On Tuesday, July 1st, 2025, graduation season continued as eleven students from the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School (VVPS) proudly strutted down the aisle accompanied by their fathers. As it has been in recent years, the ceremony was held at the First Baptist Church in Welches.
Under the theme “Empowered for Greatness”, the brilliant Class stood poised to strike a mark of greatness on the landscape of their future, as they enter the ranks of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School come September 2025.
Prayer was offered by Pastor Rodwell Grant of the Bethany Gospel Hall. Followed by the National Song rendered by the entire audience, and the School Song by the graduands.
Principal Mavis Fleming-Webster gave the welcome remarks. Incidentally, she had come to the end of her tenure at the VVPS, as she faces retirement at this juncture. Consequently, she was filled with some degree of emotion as she spoke of the hard work of the graduands and the memories that she had come to cherish at the school.
She said in part: “It is with immense pleasure and a heart full of joy that I extend a warm welcome to our distinguished guests, Minister of Education, Mrs. Shellya Rogers-Webster; Chief Education Officer, Mr. Bren Romney; as well as other education officers, and the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Ellis L. Webster. I greet our parents, faculty and staff, our cherished friends and community stakeholders, our dedicated sponsors and most importantly, our graduating class of 2025.”
“This afternoon marks a special milestone,” she said. “It fills my heart with immense pride and joy to stand before [you] with mixed emotions for the last time as Principal of the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School…
“For you graduands, this afternoon is not just about receiving diplomas. It is about celebrating an incredible journey which you all have undertaken, and indeed I congratulate you.”
The Keynote Speaker was a past student of the VVPS, Master Andre Samuel. In part, he stated: “Today we celebrate that you are indeed empowered for greatness. Seven years after you started school at Vivien Vanterpool Primary, you have grown in ways that you never would have imagined. You have learned to solve problems, how to read big books, and how to work as a team. You have learnt to stand up and speak in front of a class. Yes, you are empowered for greatness, indeed.”
Following the feature address, certificates were issued, and numerous special awards were presented to deserving students. The School Choir then sang “Blessed be the Lord God Almighty”.
The Valedictorian was Skai Carty. In her speech she mentioned: “We did not get here alone, nor we did not get here by luck. But we got here through love, team work and belief in ourselves and in each other.”
She said that one of the most worthy attributes that she found at the VVPS was the spirit of support and collaboration that comes from within. “We stood by each other and we supported each other every single day,” she said. “And that is what VVPS gave us – a sense of belonging.”
The graduates then all sang Julie and the Phantoms’ “Edge of Great”; the Vote of Thanks was given by Catalia Wallace; the Principal proudly presented the Class; and they gleefully danced out of the sanctuary to the playing of the recessional, “I am not Forgotten” by Israel and New Breed.
