The Leone High School Class of 2014 commencement exercise was held at the Kanana Fou gymnasium last Friday, and it was the last of the public high school graduations for this academic year.

Hundreds of family and friends came out to witness 160 Lions walk across the stage to receive their high school diplomas.

School principal Peni Ben Itula Te’o served as master of ceremonies and Rev. Samuelu Areta of the Futiga Methodist Church delivered the invocation and benediction.

Dr. Laloasi Mika Petaia Steffany, a 1984 graduate of Leone High School, delivered the commencement address during which she told the graduates about her own personal struggles when she was in medical school.

“There were times when I cried, I fell,” she said. “But the key to being successful is always getting back up and moving forward, trying harder.”

This year, the top Lion honor went to Lei Ivette Pele Tonumaipe’a who was class valedictorian. Lei is from Failolo and Faleniu, and is the youngest of four children born to Ueligitone and Talitiga Pele Tonumaipe’a. She served as vice president of the Leone HS National Honor Society and will be representing American Samoa in the group exhibit category at the National History Day competition set to be held later this year in Maryland.

Lei and her twin sister Ula Yvonne Pele Tonumaipe’a, who placed third in the graduating class rankings, each received four-year scholarships from the American Samoa Government to attend the University of Washington. Both girls plan to major in biology.

The Tonumaipe’a sisters are living proof that twins share something deeper than just looks. Both girls scored over 1500 on their SATs, both held key positions within different school organizations and clubs, and both received scholarships from Florence Saulo and Associates Insurance Company.

Ula, however, received a Congressional Nomination for the US Naval Academy, as well as the Leadership Award.

Lei, on the other hand, is the recipient of the President’s Scholarship of $72,000 from the University of Portland. In addition, Lei was also awarded a $13,000 scholarship from the University of San Francisco.

The Class of 2014 salutatorian title went to Mika Howard Tamatane Aga, the only son of Tapa’au Dr. Daniel and Alesi Mika Petaia Aga from Leone, Faga’itua, Pago Pago and Samoa.

Like the Tonumaipe’a sisters, Mika also received a four-year ASG scholarship to attend the University of Washington, to major in civil engineering.

Mika has a long list of accomplishments, including scoring the highest in the SAT for the Lions Class of 2014. He has also been awarded an $84,000 President’s Scholarship to attend the University of Portland.

He was the recipient of the Dept. of Interior’s Junior Statesmen of America Scholarship to attend Georgetown University last year, in addition to $3,000 from the STEP grant scholarship to the Shilley School of Engineering Summer Bridge Program.

Besides the Tonumipe’a twins and Mika, the only other Lion that was awarded a four-year ASG scholarship was Kerupi Clarence Dominique Moi who will be attending Chaminade University in Hawai’i, majoring in English.

Moi, who came in fourth place in overall rankings for the Class of 2014, received a $10,000 Regents Scholarship to attend Chaminade in the fall, as well as a scholarship from Florence Saulo and Associates Insurance Company.

Other notable mentions went to Leuatea Iosefa Faiai, the recipient of a two-year scholarship to attend the American Samoa Community College. Faiai has been accepted to North Park University in Chicago, where he has been awarded a Presidential Scholarship of $7,500.

Faiai also received the male scholar athlete award.

Elizabeth Muliaga, awarded the female scholar athlete award, also received the June Jones Scholarship and has been accepted to New Mexico Military Institute.

Shiloh Zepanaiah Pritchard was named the Male Athlete of the Year, while Sofai Helen Mao received the Citizenship Award. Sofai has been accepted to Eastern University.

The US Marine Corps has picked up Osana Vaina while the US Army is the career choice of Gideon Mapusaga, Imelda Venasio, Mina Aunai, Peteru Malaga, and Sina Faafili.

The Female Leadership Academics Award went to Tafaifoe Papaofo Vagaia, while the Male and Female Semper Fidelis Musical Excellence Awards were presented to Leafa Paulo and Eseta Talalelei Alailesulu, respectively.

Wilheim Samuelu Schroeder got the 4-Way Rotary Leadership Award and Sethrine Talamoa has been accepted to Wentworth Military Academy. The other two graduates tentatively set to join Talamoa are Haserota Mata’u and Nolan Puletasi.

The Distinguished Male and Female Athlete awards were presented to William Siaki and Taulagi Sagote, while Suameli Toia Aasa received the Male Leadership Academics Award.

Samoa News would like to congratulate these, and all the Territory’s graduates of 2014 and wish them well on their way to a bright future.