Kagman High School’s Million Dollar Scholars as part of their mission to promote education.(Frauleine Villanueva-Dizon)
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- KHS’ Million Dollar Scholars also received $1,500 from the Pacific Islands Cub. In exchange, PIC said they want a report of the student’s life once they go attend college. (Frauleine Villanueva-Dizon)
Donors continue to support Kagman High School’s Million Dollar Scholar.
Among them are the Society of Human Resource Management-NMI chapter and the Pacific islands Club Saipan who contributed $1,500 each.
During SHRM’s meeting at PIC last March 31, KHS teacher Gerard van Gils shared their program’s vision and his students’ need with regards to attending college.
Out of their 20 scholars, van Gils presented Josepha Dela Cruz Cabrera who read her essay.
Cabrera shared her story as a farmer’s young daughter who grew up helping her family sell produce during Saturdays at the Sabalu Market.
“Now that I am more grown, applying for scholarships and writing reflective essays, I have learned that my father’s real harvest is me. He grew me as vibrant as our greens, he raised me as strong as our coconut trees, he brought me up with a culture as rich as our soil. I can read the plants, I can read Shakespeare. I know I can succeed because my life has taught me that work ethic is more important than innate ability,” Cabrera shared.
Cabrera said that even though she will leave the island to study, she made sure that she will return.
“More important than leaving, I will return. I will come home ready for harvest, fully grown and mature. I will honor my ancestors by raising and improving the next generations in our sacred land. I will teach my children the names of the plants in Chamorro, I will teach them to speak Tagalog, I will read them poetry in English. I know college will be work and leaving my island will be hard, but this farmer’s daughter will never lack effort; I will never leave the job half-done,” Cabrera said.
According to van Gils, they are hoping to publish Cabrera’s essay along with the essays of the 19 other scholars in a book entitled “Reflections of Survival and Scholarship” that they hope to release this month.
They are continually seeking support from the public to help them raise $1 million in scholarship funds for flights, clothing, and other stuff for the first generation of Million Dollar Scholars.
SHRM-NMI chapter president Josephine DLG Mesta presented van Gils the check.
“One of the mission in our by-laws to promote educate so we decided that it is a very, very good cause,” Mesta said, “Since we’re in charge of the labor force, who else right?”
PIC executive assistant manager Vicky Benavente also presented a check to van Gils that same day.
Benavente said they want to support the students in achieving their dreams. In exchange for their donation, they will require the students to share a report about their college education.
