New chapter begins for GCA Class of 2018

Grace Christian Academy 2018 class valedictorian Grant Christopher Eichenberger summed up his address to his fellow graduates with these words: A new chapter in their lives is about to begin.

“I would like to congratulate my fellow classmates on the milestone that we reached in our education. We all worked hard and tonight a new chapter of our lives begins,” said Eichenberger in last Friday’s commencement exercises. “We’ve encouraged each other and grown together. We supported each other through both the good times and the challenging times.”

He thanked their teachers and pastors for helping them prepare for the next step in their adult lives. “We are blessed not only on the quality of education at GCA but also with the values that they taught us through the morality [they] lived everyday.”

Eichenberger also recalled the times that they spent in and out their classroom at GCA, a story that drew laughs from his classmates, families, and friends who witnessed last week’s ceremony.

“We’ve done everything, from joking about our teachers, making class phrases, and singing karaoke at Zooms, to performing cringy pep rally dances,” he said. “We had a great last year at Managaha, barbecuing, swimming, and throwing cucumbers at each other. We also had grown close with the juniors. We’re such lucky to experience all of this together.”

Eichenberger added that despite their differences, they’ve become a family. “Sometimes, we had problems with each other because of our different personalities and interests. But the important words that I have to say to my fellow graduates: We had such an amazing time that we’ve become a family. I want you to remember that we should continue to support each other as a family.”

Eichenberger also received the President’s Academic Excellence honors and was runner-up for the prestigious Eagle Award to Art Matthew Mamaril, who also received the most valuable player and most inspirational player citations.

Kristina Tenorio was named the Outstanding Female Graduate, receiving the honors from Women’s Affairs director Doris Drew and was also the recipient of the Barnabas-Encourager award.

The other academic and service awardees were Franchesca Edralin Dalusong (salutatorian), Miku Matsumura (third graduating with honors), Dianne Arnold (fourth graduating with honors, Citizenship Award, and Mock Trial Prosecution Star Attorney), Yujin Kim (fifth graduating with honors), Min Sung Kim (Christian Disciple), Charlestone Kim (Diligence).

Dalusong was also the high school girls’ volleyball team MVP, while Amir Abes earned the high school boys’ most improved player award and Pathompong Lamonrattanayothin received the most inspirational player honors.

Peter Jin Chen Deng, Sumin Kang, Joo Young Kim, Jon Ernest Lacorte, Miku Matsumura, Joshua Peter Tenorio, and Ezi Yan were the other graduates of GCA’s Class of 2018.