A 27-year-old teacher was adjudged the most outstanding educator of Saipan Southern High School this school year.<\/p>\n
Jonathan P. Cabrera, whose teaching career started at SSHS in 2008, was conferred the prestigious Teacher of the Year award and he will be representing his Manta Ray family in the PSS-wide search for NMI Teacher of the Year. The overall winner will compete at the national level next year.<\/p>\n
This is Cabrera\u2019s first time to be given this recognition. He obtained his undergraduate degree in English and Theater from the University of Hawaii-Manoa and his master\u2019s degree in English from Boston University. As soon as he finished his education, he came back to the islands and joined the Public School System as a classroom teacher.<\/p>\n
Cabrera is a 12th grade mentor and handles close to a hundred students in three classes each day. <\/p>\n
The recognition was something of a surprise for Cabrera. \u201cIt\u2019s very humbling when your colleagues look at you and say \u2018you deserve the honor,\u2019\u201d he said yesterday.<\/p>\n
He considers being the Teacher of the Year a huge responsibility in terms of accountability. The honor also calls for any candidate to become a role model not only to their colleagues but to students as well.<\/p>\n
Cabrera shared that teaching has been his ultimate desire since his younger years. \u201cIt was the very thing I wanted to be. At the beginning of the year, my students always asked me the same question, \u2018Why did you want to be a teacher?\u2019 and I always tell them that it\u2019s the first thing I really wanted. I also considered other careers, but when I left Saipan in 2001 for college, I was determined to come back home and teach,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Cabrera said his grandparents, who were also both educators, were a great influence. <\/p>\n
When he was still in school, Cabrera admired his teachers and had great respect for what they did. His teachers then, he said, were from the U.S. and the Philippines, who left their families and their comfort zones to teach in a little place in the middle of the Pacific, the Commonwealth. <\/p>\n
\u201cI told myself\u2026I want to be like them. I have great respect for all my teachers and I can still name all of them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges of the profession\u2014the limited resources, the threat of funding cuts for schools, large classroom sizes, and other needs\u2014Cabrera said his students and his colleagues continue to inspire him to better in his job every day. He is convinced that he\u2019s headed in the right direction, just by knowing that he\u2019s doing his best and for all the right reasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year, my goal is to become a better teacher. Even though I was selected TOY, I don\u2019t think that I\u2019ve reached the pinnacle of my success as an educator. I want to become better every year because at the end of the day, if I became better my students will learn better, they will achieve more, and they will be ready to go out and get their degrees. I hope they will come back to serve our community,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
As for what he enjoys best about his job, Cabrera said it is the heart-to-heart conversations he has with his students. \u201cFor those moments, I would use the word serendipity\u2014being in the right place at the right time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Cabrera describes teaching as a noble calling because it gives someone the chance to mold and shape young minds and an opportunity to reach students and affect their lives for a very long time. \u201cEven though we\u2019re not paid as much as other careers, this is where I want to be and this is what I want to do in my life,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
[B]Other awardees[\/B]<\/p>\n
Hailed Support Staff of the Year is Ferdinand Ngirmekur, SSHS\u2019 school aide for more than two years. This father of three and first-time awardee said yesterday it is a privilege to be selected as one of the school\u2019s awardees. The honor, he said, is testament to his reliability and a sort of reward for all the hard work and dedication he puts into his job. <\/p>\n
Besides routine administrative work and doing school errands, Ngirmekur also assists staff and teachers and monitors the school\u2019s network and laptop program.<\/p>\n
Just like the students he serve everyday, Ngirmekur said he has also learned a lot from just doing his job. He credits dealing with different students every day for helping him become a better person. \u201cI enjoy doing my work because I know in my heart that I can impact many lives,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Named Counselor of the Year is Joleen Borja, who has been with SSHS for six years. Borja was a classroom teacher for three years, rising through the rank to become the school counselor in 2008. This is her first time to be selected for the honor. <\/p>\n
As one of the three counselors on campus, Borja describes her selection as a great honor. \u201cI am very happy because we have a great team of counselors, so to be chosen for the award is really an honor,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Borja attends to an average of 50 students everyday. Just being able to see the direct impact of counseling on students is the most rewarding part of her profession. She helps them with their career and college searches, including financial aid, helps them with their emotional and social issues, and conducts classroom guidance on different topics. Borja also counsels at-risk students and those facing disciplinary actions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe advocate for the kids and we serve as their voice,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Leonardo Rabago, a senior Army instructor for the JROTC program, was named the Instructor of the Year. He describes the award as an \u201cunexpected honor.\u201d \u201cI am very honored to be selected\u2026but I don\u2019t really look for it,\u201d he told Saipan Tribune yesterday.<\/p>\n
Rabago has been with SSHS for five years now, since 2007. He is tasked to oversee the school\u2019s JROTC program, which has 152 students this year. He attends to mostly graduating students. Rabago said it is the aim of the program to build and develop good citizens who will become assets to the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most rewarding part of my job is when I see the students that they can assume our position within the program. But the best one is seeing them graduate and become productive member of society,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
SSHS conferred its Teacher Aide of the Year award on Ed Guinto, who is with the school\u2019s special education program. In the four years he has been with the school, this is his second time to be chosen for the honor. <\/p>\n
Guinto was described by his principal, Jesse Tudela, as truly deserving for the recognition. Guinto is also last school year\u2019s Teacher Aide of the Year.<\/p>\n
Tudela thanked all the awardees for their hard work and commitment to SSHS. \u201cI know that they go beyond and above their duties and I want to say that this recognition is one way for the community to know the type of staff and employees we have here at SSHS. We\u2019re very proud of them,\u201d he told Saipan Tribune. <\/p>\n
SSHS is home to 881 students and 59 employees, including 31 classroom teachers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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