James E. Phillips of Marianas High School received $4,100 cash prize, gift certificates, a plaque of recognition and commemorative resolutions from the House of Representatives and the Youth Congress.
Named the 2009 teacher aide of the year was Kagman Elementary School’s Rosa Sablan while Patty Aguon-Cruz of MHS was named support staff of the year.
“[This award is] very overwhelming because there are so many qualified people within PSS,” Phillips said. “It’s truly a big honor.”
Phillips holds a master of science degree and is a staff instructor for the professional association of diving instructors. He has been teaching at MHS for five years.
Phillips bested 19 other nominees and will represent the CNMI to the national competition which will allow him to meet the president of United States.
“I am encouraging my fellow teachers to reach for higher goals for our students’ education,” he said. “Even if we are in a multicultural environment and experiencing financial difficulties, we are not really different from other school districts and we have the same goals for our students.”
Teacher aide of the year Rosa Sablan has been serving her school’s special education program for five years now.
“I’m surprised! I didn’t expect this!” she said.
She is currently taking a related services technician course at Northern Marianas College.
Sablan received a total of $2,500 in cash and gift items.
Support staff of the year Patty Aguon-Cruz is a school librarian aide of MHS and has been with PSS for six years now.
“I was very happy,” she said. “All of us worked hard and everybody deserved to be recognized. This is the first time I was nominated and I got it…I was so surprised!”
Cruz received $1,500 in cash and gift items.
MHS principal Karen Borja said she is “so excited, pleased and very honored that our school got the two major awards today. These individuals have gone way above and beyond and I am just glad that they were recognized for their efforts.”
Also yesterday, PSS and the Board of Education awarded certificates of appreciation to the event’s sponsors: the Bank of Guam, attorney Robert Torres, Shell Marianas, Subway, Tinian Dynasty Hotel, Saipan Shipping Co., PTI, Pacific Islands Club, McDonalds, Mariano Chiropractic Clinic, Hard Rock Café, CTSI, Aqua Resort Club, Yaong Corp. and Tony Roma’s/ Capricciosa Restaurants.
After the more than five-hour dance and song presentations by each school, all employees were treated to a Thanksgiving lunch.
