The top 10 graduates of Marianas High School’s Class of 2023: One An, Brigit Len Yumul Tabuena, Amena Zhai Mahmud, Jaehoon Son, Anastasia Danilovna Shamanaeva, Sydney Lim, Carson Lin, Angel Ren, Katie Eun-bi Choi, and Yiwen “Wendy” Zha. Also in photo, back row, are Board of Education Chairman Antonio L. Borja, Secretary/Treasurer Gregory Pat Borja, BOE Member Maisie B. Tenorio, BOE Member Andrew L. Orsini, Teacher Representative Dr. Dora B. Miura, Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada, Associate Commissioner Eric Magofna, MHS Principal Jonathan Aguon, Vice Principals Melanie Sablan-Rdiall, Preston Basa and Romolo Orsini.
Marianas High School’s Class of 2023 received their diplomas on Tuesday afternoon at the MHS gymnasium.
MARIANAS High School on Tuesday afternoon celebrated the graduation of its 359 seniors during a commencement ceremony at the MHS gym.
Most of the graduates — 70% —said they will pursue a college education. Less than 10% said they will join the U.S. armed forces while the rest are already exploring career opportunities.
Class valedictorian is One An who also received the Board of Education Academic Excellence Award from BOE Chairman Antonio L. Borja, Secretary/Treasurer Gregory Pat Borja, Members Maisie B. Tenorio and Andrew L. Orsini, and Teacher Representative Dr. Dora Borja Miura.
An will attend the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League institution, where he will double major in Logic Computation & Information and Mathematics.
Class salutatorian is Brigit Len Yumul Tabuena who received the Commissioner of Education Academic Excellence Award from Education Commissioner Dr. Alfred B. Ada and Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Eric Magofna.
Tabuena will attend Bowdoin College in Maine and major in Biology.
Joining An and Tabuena in the top 10 are: (3) Amena Zhai Mahmud, who will attend Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and will major in Secondary Education; (4) Jaehoon Son, Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, major in Computer Engineering; (5) Anastasia Danilovna Shamanaeva; (6) Sydney Lim, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, major in either Neuroscience or Biology; (7) Carson Lin, Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, double major in Computer Science and Engineering; (8) Angel Ren, University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, major in Pre-Pharmacy; (9) Katie Eun-bi Choi, Ohio State University, major in Data Analytics; and (10) Yiwen “Wendy” Zha, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Other awardees
Several department content area awards were also announced on Tuesday. The recipients were Anastasia Danilovna Shamanaeva and Zenn Ichiro Enriquez Tomokane (Language Arts); Zenna Ichiro Tomokane and Melva Toweisa Mafnas (Language Other Than English); One An and Carson Lin (Mathematics and Science); Brigit Len Yumul Tabuena and Mylan Elise Goodwin (Social Studies); Kyle Onet Macairap Salcedo and Zahan Khazah Mettao Hossain (Physical Education).
The MHS Male Athlete Award was presented to Dylan Michael Mister while the MHS Female Athlete Award went to Kina Neisuupi Pua Rangamar.
The JROTC Award recipients were Sidney Lim and Shaina Heart Asuncion Dimalanta.
The Career Technical Education Award went to Mercedes Diana Lyn Paras Cabrera and Zahan Khazah Mettao Hossain.
The Governor’s Leadership Award was presented to Zenn Ichiro Enriquez Tomokane while the Lt. Governor’s Leadership Award went to Mary Grace Potian Caras.
The Saipan Mayor’s Citizenship Award was presented to Mark Edhrem Nimes Alvaro.
The CNMI Youth Congress Graduation Stole was given to Zenn Ichiro Enriquez Tomokane as the graduating Youth Congress senator.
The Outstanding Female Graduate Award was presented to Anastasia Danilovna Shamanaeva.
The Principal’s Award went to Zhen Yu “Steven” Dong.
The Dolphin Award was presented to AJ Johnny.
‘Follow your passion’
Class valedictorian An, in his address, urged fellow graduates to follow their passion.
“I have some advice for everyone after trying really hard in high school,” he said. “I am essentially your trial rat in a way. I would like to tell everyone that contrary to what everyone thinks, goals such as trying to be valedictorian are unwise. It’s a label that I’m grateful for, but the real value comes from everything that happened in between.”
An said the “dopamine rush we get from achieving goals is temporary and often meaningless in the end; however, when you follow your passion, every single moment is what you want, not just in the end. So I would advise everyone where never they’re in life to follow their passion, not goals.”
He added, “If I just wanted to be a valedictorian, that would have been pretty miserable, but I tried my best to treat every day as part of my passion, making life more bearable. And eventually, what you wanted also follows.”
He thanked everyone who helped him succeed. “Besides my wheelchair, which did indeed help me get here, I would like to thank all my teachers.”
An likewise thanked his grandparents and his mother for being supportive.
‘We did our best’
Salutatorian Tabuena, in her remarks, said her high school journey was fun and challenging both emotionally and mentally.
“It was really something to get to this position, but the journey was so much fun and challenged me emotionally and mentally,” Tabuena said.
“We aren’t the perfect graduating class, but we did our best. Not only did we strive to enjoy every moment, but we were also flexible and resilient through anything: the pandemic, all the storms, all the challenges,” she said.
She thanked her friends, classmates, groupmates, MHS teachers and school leaders for all their support.
She is also grateful to her family for reminding her what love feels.
“Thank you for always reminding me to eat, taking me out to celebrate the littlest things, and being there through the craziest cries,” Tabuena said in honoring her family.
Tabuena urged the graduating class to make a difference. “I believe that all you guys are worth so much and that all of you could contribute to making a difference in anything you want or would like.”
She added, “There are probably things you wish you did or did differently in high school. So while you’re aware of them, do what you’ve always wanted to do if you still can.”
