The 18-year-old, who intends to pursue her college education in Harvard University, also received special awards and recognitions during MBA’s 21st Commencement exercises on Saturday night.
The daughter of Penelope and James Hosfchneider, the youth speaker told fellow graduates that she believes in the capabilities of MBA students, as she urged them to stay focused to achieve their goals.
“I know that most of us who are graduating today are scared — make that terrified — of leaving MBA and going out into the world,” she said. “For a long time, MBA has been the only world that many of us have known. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has always been familiar…and the closer we get to the day that we leave the people and the place we have come to love, the harder it is to believe that we’re actually ready to go.”
But Anita Hofschneider believes that everybody is now “ready because the challenges we have overcome at the school have made stronger to face the challenges of the future.
She added, “I discovered that cultural differences can’t stand in the way of friendship, but insecurity can. I’ve discovered that I am not as different from everyone as I thought I was when I first started high school. At MBA, I’ve discovered new friends, and a new confidence in what each of us has to offer.”
Named salutatorians were Sonia Nicole Castro and Roger Lee.
Sonia Nicole Castro is the daughter of Margarita Deleon Guerrero-Castro and Luis T. Castro.
Also an incumbent Youth Congress senator, Castro will pursue her college education at Boise State University.
Like Anita Hofschneider, Castro believes that they’re “very ready to explore a new world.”
She advised her fellow students to “take everything in moderation,” that “behind every dark cloud is a silver lining,” “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade,” to remember that “this too will pass,” and to “trust in the Lord.”
Roger Kwon Lee, the son of Han You Lee and Hyuk In Kwon, will further his college education at the University of California.
MBA conferred diplomas to 11 high school graduates and 14 students from middle school during Saturday’s event held at the multi-purpose center.
The other outstanding students and recipients of special awards were Gospel Trinidad, Jae Wan Kim, Jamie Vales, Dong Hee Im, Mark Anthony Liban, Manatsu Omori, Liezel April Tiples, Titania Cho, Sang Woo Ju, Jeong Hyun Kwon, Chiantee Rosete and Ya Jie Zhou.
The school also honored teachers Lorna Liban and Peter Coleman.
The event was keynoted by Judge RamonaV. Manglona.
MVA’s other high school graduates were Joseph Asanuma, Titania Youn Cho, Sang Woo Ju, Jae Wan Kim, Jeong Hyun Kwon, Li Zan Ma, Gospel Trinidad and Jamie Vales.
