Hard work paid off at Okkodo High School on Thursday morning, where students celebrated a major academic milestone with a special concert featuring the iconic guests Pau Hana and Siaosi. 

Excitement filled the air at the Home of the Bulldogs this morning, as their gymnasium transformed into a stage for a mini-concert. It was a hard-earned celebration; after achieving the highest english language arts test scores in the district, outperforming even states like Washington, Oregon, and California.

Deon Apatang, School to Work president, said, “Today is a celebration for our seniors—last year, we scored highest not only islandwide–but nationwide–on our smarter balanced testing–so, this is a celebration for them, this is our reward with Pau Hana and Siaosi.”

It’s a historic milestone, reached despite the challenges of a double-session schedule. Yet instead of just pushing through—these students have proven they can thrive. Apatang continued,  “I feel very proud and motivated with our class, especially because we are the class that started the double session our freshman year–so, just growing up with it throughout high school, I think that we got used to it and we adapted to what teachers could teach us through the minimal time that we had.”

The school welcomed Pau Hana and Siaosi with open arms, loud cheers, and singalongs to their favorite hits.

It was a heartwarming day of music, pride, and fun, made possible by the dedication of Okkodo’s students and educators.