‘High school is the easiest part of your life’

CNMI Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio told Mt. Carmel School’s 2016 graduating class that high school is the easiest part of their lives and they should be prepared to face harder things that life may bring.

“My purpose is to inspire you, give you advice, and prepare you for life’s journey ahead. High school is the easiest part of your lives. Now, life has just begun to all of you,” said Tenorio, the chosen Commencement speaker of the Class of 2016.

She added last Saturday’s ceremony at the Mt. Carmel Cathedral is another graduation on the part of each stage of their lives.

“From baby food, you move to adult food. From crawling, you learn to walk. From Kindergarten, you advance to first grade. From tee-ball, you move to baseball, and from spanking, parents learn to talk and reason with you.”

“This is the result of the 12 years of education, of failures and accomplishments. Now, there are much hard things ahead of you. Use these life’s lessons in what direction you would take,” added Kim-Tenorio.

She said that some might figure a lot of things on their own with lots of failure and pain. “You can’t celebrate just yet. The titles you received will soon lose significance as you go on. Be prepared to become an overachiever.”

“I leave you with two things. One, don’t forget to thank your parents and guardians; they sacrificed a lot for you. Second, learn to volunteer to your community, it is your duty of giving back,” said Tenorio, who surprised everyone with a mic drop that also drew cheers from the high school class.

Jonathan Reyes Pangelinan, who will be going to Seattle University, was the class valedictorian with Chapman University-bound Cathryn Jane Albuen Javier as salutatorian. Thomas Lee Atalig Manglona II, a Millennium Gates Scholar who would attend University of California in Berkeley, led the departmental and subject awardees.

Manglona, the first honor, received awards for English Language Arts, Social Science, and Theology as well as the Bishop Tomas A. Camacho Christian Service, Governor’s Leadership, and President’s Award for Meritorious Achievement.

Pangelinan earned the Science, Digital Art, and Drama awards, while Javier got the Mathematics award with Han Byeol Pak. Mikiya Takahashi was the Foreign Language recipient, Lance Vincent Quitugua Deleon Guerrero the Speech awardee, and Markel Deion Retan Toves (Male) and Janika Therese Terlaje Taimanao (Female) the Physical/Health Education awards.

Emiri Angela Iwai (second honor), Amalina Delamona Lifoifoi Evangelisa (third honor), Han (fourth honor), Hyun Woo Jo (fifth honor), Kiyoun Kim (sixth honor), Min Gyu Kim (seventh honor), Jieun Bang (eighth honor), Taimanao (ninth honor), and Deleon Guerrero (10th honor) are the other academic awardees.

Iwai was also the Most Outstanding Female Award recipient with Bang duplicating the feat for the U.S. Marines Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence. Taimanao and Quinn Ely Ebuen Amog were the U.S. Marines Semper Fidelis Award recipients for Distinguished Athletes.