MCS holds series of face-to-face graduation ceremonies

Mount Carmel School confers 52 diplomas during her traditional commencement ceremony for the graduating class of 2022. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

To conclude the 2021-2022 school year, Mount Carmel School held its annual commencement ceremonies this past week at the Mount Carmel Cathedral.

After two years of COVID-19 restrictions, many family members and friends of the school’s graduates were able to attend this year’s commencement ceremonies. For those unable to attend in-person, the graduation ceremonies were also streamed live online through the Mount Carmel School Facebook page.

This year, Mount Carmel School conferred diplomas for 36 kindergarten students, 55 eighth-grade students, and 52 graduating seniors.

Among the eighth-grade graduates, William Matthew B. Cano earned the title as class valedictorian, while Valerie Anne Rivera Estella earned the salutatorian award.

Mount Carmel School confers 55 diplomas during her traditional commencement ceremony for the graduating eighth-grade class of 2022.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Among high school graduates from the Class of 2022, Aleia Carlinne Hofschneider Santos earned the title as the school’s valedictorian, while Richard Jesus Mafnas Villagomez was the salutatorian.

During her welcoming remarks, MCS principal and acting president Frances Taimanao congratulated all the students and commended them for the impact they’ve made during a challenging school year of school closures, transitions between face-to-face and remote learning, and COVID-19 tests and restrictions, all the while promoting school spirit and excellence.

“You are a creative group of young people who have shown good character and leadership for the students in this school. You have shown leadership in your own unique ways. You have involved yourself in the school’s leadership meetings, the planning of the school’s strategic master plan, community services, sports, charity, island wide competitions, and much more,” said Taimanao.

She also thanked the parents of the graduates. “To the dedicated parents of these graduates. Congratulations and a job well done. Thank you for all the sacrifices you made just to send your child to Mount Carmel. For this, we are forever grateful. On behalf of the board of directors, the leadership team, faculty and staff, thank you for all your support and for believing in Catholic education.”

Mount Carmel School’s kindergarten graduates walk down the aisle after their promotion ceremony on June 2, 2022.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The keynote speaker for the commencement ceremony, former school president Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero, left many in the audience emotional. Leading with the theme about the value of time and how more often than not people tend to dedicate time to trivial situations that often do not matter, Deleon Guerrero said: “It’s funny how, more than our own family and friends, we seem to pay more attention to complete strangers whose lives have absolutely no consequence to us—trolls, haters, celebrities, social influencers, or fictional characters on TV shows like Bridgerton. But, imagine also if you knew that a dear family member or a close friend were to die one year from now, one month from now, or one week from now. What would you do with that time? Would you make an effort to visit your grandparents of your own accord? Would you reach out to those who have hurt you, or those you have hurt, to make amends? Would you join the gang at the beach, return someone’s call, or simply respond to a message, instead of leaving it unread?”

Deleon Guerrero left the graduates with three primary lessons. First, make the most of their time. Second, make the most of other people’s time. Lastly, make the most of moments of time. Bringing his speech back to the same question he asked at the beginning, “If you knew you only had 30 seconds left, what would you do? So right here, right now, let’s take 30 seconds to carpe diem and savor this very moment. When I start the timer, look at your family, look at your teachers, look at your friends. Feel free to cry. Feel free to laugh. Feel free to cheer. But, whatever you do, make the most of these 30 seconds.”

During each event, the following awards were presented for the eighth and twelfth-grade graduates:

12TH GRADE GRADUATES WITH HONORS 
■ Valedictorian:
Aleia Carlinne Hofschnei-
der Santos
■ Salutatorian :
Richard Jesus
Mafnas Villagomez
■ 1st Honor:
Fiona Marielle
Avengana Bucalig
■ 2nd Honor:
Monique Laura F. Duenas
■ 3rd Honor:
Hyunkyu Park
■ 4th Honor:
Jeremiah Jerome
Hernandez Diaz
■ 5th Honor:
Larry Dean Tenorio Cruz
■ 6th Honor:
Christian Felix
Cabrera Guerrero
■ 7th Honor:
Vaughn Andrei
Abigania Mallari
■ 8th Honor:
Jefferey Y. Sheu
■ 9th Honor:
Robin Kyle M. Alvarez
■ 10th Honor:
Hannah D. Lacap
■ 11th Honor:
Kim Jun Beom
■ 12th Honor:
Raesyl Gerard Lopez Solis
■ 13th Honor:
Theresa Rose
Cano Schweiger
■ 14th Honor:
Kaia De Jesus Travilla
■ 15th Honor: Joshua Donovan Camacho Tenorio
■ 16th Honor:
William Nathaniel E. Ano
■ 17th Honor:
Yujeong Son
18th honor:
Kiana Lei Manglona Propst
■ 19th Honor:
Ryu Jihwan
■ 20th Honor:
Hyunjun Kim
■ 21st Honor:
Christopher Adam L. Mafnas
■ 22nd Honor:
Regina T. Huerto
■ 23rd Honor:
Richard Ramon Steele
24th Honor: Cory Lee

12TH GRADE SPECIAL AWARDS
■ Bishop Christian
Service Award:  
Richard Jesus
Mafnas Villagomez
■ President’s Award:
Richard Jesus
Mafnas Villagomez
■ Governor’s
Leadership Award:
Richard Jesus
Mafnas Villagomez
■ Lieutenant Governor’s
Leadership Award :
Vaughn Andrei
Abigania Mallari
■ Outstanding Female
Graduate: Aleia Carlinne
Hofschneider Santos

12TH GRADE SUBJECT AWARDS
■ English Language
Award: Richard Jesus
Mafnas Villagomez
■ Science Award:
Monique Laura F. Duenas
■ Mathematics Award:
Richard Jesus Mafnas
Villagomez
■ Social Science Award:
Aleia Carlinne
Hofschneider Santos
■ Theology Award:
Aleia Carlinne
Hofschneider Santos
■ Computer Science Award:
Aleia Carlinne
Hofschneider Santos
■ Foreign Language Award:
Yujeong Son
■ Art Award: Yujeong Son
■ Music Award: Jedric
Nathaniel C. Villar
■ Drama Award:
Larry Dean Tenorio Cruz
■ Speech Award:
Aleia Carlinne
Hofschneider Santos
■ Physical/Health
Education Award Female:
Fiona Marielle
Avengana Bucalig
Male: Jeremiah Jerome
Hernandez Diaz

8TH GRADE GRADUATES WITH HONORS 
■ Valedictorian: William Matthew B. Cano 
■ Salutatorian : Valerie Anne Rivera Estella
■ 1st Honor:
Kayli Ari Salas
■ 2nd Honor:
Patricia Denielle Guillo Lugtu
■ 3rd Honor:
Victor Nash Maniego Santos
■ 4th  Honor:
Jessiana Borja Tenorio
■ 5th Honor:
Gavril Myles
Ritumalta Santiago
■ 6th Honor:  
Leonard Jake B. Regalado
■ 7th Honor:
Emmanuel Cruzat Pontiveros
■ 8th Honor:
Kate Nicole A. Cabalbag
■ 9th Honor:
Mikayla Ikeda Castro
■ 10th Honor:
Seunghee Jeon
■ 11th Honor:
Chae Eun Kim
■ 12th Honor:
Arwen Hannah N. Bartolata
■ 13th Honor:
Mya AnnDrew Eve
DLG. Pangelinan
■ 14th Honor:
Asa Vanessa Backe
■ 15th Honor (Tie):
Ayanna Faith
Hernandez Matsumoto
■ 15th Honor (Tie):
Camron Zavier
Santos Pangelinan
■ 16th Honor:
Oscar Bien Reyes Buenaflor
■ 17th Honor:
Heleyna Frielle
Cruz Dela Santa
■ 18th Honor:
Quince Emanuel Olanda Tizon
■ 19th Honor:
Sophia Joshabelle Tenorio
■ 20th Honor:
Elise Furey Maratita
■ 21st Honor:
Ainsley Parnes Ancheta
■ 22nd Honor:
Andrick Poon
■ 23rd Honor:
Alexandria
Ysabelle Dysangco
■ 24th Honor:
Therese Joy Obongen Ogo
■ 25th Honor:
Annieskha F. Arreza
■ 26th Honor:
Jasmine Meleana
Deleon Guerrero
■ 27th Honor:
Lance Jericho Albuen Javier
■ 28th Honor:
Michael Q. Mercado, Jr.
■ 29th Honor:
Mikaehla Paige
Reyes Mendoza
■ 30th Honor:
Joseph Brandon Reyes
Pangelinan
■ 31st Honor:
Zion Jude Cing Cabrera
■ 32nd Honor:
Nyla-Jordan Nie
Deleon Guerrero

8TH GRADE SPECIAL AWARDS
■ Citizenship Award:
Oscar Bien Reyes Buenaflor
■ Leadership Award:
Therese Joy Obongen Ogo
■ Principal’s Award:
William Matthew B. Cano

For more information about Mount Carmel School, visit our website www.mountcarmelsaipan.com. (PR)