All this month, many schools are celebrating the accomplishments of our students as they move from kindergarten to elementary school, 5th grade to middle school, 8th grade to high school, and our seniors to the world!
Many proud parents, grandparents, guardians, and families see their very own children and family members move ahead. Indeed, a leap forward!
Our kindergarteners are such a source of pride not just for our individual schools and teachers but most especially for their parents, grandparents, and whoever is related to them.
If you have not been to a kindergarten graduation ceremony, then you are missing out on seeing first hand 6-year-olds in their own handmade cardboard caps and home-sewn gowns.
You can’t help but imagine that those caps and gowns will, in 12 years, be replaced by school-ordered caps and gowns as the very same kindergarteners will become seniors and make a leap of faith into the world they would have been preparing their whole educational life for.
Is it ironic or coincidence that the first year of a child’s education and the last year of his/her education are both called “graduation”? So congratulations little graduates. All of us are looking forward to where the journey takes you from here. Now here comes 1st grade…a leap forward!
Our 5th graders are moving forward from their beloved elementary schools to middle school. This promotion ceremony is also marked with the pride of many parents and families with leis of all makes and models, many with money intertwined into it. Names of each individual student are called and awards attached to those names are also given out to the very deserving student.
Each of these young minds are being sent off to a whole new experience in middle school. No caps and gowns, but just anxious young men and women looking ahead to new challenges, new environments, new teachers, new classmates, and more to learn and comprehend.
Dungkulu Na Si Yu’os Ma’ase to all the administrators, teachers, and staff for the preparations you have made and done to make the transition from elementary to middle school seamless for our 5th graders. It is because of you that they are ready to make a leap forward!
Our 8th graders are also celebrating their own promotion ceremony in our middle schools. Now they are moving into high school. Many with fears and trepidation. But that is to be expected.
Now, more than ever in the educational journey do they have to concentrate more, get involved more, try to work more, offer to volunteer more, and just simply, be more in all you do! Above all, it is in these next four years that academics count more.
In this ever evolving world that we live in, it is important to keep up with current events and make your involvement more evident in what’s happening around us. Even to go as far as making a difference, wherever, whenever, and however you can.
You are now more independent, more bold, more challenging, more questioning, more daring. It is part of being a high-schooler. The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming brighter with just four more years to go. Yes, from 8th grade to high school is with anxiety, a leap forward!
Our seniors in all our high schools and eligible students at our J.P. Torres Success Academy will soon be donning caps and gowns and turning your tassels to commemorate your successful achievement in completing your course of study to earn yourselves the much “yearned for, fought for, sacrificed for, suffered for” high school diploma. Your many years of education and schooling are finally coming to an end.
It is now time to take all your experiences, your scars, your ups and downs, your everything to show the world that you are ready to face whatever life brings you. It is time to spread your wings and soar. To reach your dreams and live it. To give back to all those who have made a difference in your lives.
Only one thing, wherever you go, whatever you do, and whoever you become…do not forget where you came from! Now go and take a leap forward.
As chair of the Guam Education Board, and on behalf of all our board members, we honor and congratulate all of you, our kindergarteners, our 5th graders, our 8th graders, and our seniors for taking a leap forward.
Biba todos hamyu!
(1) comment
End the K-12 factory worker model.
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