Despite inclement weather, hundreds of people crowded the spacious Rodney Rey MacArthur Auditorium on Wednesday evening for the 25th Year Five Graduation Ceremony of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School.
The teeming and supportive crowd of officials, family, friends and other members of the public, witnessed an impressive procession of just under 140 graduating students, up the red-carpet corridor to the front of the auditorium, and cheered them along the well-ordered journey.
The graduation ceremony, chaired by Mrs Nashara Websater-Wilkes, had as its theme The Past – Our Heritage; The Present Our Responsibility; The Future – Our Challenge.
Congratulatory remarks were delivered to the students by Mrs Chanelle Petty Barrett, Permanent Secretary, Education and the Principal, Mrs Ingrid Lake. The keynote speaker was Mr David Carty, a former Educator and Speaker of the House of Assembly.
The Valedictory Speech was delivered by Gesel Hodge, one of the graduating students, now a Sixth Former.
Graduation ceremonies at the Comprehensive School, as well as all the other schools in Anguilla usually attract large crowds. The crowd at this Year Five Graduation was one of the largest in recent times.