20 GCA Eagles soar to higher level

High schools, are you ready?

The Grace Christian Academy, home of the Eagles, saw 20 of its eighth-grade students earning their promotion diplomas and are expected to soar to new heights as freshmen in the next school year.

The students received their diplomas in Thursday night’s commencement exercise at the GCA Auditorium in Navy Hill.

As with many other graduation ceremonies, the GCA exercise also featured other various award presentations, including character and academic awards.

Leading the way for the graduates was Janet Phan, who, after posting the highest Grade Point Average, was named the class valedictorian.

“I will remember all the good times we’ve had,” Phan told her fellow graduates in her remarks. “I am sure we’ll all have a big future, and I know we can accomplish goals with the help of God…never forget Him because He never forgets you.”

Earning salutatorian rights was Da Min Kim, who posted the second highest GPA.

Both Phan and Kim were also recipients of Consistent “A” Honor awards. Other recipients include Kristina Bermudes, Letitia Cabrera, Charis Lopez, Aaron Miron, and Matthew Blanco. All posted grades not lower than 80 percent.

Lopez, Miron, and Abraham Sandig were also praised for graduating with honors—posting averages between 80 and 100 percent in the past three years.

The Character Awards, broken down into five categories, included the Joseph, Barnabas Encourager, Diligence, Citizenship, and Bible Memory awards.

Miron was the proud recipient of the Joseph Award, while Kim added to her collection the Barnabas Encourager Award. The Diligence Award was presented to Michelle Avila while the Carmela Benoza bagged the Citizenship Award. The Bible Memory Award went to Cabrera.

Also, other students in the junior high level were recognized and honored for their efforts in striving for academic excellence.

Phan’s brother, Jimmy, was presented with a trophy for posting the highest GPA in the sixth grade level, while Keith Sablan bagged the award for the seventh grade level. Sablan also received the Highest GPA Award for the entire junior high level.

The ceremony also featured a special performance courtesy of graduate Renato Batallones, who sang and strummed his guitar to the tune of Take Refuge In His Heart.

Before the end of the ceremony, the students engaged in what might be their last performance together, singing their farewell song, Seasons of Love.