Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Paramount Builders is proud to sponsor coverage of all of the 2022 American Samoa High School Graduations, and wishes all graduates a successful journey into the future. Be Safe. Seventeen students graduated from the Iakina Adventist Academy.

The commencement ceremony was held at the school’s learning center on the June 12, with the class of 2022’s theme “Humility”.

The Valedictorian is Tavillacollin Puni and Salutitorian is Naomi Lualua.

The principal for the SDA, Mrs Fu’a Iese said another milestone has unfolded for the school as they witness another successful school year.

Pastor Tui Tuilatu reminded the graduating class the Lord will guide their future.

“‘Ask me for whatever you want and I shall give it to you.’ Class of 2022, keep this small phrase with you,” he said.

He quoted Will Durant a great philosopher, “Knowledge is the eye of desire and can become the pilot of the soul.”

The pastor said this phrase has proven to be correct over the years and that knowledge leads you anywhere in life. Adding that the cultural norm for Israel in order for you to be King, was you must be of royal blood, you must be wealthy and wise.

He said King Solomon sought God’s face and he was told to “ask me for whatever you want and I shall give it to you.”

To the graduating class, Pastor Tuilatu said: “as you are about to leave Iakina and pursue further your educational life, let me remind you what God said to King Solomon, in all your future plans, whatever you may desire for the future, all you need to do is invite God into your life.

Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga gave the keynote address and stated that all around the United States during the graduation season, they will listen to the inspirational speeches telling them how to be proud of their accomplishments and to prepare of all the challenges to come as soon as you exit high school and face the world.

Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga with some of the graduates of Iakina Adventist Academy after their commencement ceremony took place on June 12, 2022 at the school’s learning center. [ata: Leua Aiono Frost]

“Commencement Speakers will encourage graduates to go out and conquer the world or aim high and many other recollections and tradition of graduations.

“Many others will also guide you on how to become successful, but for you Iakina graduates I offer you an alternative encouragement and a common one, because you already know what I am going to talk about.”

Lemanu said the theme is most fitting in what the graduates need to instill in them for what life has in store for them.

“Where ever you go today, however you choose to continue your life and in everything that you do, I encourage you to strengthen the foundation of humility. The famous saying by St Augustine — if you wish to rise, begin by descending. 

“You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.”

He said humility is humbleness and should not be mistaken as weakness.

“It is the strongest unbearable force you will have in your arsenal, even Satan was defeated by humility and gentleness of our Savior. As a leader humility is a virtue, I value that still today, and I am still a work in progress up to today.

“Humility is the lens that enables leaders to see things clearly, when a leader is proud, how will they see the strength of those around him. If a leader believes they know everything, how will they be able to learn new things in a war that is always changing.

“Technology has made us understand a lot of what is out there, we have access to the outside world, access to each other’s information on social media and everyone is now a self taught expert in everything they desire to learn.

“How can we apply our concept of humility in a place that requires you to stay ahead?

“And there is one person that we can look upon as the role model of humility and that is our Jesus Christ.

“In order to show his true love for us, God became man and he was born into this world in a manger, a lowly place.

“Jesus emptied himself of his foretold reputation and embraced a life of weakness; poverty, shame, homelessness, rejection, pain and death.

“However, after all that he endured here on earth, he made a foundation for God’s children — an everlasting covenant and relationship.

“His accession into heaven has resonated throughout the world for more than 2,000 years.

“Even in the Samoan culture, humility is a core pillar,” said Governor Lemanu.

Parents of the SDA graduating class of 2022 in one of the celebratory moments of the commencement ceremony, moved the tassel on the mortarboard worn by their loved one, from ‘right to left’ — symbolizing moving from one stage of their life to another, in this case from high school to … Traditionally, the tassel is moved from right to left by graduates, as a class, after receiving their diplomas.