A full capacity crowd filled the Rodney MacArthur Rey Auditorium on the afternoon of Tuesday October 23rd for the twenty-ninth graduation ceremony of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, with the theme: “You’re Brave, Brilliant & Oh-so Resilient”.
Some 158 fifth-form students walked the aisle, with the kind of pomp and ceremony accorded to industrious achievers, as the ALHCS Concert Band filled the room with the jubilant processional tune of the Captain America March.
The National Anthem and National Song were rendered by the ALHCS Steel Orchestra and the ALHCS Concert Band respectively, conducted by Mr. Michael “Dumpa” Martin and Mr. Lennox Vanterpool. The School Song followed next, proudly sung by the school’s choir, after which a fervent prayer was offered by Pastor Bernard Joseph. Ms. Regine Niles then introduced the moderator for the evening in the person of Mr. Christopher John Richardson.
In her congratulatory address, the Minister of Education, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge stated in part: “You are closing the door to what has been familiar to you, for the past five years, at this school. You are now opening new doors to different possibilities of opportunities and experiences. I am impressed by your theme, ‘You’re brave, brilliant and oh so resilient’, because it does not just reflect who you are, but it speaks to who you need to be in order to face the many challenges that life may bring your way.
“Bravery is not the absence of fear, but it is the ability to push on despite that fear. Brilliance is that gift that God has bestowed on each one of us. Everyone’s gift comes wrapped in a different package, but we are to take our gifts and share them with others in order to make our country and the world a better place. Resilience is synonymous with being Anguillian. It is not just a cliché, but it is based on a long history of our surviving against the odds.
“These three characteristics: bravery, brilliance and resilience will serve you well in all spheres of life, but there is one thing that you should always do as graduates of the ALHCS — and that is to live by the morals of the school motto, ‘decus est servire’, meaning it’s an ‘honor to serve’. I believe each of us has an obligation to give back to others. We should seek to do what we can to improve the lives of those around us, whether at school, at work, at church, at home, or in the community.”
The keynote speaker was Mr. Kenroy Herbert of Leviticus Lifestyle. He likened the developmental process of living, gaining an education and learning to the development of the Chinese bamboo tree. He elaborated: “In the far East, there is this Chinese bamboo tree. Chinese bamboo trees take five years to grow. It has to be watered daily in order for the ground to be fertilized, but the shoot doesn’t break through the ground until the fifth year after the seed is planted.
“Let me tell you this: once that green, slender shoot sees sunlight, there is no turning back. Within five weeks it’s grown – and not just grown, but it’s ninety feet tall.
“Now, the question is, does it grow ninety feet in five weeks or ninety feet in five years? The answer is obvious. It grows ninety feet tall in five years. Just like the Chinese bamboo we, as humans, don’t just grow up. We have to be ‘watered’ with great teachings; ‘fertilized’ by good morals; and ‘molded’ by great virtues.
“Those dreams that constantly play with our subconscious have to be nurtured. Then, and only then, can they become realities and assist us into our development as individuals with purpose.”
One of the highlights of the prized event was the session of issuing awards to the deserving students. It was a time of extraordinary pride as the graduants walked the stage to be honored for their respective levels of achievement. While most stepped on stage with a walk of gentle poise and exquisite grace, others could not resist the urge to give a brisk wave, a swag, a hilarious dance or even a gracious spin displaying their hype and excitement.
Mr. Michael Martin Jr., who was conferred the honor of valedictorian, was noted as the student with the best CXC results and was the proud recipient of nine awards. He was followed by Ms. Jodi Vanterpool, who attained seven. Five special awards, namely: the Calder Simon Award; the Chezroy DeSouza Award; the Selwyn Horsford Award; the ACOCI Award; and the Dexter Mussington Award, were conferred on Kamoy Garvey, Malone Fleming, Christopher Astaphan, Avaonya Reid, and Michael MartinJr. respectively.
In making his valedictorian speech, Michael Martin Jr. made it a point of jovially engaging with his fellow-graduates — reflecting with them on memories of their past schooling experiences. In part, he expressed thanks, on behalf of his fellows to his Head of Year, Mrs. Joselyne Theophile-Richardson. He also expressed much gratitude for the guidance and encouragement from his dad, Michael “Dumpa” Martin, as well as for the nurturing from his mom, Carol Martin, now deceased.
The School’s Principal, Mrs. Rita Celestine Carty, gave high praise for the graduates’ resilience and dedicated spirits in working under extreme odds, especially during the last school year in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which caused their irregular school day to start at 12:30 p.m. and end at 5:10 p.m.
The Principal noted: “Much effort has been made to declare this year group ‘the greatest of all time”. (This met with cheerful applause from the graduates.) She continued: “For the first time ever, a graduation song is an original composition with lyrics and music composed by the members of the graduating class.”
Mrs. Carty acknowledged the work done by former Principal, Mrs. Joyce Webster-Stuart, who had worked with the students up to July this year. A special presentation of a crystal clock was made to her on behalf of all the graduates, and her notable customary saying was cheerfully recited by all her former students in unison: “if no one told you today that they I love you, well I do”.
Following the said song, “The Greatest of all Times”, which was uniquely composed and performed by all the graduates, an appreciative Vote of Thanks was given by “outstanding graduate” Jodi Vanterpool. The Concert Band then began to strike up the tune “Happy” as the graduates made their recessional march out of the auditorium.
