Generally politicians would prefer to announce good news such as this themselves, but Wednesday, student Governor Jordan Leon Guerrero told media that during a fiscal briefing at Adelup, he learned that $10 million in tax refunds will be mailed to about 3,000 taxpayers next week.
Leon Guerrero, of Notre Dame High School, was among the more than 100 students from public and private schools who are pronounced "Island Leaders" for the day. Mikayla Atoigue-Garrido of Bishop Baumgartner Memorial Catholic School was Lieutenant Governor of Guam for the day. The two students won the Department of Youth Affairs Oratorical Contest which was held in February. The team-for-a-day led a proclamation signing for Island Leadership Day, which is where student Governor Leon Guerrero made the announcement on tax refunds. The checks are for tax returns filed by Jan. 31. “It’s an amazing learning experience,” student Governor Leon Guerrero said. “There’s a lot that goes into this leadership position,” said student Lt. Governor Atoigue-Garrido. The Guam Department of Youth Affairs worked with the Department of Education, the parochial school system, and other independent private schools to assign students to leadership positions. "I want to thank all those who made today possible. I have so much faith in these young adults. They are capable of extraordinary things," said Governor Calvo. "It’s important to encourage the younger generation to be the best they can be and that we believe they are capable of anything they set their minds to.”