Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Set to Honor Students on Wednesday, May 19 in 4th Annual Pacific Islander Spring Celebration of Excellence
Oakland – Oakland Unified School District’s Office of Equity Asian Pacific Islander Student Achievement (APISA) program, the Oakland Pacific Islander Network, and IKUNA are hosting the 4th Annual Pacific Islander Spring Celebration of Excellence on YouTube on Wednesday, May 19 for graduating seniors, student leaders, students with perfect attendance, students who earned at least a 3.0 GPA, and students who have overcome challenges in virtual learning this year.
“Our students have shown all of us how to persevere through adversity,” said Oakland Unified School District Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell. “Even during these challenging times, thriving is not just possible, these students guarantee it. Whether they’ve been pulling straight As, been present in class every single day, continued to grow academically, or simply overcome the frustrations of online learning, they are wonderful examples of the beauty and brilliance of Oakland students. I congratulate all the honorees for their remarkable achievements.”
A record eight OUSD students will receive APISA Student Leadership Awards for demonstrating Community Leadership and Service, Warrior Spirit and Resiliency, and Cultural Leadership and Preservation. The student leaders were nominated by OUSD staff and community leaders. They are:
Andrew Steffani, Fremont High, Warrior Spirit & Resiliency
Nehemaiah Vaioleti, Madison Park Academy, Warrior Spirit & Resiliency
Sione Pahulu, Fremont High, Warrior Spirit & Resiliency
Samuel Sau, Castlemont High, Warrior Spirit & Resiliency
Teresa Tava, Dewey Academy, Community Leadership & Service
Amanakilelei Tuakoi, Fremont High, Community Leadership & Service
Sepa Tiueti, Skyline High, Community Leadership & Service
Atanihea Huahulu, Oakland High, Cultural Leadership & Preservation
“We are so proud of these student leaders who have stepped up during this challenging year to continue to lead at their schools and in their communities,” said Taimani Lauti of IKUNA. “They will lead our community into the future, as they lead within OUSD today. We thank them for being role models for our younger students coming up.”
The Annual Nesian Scholarship, sponsored by the Oakland Lei Company, will be awarded to Angelina Quidachay, a Madison Park Academy senior who finished with the highest cumulative GPA of all Pacific Islander seniors in OUSD – the highest weighted GPA on record for the scholarship at 4.32. Angelina will receive a graduation lei, a lunch at Lake Chalet, and a college scholarship from the Oakland Lei Company to honor all of her hard work.
The event will also feature a presentation by Award-Winning Poet, Terisa Siagatonu. All are invited to join the celebration with our Pacific Islander students and families and show love to these young people by sharing shoutouts and congratulations on YouTube. The complete list of student honorees can be found on the APISA website.
WHAT: 4th Annual Pacific Islander Spring Celebration of Excellence
WHEN: 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 19
WHERE: YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/OUSDOfficeofEquity
About the Oakland Unified School District
In California’s most diverse city, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is dedicated to creating a learning environment where “Every Student Thrives!” More than half of our students speak a non-English language at home. And each of our 81 schools is staffed with talented individuals uniting around a common set of values: Students First, Equity, Excellence, Integrity, Cultural Responsiveness and Joy. We are committed to preparing all students for college, career and community success.
To learn more about OUSD’s Full Service Community District focused on academic achievement while serving the whole child in safe schools, please visit OUSD.org and follow us @OUSDnews.