“E SOSO’O AFA MA MANINOA” — Leone graduates 147 Lions

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Leone High School Class of 2021 comprising 147 graduating Lions held their commencement ceremony yesterday morning at the school gym, under the theme “E Soso’o Afa ma Maninoa”.

Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale delivered special remarks. (Read full text in story on this website.)

Among the LHS graduates during their graduation ceremony yesterday is special education graduate, Na’kaysia O. Sevaaetasi, sister of class Co-Valedictorian, Apollonia Sevaaetasi.

Na’kaysia was accompanied in her wheel chair by her mother to accept her diploma, and greet Education director Talauega Dr. Samasoni Asaeli, followed by Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale (far left). [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]

There are the two Valedictorians — Helen Pulotu Schroeder (left) and Apollonia Sene Sevaaetasi (right). [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]

Helen in a brief bio printed in the graduation program states in part — throughout her time at Leone High School, she has excelled in numerous subjects, while also making time for extracurricular activities, such as Close-Up, JSA, Student Council and most notably the National Honor Society Taumafai Chapter. Helen plans to further her education at an institution of higher learning, where she can pursue majors in mechanical and aeronautical engineering.

Apollonia’s bio states in part that she has excelled in all subjects, especially in Math for all four years of high school. With education being an important part of her life, she plans to start college at the ASCC and hopes to pursue a major in accounting and civil engineering.

Class Salutatorian is Arasi Perjokisa Faamausili [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]

 “In approaching the ending of one journey and beginning of another, Arasi has mastered a challenging course of study and now prepares herself to enter the adult world as a full-fledged scholar. Her goal is to become a medical doctor and hopes to come back and serve her community,” according to her bio in the program.

Samoa News wishes all graduates a safe and joyful celebration! [photos: Leua Aiono Frost]

 “E Soso’o Afa ma le Maninoa!” - 147 Au Fa’au’u mai le Aoga Maualuga a Leone

tusia: Leua Aiono Frost

“O lea matou te le fa’avaivai ai, aua e ui ina tauau ina uma lo matou tagata i fato, ae fa’afouina lo matou tagata i totonu i lea aso ma lea aso….o lo ua matou le manatu ai i mea ua va’aia a’o mea e le o va’aia, aua o mea ua va’aia e mavae lea, ae o mea e le o va’aia e fa’avavau lea.”

Upu a Paulo ia Korinito e fa’ailoa ai le naunauta’i i faiva, ia faia e tusa poo le a le tigaina, ua tuu i le tiga ma le vaivai, ae ua fa’amalosi ma le onosa’i, aua o le galuega e le faigofie, e sofa’i mai fo’i mea faigata e fa’auilavea i le fa’amoemoe, ae faia pea lava le galuega. O manuia e le o va’aia e fa’avavau lea, sa taula i ai le fa’amoemoe, o le Auauna a le Atua.

Upu ia na pa’u i le a’ai o finagalo o fanau fa’au’u e auga i ai le fa’amoemoe o le aso tuupoina i le Laumua o le Liona i Leone, ua fa’apea fo’i le a’ai o finagalo o le mamalu o aiga ma matua, o matua fa’aleagaga o fanau fa’auu, ae maise le aotelega o uo mamae ma e masani sa oo ane e fa’afeiloa’ia ma fa’amalo ia latou pelega, ua a’e malo le faiva i le sailiga o le atamai.

“E sosoo afa ma le maninoa, Pe Lutia i Puava ae mapu i Fagalele, o upu ia a le atunuu ae tau tali fetaui lelei ma lenei vaitau, ua lutia ai le folauga sa tatou ola fa’atasi ai, ina ua sofa’i mai fa’ama’i fou ma le fita, ma ua suia fa’afuase’ia ai lo tatou olaga sa masani ai.”

“Ua fa’ate’ia le sologa lelei o mea uma ina ua lutia i tatou ma ua taofia atoa femalaga’iga. Tapunia ai a’oga ma ua toe fesua’i apefoe o le fa’atautaiga o a’oga, ia tau talafeagai ma le fa’amoemoe ia mafai ona fa’aauau pea lava le aoga a le fanau, o suiga e mafai ai ona mautinoa le saogalemu o i latou ma faia’oga, pe afai ae ulufale mai nei faama’i i le atunuu.”

“O le taofiga o femalaga’iga ua le mafai ai ona mafuta fanau ma aiga i le tele o taimi mo aiga e pei o nei fo’i aso fa’apitoa fa’apenei, ae le’i taofia tumau ai e le malo ma le Matagaluega o Aoga aoga a outou le fanau. Ua le fa’avaivai ai faia’oga uma mai lo latou tofi. Ua taumafai i ala ua fa’atulaga mai e ala i fesootaiga tafailagi, ma ua aga’i pea i luma le taumafaiga se’ia oo ina toe aluga lelei, fa’atasi ai lava ma suiga.”

“O i outou o fanau ua outou gafatia ona suia outou ala e a’oa’o ai, ma ua outou a’e manumalo mai ai. Ua outou ola ma suiga lelei, aua le folauga i le lumana’i ua mae’a lutia o tatou ala, ae le fa’atu’utu’u i ai, ae ua saili ala e gafatia ai ona ola aoaoina ma suiga.”

“Fa’afetai ia te outou faia’oga, aua ua molitino mai le taumafaiga a le fanau i le taunuuga lelei ua latou  toai taunuu mai i ai i le aso nei. Le Laumua o le Liona, sagai ane ia i lou lumana’i, tau ina ia fa’amanuia le Atua.”

“Aua nei gae’e lo outou faatuatua i le Atua, o loo soifua le Atua e na te fa’afouina lo tatou tagata i totonu i lea aso ma lea aso.”

Ina ua mae’a le tatalo sa tuuina le avanoa mo le fa’alauiloaga o fanau ua ausia togi maualuluga, ma ua avea ma totino o le  National Honor Society a le Laumua i Leone. Na soso’o ma le fa’alauiloaga o le to’a 10 o le fanau ua ausia togi maualuluga ma fa’asolo atu ai i le fa’alauiloaga o le sui ua ausia le tulaga lua i le vasega fa’ai’uaso ma le to’alua o lo ua ausia le togisilia o le vasega fa’aiuaso 2021 mai le A’oga Maualuga i Leone. [Tala tusia i le Lali]

O le sui ua filifilia mo se upu fa’amalosi i le vasega fa’aiuaso o le afioga lea i le sui Kovana Talauega Eleasalo Va’alele Ale, ma sa ia tula’i ma ia toe fa’amanatu, le aoga o tima’iga ua mae’a pa’u i le maota, sa tapena i ai le fa’afeagaiga tofia mo le Tima’iga ma le tatalo mo le vasega fa’aiuaso mai le amataga o le sauniga, le Rev. Alama Solofa, EFKAS i Vailoatai.

“Ia outou fa’amanuia i la outou taumafaiga ua au, fa’atasi ma outou matua ma aiga, aua o le aso lava lenei o le fa’afetai. Ua tuana’i mea sa tiga ai, ua mae’a tauiviga sa fitaituga ai outou le fanau i le 12 o tausaga o aoaoina mai, lea ua outou a’e manumalo.”

E le gata i lea ae ua i ai le manatu ma le fa’amoemoe o nisi e fa’aauau a’oa’oga i Kolisi ma Iunivesite i Fafo poo iinei fo’i, sailiga tusi pasi maualuluga. Nisi ua fa’amoemoe e malaga i fafo mo le sailiga o kolisi e fa’aauau aoaoga pe faigaluega fo’i i ni galuega totogi lelei e amata ai le olaga tautua. Peita’i o nisi ua le mautonu, ua oo mai lava i le taimi nei, e le fa’atopetopea fo’i a latou filifiliga ma e lelei fo’i lena, filifili toto’a o outou ala, ma ia talafeagai ma le aluga o latou soifua talavou. Poo le a lava, ia e filifili ma fa’atino loa. O nisi fo’i o le a amata faigaluega iinei ma tausia aiga, ua lelei fo’i lea mo i latou.”

“E tou te iloa ua matua fa’afiafiaina ta’ita’i o le tatou Malo ia te outou uma lava, aua a taga’i atu ia te outou, ua mautinoa le i ai o nisi e fa’atautaia le tatou Malo i le lumana’i. Ua mautinoa le fa’aauau o le folauga a Amerika Samoa i le lumana’i. O nisi o outou o le a avea ma Taitai o malo, Kovana, Faipule, Senatoa, Pule Aoga, o Loia, Leoleo, Fa’amasino, so’o se ituaiga o e tautua ma fa’alagolago atu i ai le malo o Amerika Samoa i lana folauga manuia i le lumana’i. O se fiafiaga sili lena i le Kovana ma le taupulega.”

“O mea ua mae’a uia e i tatou ma ua manumalo ai, o taimi fa’aletonu sa tatou le mailoa e sofa’ia i tatou i lenei vaitau. Na faia sina suiga i o tatou soifua galulue mo faiaoga ma e uma e faigaluega i le Malo ma pisinisi, ina ia mafai ona fa’aauau pea aoaoga a outou le fanau. Fa’afetai i le tatou galulue fa’atasi i mea uma, ae maise ia mafai ona tatou ola ma suiga e gafatia ai ona puipuia lo tatou ola.”

“E soso’o le afa ma maninoa! O le ala lea ua fa’ataoto atu ina ia e fuafua i ai lou soifua ma suiga ua tatou o ola ai nei. Afai e te tausisi i ai, e manuia le taumafaiga i le fa’aiuga o lau folauga.”

“Aua ne’i fa’amatu’ua lou fa’atuatua. O lo’o soifua le Atua e maua ai le fesoasoani i taimi faigata.

“Tatalo ma le fa’atuatua e faafofoga mai le Atua ma alofagia le taumafaiga. Onosa’i: E le’i fausia Roma i se aso se tasi, ae na fausia i aso ta’itasi. E umi le taimi e fausia ai Roma le a’ai tele, e fa’apena fo’i ona umi le taumafaiga fa’ato’a to’ai taunuu i le sini ua e filifilia e te fia maua.”

“Ia e Tautua, o le tagata Samoa ua masani ma le soifua tautua. Tautua i matua ma Aiga, tautua Nuu ma itumalo, tautua le Ekalesia ma le malo o Amerika Samoa, tautua i ou tagata lautele. Ua a’oa’oina i tatou ina ia tatou ola tautua, ae le o le ola na’o oe ma e faia mea mo oe. O le olaga o le tagata Samoa Kerisiano e fa’asoa atu, ma talia mai.”

“Aua nei galo ia te oe lou amataga. E masani ona tupu ia i tatou e malaga i fafo le mea lenei. Ua e maua lou sini ma ua e fiafia i mea ua e maua, ona galo lea ona e fa’asoa mai i si ou aiga tau atina’e na e amata atu ai. Ua galo ia te oe, lou fa’asinomaga sa fa’amatuu atu oe e te alu e saili ma ia maua mai se fesoasoani. O le olaga lea o i tatou Samoa e tausi aiga, e tausi matua, e tausi ekalesia, e alofa atu ma mataaiga.”

“Mai lenei laumua, e to’atele na’ua ta’ita’i o malo, ta’ita’i o Ekalesia, taita’i faipisinisi, ta’ita’i o Sosaiete ua soloa’i atu ai. Ou te iloa e le o valetu’ulima o tatou tofi eseese uma na i le vasega fa’aiuaso o le aso, i latou o le a tu’ua le Laumua o le Liona 2021. Afai e mafai e le vaega o e na mua’i a’oa’oina iinei faiva uma na, ua fa’apena fo’i ona outou mafaia.”

“O mai ina o, ia outou manuia,” o toe upu ia o le lauga tima’i a le afioga le Sui Kovana, o se tasi sa fa’au’u mai i le Marist High School ma malaga atu i fafo e sailia ona tusi pasi fa’aloia, ua taliu mai i fanua, ua tautua o se Lioa sili a le Malo mo nai tausaga, ae o lea ua tutula’i nei e avea ma Sui Kovana o le tatou Malo, na filifilia fa’apitoa i le palotaga o le 2020.