The season of graduations brings hope for the future of our society and people. Graduation symbolizes the success and accomplishment of all involved, the parents, teachers, professors and most of all, those who earned their respective diplomas and degrees.

As these graduates step into the new paths on their continuing journey in life, they join the ranks of the countless alumni of the high schools of Guam, the Guam Community College (GCC), and the University of Guam (UOG) who continue to add to the civilized foundations of our society.

For the graduates of our high schools, some of them will enter the workforce immediately, while others will continue their education at UOG, GCC, or off-island colleges or universities. All will find that there are more difficult decisions that must be made during this time of year.  It is important to utilize what was accomplished over the past four years to shape the plans to be made for the next ten. Each and every high school graduate has their own different story, but all will continue to contribute, in their own unique ways, to our society and people.

For the graduates of our local institutions of higher education, I continue to believe you, the graduates of the UOG and the GCC, are the engine of our economic livelihood here on Guam which is continuously replenished every spring and fall with new graduates. The importance of these institutions to our island and the region is that they provide the sustenance of knowledge that will continue to reinvigorate the island and its economy for years to come.

As these UOG and GCC graduates enter into the workforce armed with their degrees, it brings great satisfaction to the people of Guam that the successes of a few can affect the masses; that the hard work and diligence of a few hundred, can uplift a community of thousands.

I continue to impress upon you, the graduates, the importance of taking an active role in the community and utilizing the knowledge and experience behind your diplomas and degrees as you engage in and contribute to the positive growth of our island. We have numerous high school, college and university graduates working for the government today who are the backbone of the services provided to the people of Guam on a daily basis.

Furthermore, we have countless other graduates who work within the local private sector, contributing every single day to keeping the economy moving forward.

Even within the walls of my senatorial office, I have Guam high school and UOG graduates who work for the people on a daily basis. My firsthand experience of their diligence, dedication, skills and hard work proves that with a solid foundation and the proper materials, individuals can succeed in constructing and maintaining the structural integrity of our economy.

It is with great pleasure that I offer my sincere congratulations to all the graduates of the high school, GCC, and UOG Classes of 2012 for their successes, now and in the future. It is the graduates of our Guam educational institutions who will strengthen our society and fuel the engine of Guam’s economy in order for all of us to live better lives.