Class Valedictorian and Board of Education Academic Excellence Award recipient Raiana Sofia Ferdous and her parents pose for a photo with Board of Education Secretary/Treasurer Gregory Pat Borja and BOE Member Maisie B. Tenorio.
Salutatorian and Commissioner of Education Academic Excellence Award recipient Cody Eilers Gamboa and his parents with Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Eric Magofna, Public School System Senior Director Dr. Rizalina Liwag, Federal Programs Officer Jacqueline Che, Human Resource Officer Lucretia Borja, Finance & Budget Director Arlene Lizama, Special Education Program Director Donna Flores, Media & Communications Coordinator Randee-Jo Barcinas-Manglona, Parental Engagement & Community Coordinator Liela C. Yumul, Head Start Director Lathania Angui, Instructional Technology and Distance Education Director Lorraine Catienza, State Infrastructure and Technology Director Jessie Tenorio and Dandan Middle School Principal James Sablan, the representative of middle school principals.
Principal Leadership Award recipient Jayme Ross Vargas with Tanapag Middle School Principal Hilda Rios, Sen. Corina Magofna, House Vice Speaker Joel C. Camacho and House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez.
109 eighth graders of Tanapag Middle School were promoted to high school on May 30.
Board of Education Secretary/Treasurer Gregory Pat Borja, in his remarks, said: “I hope you all are ready for the next school year.”
School Principal Hilda Rios said the promoted students are “today’s stars.” But she also told them not to forget to honor their parents, teachers and everyone who has been part of their educational journey.
“Thank your parents, your teachers, your school, your Tanapag community and everyone else that helped made your life different. And thank you for being patient and understanding,” Rios said.
The class valedictorian is Raiana Sofia Ferdous who received the Board of Education Academic Excellence Award from BOE Secretary/Treasurer Borja and BOE Member Maisie B. Tenorio.
The salutatorian and recipient of the Commissioner of Education Academic Excellence Award is Cody Eilers Gamboa. He received the award from Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Eric Magofna.
Jayme Ross Vargas received the Principal’s Leadership Award from Principal Rios and Vice Principal Felisa Brel.
Eleven subject awards were also announced during the promotion ceremony.
Ferdous, the valedictorian, received the awards for Mathematics, English Language Arts, Chamorro Language and Heritage Studies, and Leadership Corps.
Gamboa, the salutatorian, received the awards for Computer Studies and Physical Education/Health.
Jhack Deniel M. Guiao received the awards for the Leadership Corps, Carolinian Language and Heritage Studies, Social Studies, and Science.
Nava Abricia Falig received the award for excellence in Art.
Astonishing
Valedictorian Ferdous, in her address, paid tribute to the resiliency of the promoted students.
“The three years we’ve spent here at TMS have been astonishing with many obstacles barreling our way. We started our very first school year during the pandemic and that came with all sorts of problems for everyone. We even had cohorts for a brief period during our time in the 7th grade. And in 8th grade we all faced struggles but managed to surpass,” Ferdous said.
“In the end, we are thankful we got to end this year almost right, aside from that little typhoon scare, but regardless, we are relieved we got to start and end this school year right,” she added.
Ferdous thanked her family and friends “for giving me amazing support, and lifelong advice that I will always listen to and be grateful for.”
She added, “Today, we all can close this chapter of our lives as we move on to greater things. The school years here at TMS have shown us that we can move forward from hardships no matter how big or small it may seem. And with every new chapter comes hardships, and we know as Tatagas we will be able to prevail regardless of the situation.”
The Tataga or the bluespine unicornfish is the school mascot.
Educational journey
In his remarks, Salutatorian Gamboa thanked his family for the support he received throughout his educational journey.
“I, Cody Gamboa, thank my dad, mom, aunt, uncle, and cousin for all the times they cared and helped me throughout my entire life,” he said.
He also thanked TMS teachers and school staff. “We thank you all for preparing us to become the respectful, healthy, high achieving and self-directed students we are today.”
Gamboa specifically thanked his homeroom teacher and other subject teachers for making learning exciting and fun.
