Educator Paulette Tomokane-Sablan

School principal Paulette Tomokane-Sablan, center front row, and her San Vicente Elementary School family. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI celebrates March as Women’s Month and this year Imperial Pacific International-Corporate Social Responsibility has committed to honoring women in history that have made an impact in the community today.

IPI-CSR will be hosting the first ever R.I.S.E. Women in History event honoring women who have contributed to the community in the areas of education, healthcare, business, arts and culture and public service.

R.I.S.E. stands for “Respected, Inspired, Strengthened and Empowered.”

The first honoree for the R.I.S.E. Women in Education is Paulette Tomokane-Sablan, the principal of San Vicente Elementary School.

“I started my journey in the education field during the last year of my undergraduate program,” said Tomokane-Sablan. “As part of the completion of my program, I had to complete and pass a 100-hour practicum. My focus was on mental health and my professor felt that placing me at an autism center would provide me with the best hands-on learning. I spent more than 100 hours at the center working with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. It was a challenge but it was the most rewarding experience. I learned a lot from the students and parents I worked with as well as my colleagues.”

Tomokane-Sablan graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a bachelor of arts in Psychology.

“I wanted to return home to give back to our island and raise my daughter around family. While preparing to return home, I was communicating with the [Public School System] Special Education Department regarding a teaching position—and was then hired and assigned at Garapan Elementary School.”

Joining the school district opened a new path for Tomokane-Sablan. It allowed her to gain experience in the field of counseling, and served for about four year while working with the third and fifth grade level.

“It was during this time when I felt that this was my calling, so I pursued my master’s degree in education,” said Tomokane-Sablan. “Our vice principal was leaving our school for another position at PSS and I filled his position for two years.”

As the school district continue to grow, she was appointed as interim principal and ultimately assumed the principal position in full time capacity. She has been in that capacity for the last five year.

When asked what it means to be effective in her profession, Sablan said, “One must be committed and passionate of their role. The commitment and passion drives one to set high standards to ensure that students succeed. You have to have a purpose for why you do what you do.”

Sablan hopes that all women continue to be the best they can be.

“There are many women out there who have made many achievements in their life and continue to pursue bigger dreams, which is a wonderful journey and I salute them. My message to all women is to never stop. Continue to be the best you can be in everything you do and embrace the journey that it takes you on. In every journey there are ups and downs, but we must take them in and learn from them. Always stay humble, be true to yourself in all that you do. Let your purpose be the driver in all that you do. “

She is honored for the recognition and she is sharing it with the rest of her female colleagues.

“It truly is an honor to be recognized for making an impact in the lives of our future—our children. I do what I do with 200-plus percent because I love what my job entails and it’s not for recognition. Who wouldn’t want to go to work to be greeted with so much excitement and love from our students throughout the school day? I am sharing this honor with all my female educational colleagues. The job we do is not easy but it is the most fulfilling profession that one can hope for.”

Tomokane-Sablan, along with several other women-achievers, will be honored by IPI-CSR on Friday at 10:30am ceremony to be held at the Pacific Islands Club’s Charley’s. (IPI-CSR)