The 2015 graduating class of the Orealia Kelly Primary held their ceremony on Thursday 2 July at the school’s auditorium. The theme for the evening’s proceedings was: ‘The Past is our Heritage, the Present is our Responsibility, the Future is our Challenge.’ The persons officiating at the ceremony depicted the past, the present and the future. Mr Foster Rogers who did the prayer was one of the original students of the school; and the guest speaker, Ms Khalia Cliffton, referred to the school as her ‘alma mater’. The present was depicted by the students taking part in the ceremony and the future was depicted by those the graduating class who are moving on to another phase of their development.
Ms Cliffton congratulated the graduating class on making it to this steppingstone in their lives, and reminded them that it was not the end – but merely a marker on their journey through life. Her wish for the graduants was that, “In your life, may you have people who will listen and spend time with you, encourage you and believe in you. May you embrace growth and excellence. May you be generous. May you be humble. May God watch over you. With this blessing may you go forth and do wonderful things.”
There were two Principals for whom the graduation held special meaning. The current Principal, Teacher Paula Etienne, and the past Principal, Teacher Jasmine Hodge – Thomas. The graduating class had been under the guidance of Teacher Paula for one year and with Teacher Jasmine for five years. The ceremony was significant for both of them and both of them were acknowledged in the valedictorian’s speech.
Many students received special awards for being outstanding in different areas such as academics, sports and behaviour. The two top students were Abigail Proctor and A’Jeanique Joseph. A’Jeanique was awarded Salutatorian and Abigail was awarded Valedictorian. In her ‘original’ speech, Abigail alluded to the past, present and future. She reflected on how “Orealia Kelly Primary School has instilled in us a tremendous fire, a passion for life, and a desire to make the world in which we live better.” Concerning the present, she encouraged her class to “embrace every moment on this earth, and share the time we do have with the people we care about the most, because once that moment has passed, it is lost forever.” With regard to the future, she reminded her peers that, “The future of this nation lies on our shoulders. We owe it to each other, our families, our teachers, our school, and this little island – along with God – to pursue our dreams. I hope that you go to high school and take it seriously. What you do there will greatly impact the rest of your life. As you embark on the rest of your journey, I urge you to do what you love, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
In her final words to the graduants, Teacher Paula, the Principal, shared with them a number of keys to be at their best. One of the keys was, ‘Live life today, don’t wait for tomorrow’…”whatever happens, happens now, so live your life where the action is – now. Study now! Be respectful now! When life gets tough remember to take it one day at a time. Don’t look back and grieve over the past for it is gone. Do not worry about the future, as it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.”
