Tinian High’s Class of 2018 a trailblazing group

The 2018 graduating class of Tinian Junior/Senior High School ended their four-year stay in their school with yesterday’s ceremony at the Antonio M. Borja Amphitheater.

Led by class valedictorian Michelle De Castro Quichocho, 45 high school seniors graduated in a ceremony witnessed by Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and first lady Diann T. Torres. Attorney Kimberly King-Hinds was the keynote speaker.

Quichocho, who also received the CNMI State Board of Education Academic Excellence award, cited some of the accomplishments of the graduating class, telling her classmates that “we have made this year for the books.”

She said that members of the school’s Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps’ Unarmed Drill team won the overall crown in Golden Bear, California while also ending a 10-year drought in the Mock Trial Championship by placing second overall. Members of the senior class also ruled the Under-18 3×3 basketball tournament while seven of their classmates have enlisted in the U.S. military.

Torres presented the Governor’s Award to Quichocho, while the Board of Education, led by vice chair Janice Marie A. Tenorio, Herman T. Guerrero (Saipan), Florine Hofschneider (Tinian), and Herman Atalig (Rota) presented her with the BOE Academic Excellence Award.

Class salutatorian Liza Nicole Pimentel Clamor received the Commissioner’s Award. It was presented to her by interim Education commissioner Glenn Muna, associate commissioner Jackie Quitugua, associate commissioner Eric Magofna, Early Head Start director Lathania Santos, Federal Program’s officer Tim Thornburgh, and Marian Tudela of the Office of Accountability Research and Evaluation.

The BOE also presented student representative Mariah Manuel Cruz with a special recognition for her service as a member of the board. presented the award to Clamor.

Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog’s chief of staff, John Oliver Gonzales, gave the lieutenant governor’s award to Kenya Jade Apolinar Barcinas, while Floicia Delos Reyes Manibusan received the Principal’s Award from school principal Dionne Santos and vice principal Martian Diaz.

Nicole De Castro Quichocho, Kyle Borja Flores, Romeo Kedar Malicdem Shrestha, Kayziel Gayle Mahililum Mojica, Edric Medina Hofschneider, Manibusan, and Dylan Thomas Tiapong Fleming were the others in the Top 10 of the graduating class.