Graduating seniors from the three public high schools share their plans for the future and reflect on decisions made throughout their high school years.
Marianas High School
Joy Samonte plans to attend college in the mainland—preferably on the West Coast—next spring semester.
“I’m not ready just yet to jump into it,” she remarks. Samonte is planning to work in the meantime.
“It is very important for me to go to college,” she says. However, she describes how she feels that it may be too late for her to attend college this coming fall. “I did not know about SATs and many other requirements.”
Looking back, she encourages the younger students to, “start inquiring now that you are young so you will know what you need and you can prepare and not feel rushed. Go through more college counseling earlier on in your high school years.”
Christian Hidalgo has decided to attend the University of Guam for his first year of college and then transfer over to the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Although his real passion is to go to culinary school, his parents have encouraged him to receive a college degree first.
In hindsight, Hidalgo says, “I should have taken the SAT early during my junior year instead of during my senior year. I also should have applied for college during my junior year.” Having enlisted in the US Air Force, Brittany Sablan explains how it is going to take a while for her job to be selected since so many people have been resorting to the military as a career choice. She is waiting until a position becomes available for the job she has chosen.
In the meantime, she has recently applied to Northern Marianas College to work on a nursing degree. “I don’t want to waste time,” she says frankly.
Her advice for younger students is that “the military is a good option but don’t make it your first and only option. I joined so they could pay for my college but I’ve realized that it will take me longer to get my degree than it would for people who are not in the military.”
She stresses the importance of taking advantage of having counselors: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you really want to go to college you should start finding everything out your freshman year.”
Sablan describes how she did not take AP classes or do community service projects (both vital to getting accepted into a good college nowadays) until her junior and senior years. “I wish I was better informed earlier on about all of my options and I wish I knew all of the college requirements way beforehand,” she remarks.
Saipan Southern High School
Currently talking to recruiters, Nisho Torres plans to enlist in the United States Air Force.
His real passion being in computers, he plans to join the Cyber Warfare Program, a branch of the Air Force that works towards protecting America from hackers and people who try to steal information from computers.
Torres’s advice for the younger students of the CNMI is, “Don’t be normal, be you.”
Looking back, he encourages students to ask more questions and to not just go about their years in silence.Kathleen Laurio plans to pursue a degree in psychology at the University of Guam. She wants to return to Saipan to work as a guidance counselor.
Laurio advises the younger students: “Don’t be in such a rush to grow up and be sure to enjoy your high school years while you can. Also, I know counselors tell you to look up information for colleges in advance, but don’t procrastinate, really look it up.”
In hopes of returning to Saipan and becoming a teacher, Mark San Juan has decided to pursue a degree in education at the University of Guam.
“If you want to be a teacher, be sure to pursue the teaching academy that SSHS is scheduled to start next year,” he advises the younger students.
He continues, “Stay in school and grab every opportunity you have.”
Looking back, San Juan wishes he had become more informed on what to do to get accepted into a college. Also, now seeing the significance of these skills in today’s competitive job market, he wishes he had worked more on his writing and public speaking.
Kagman High School
Aspiring to become an auto-mechanic, Tom Agulto plans to pursue training from the Universal Technical Institute.
He encourages students to “plan ahead before graduation: think of what you really love and want to do because you want to live life to the fullest and do what you enjoy.”
In hopes that more students will seek college counseling earlier on, he explains how the decision to go to UTI was actually a last minute one.
He also wishes he had known more about his options from the very beginning so that he could have been more prepared. Brittney Igitol, who is already a part of the National Guard, has only one more training to complete after high school.
“Afterwards, I plan to start smart at NMC,” she quotes the college’s catch phrase. She will pursue a degree in pathology and she hopes to become an officer in the college’s SROTC program as well.
She urges fellow students to, “work hard and well. Work close with your counselors and don’t ever slack off.”
Ryan Camacho will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at Boise State University.
“I chose BSU because they offer good programs for out-of-state students,” he notes.
As for advice for other students, Camacho says “stay in school. Try to be active, especially in sports because it is a good way to expose yourself.”
In retrospect, Camacho wishes he had participated in sports programs from the very start of his high school years.
