The Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School said farewell to another group of extraordinary students. The event, at the Rodney MacArthur Rey Auditorium, on Wednesday, October 19th, was the school’s 27th Year Five graduation ceremony. Some 177 students graduated at the ceremony which was attended by Government officials, educators, parents and guardians and other members of the public. This year’s graduation theme was: “From Dream to Possibility Paving the Way to a Bright Tomorrow.”
The ceremony was chaired by Mr. Claudius Gumbs, the Keynote Address was delivered by Pastor Trent Berg and congratulatory remarks were given by Principal, Mrs. Joyce Webster Stuart, and Mr. Evans McNiel Rogers, Minister of Social Development and Education.
The presentation of Awards was done by Principal, Mrs. Joyce Webster Stuart, assisted by Mrs. Julienne Weekes and Ms. Shermiah Laurent.
The awards were sponsored by various business places in Anguilla. The Most Outstanding Graduate was T’arah Niles ; Best CXC Results Tsani Rogers; Munificence Award went to Miggy Llorera and the Calder Simon Award and Dexter Mussington Award went to Azariah Carty.
The Valedictory Speech was delivered by T’arah Niles. The salutatorian was Jayda Hughes who delivered the Vote of Thanks.
The programme included various performances by the Albena Lake-Hodge Concert Band and the school’s Steel Orchestra and Choir.
The Principal, Mrs. Joyce Webster-Stuart, bid the students a pleasant farewell. Her remarks were as follows:
“Two nights ago those of you from Band 1 (5A) along with your teacher, Ms. Maris Edwards, launched your first book, “Chapter 5: a compilation of stories we didn’t want to write”. When you started on that literary journey, you dreamt of getting to the end of it…of publishing those stories you didn’t want to write.
“And at some point each of you longed for the day you would finally get to the end of Fifth Form and graduate from Secondary School. Well, you have made it…and whether you are continuing to Sixth Form, going on to university, adjusting to work, or leisurely taking a break, you can say you have completed High School!
“And yet as a class, tonight you are saying that you want to move from your dreams to possibilities…so what are your new dreams and what possibilities can they afford you?
“I address you tonight with a quote from Meister Echart, “And suddenly you know: it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”
“I find it interesting that you have chosen as your theme, “From Dream to Possibility: Paving the Way to a Bright Tomorrow” because if I were to make a general statement about you, when I encountered you as a class last year, the first thing that comes to my mind is, “Boy, they are such dreamers!…relaxed, moving around the campus nonchalantly, not taking life too seriously, always answering the question, “What are you making of your life?” with “I cool Teach, I’m gonna—–“ and you would inevitably finish the statement with something about the future, but seldom addressing the present. You appeared so “naively independent” oblivious to the realization that always there was somebody who did something to allow you to advance this far, who may have had their “dreams deferred”, whether it was:
• A parent who gave up more than you would ever truly know to ensure that you “had what you needed” for school, or
• A teacher who endured so much in the classroom to ensure that you “stayed motivated” and that they were still willing to “put up with your attitude”, or
• A friend who stood by you at times when your behaviour may have caused their own student-teacher relationship “to become frayed and called into question”, or
• A classmate whose own learning may have been “shortchanged” because of your “contribution to the class”, or
• An innocent bystander or stranger who generously gave of their time, finances, or effort to supplement or sponsor your secondary school experience
“And ironically, now here you are “paving the way” not only for you, but for someone else to have a brighter future…for you see, NO ONE goes through life untouched by others or uninfluenced by someone else’s actions, or words, or deeds.
“As you move beyond this graduation night, keep on dreaming as you are the creators and generators of new ideas, you are the inventors and architects of what will enhance living conditions, you are the shifters who morph seamlessly into new realities, you are the manipulators who can move between the blurred lines of dreams and reality.
“Let your creativity drive you as you continue to move the boundaries of what is possible for a brighter future being ever mindful that with much freedom comes greater responsibility and accountability. Hold on tightly to your desire to always “want to know”, but let go lightly of your “stubborn spirit” so that your dreams can become realities.
“I claim for you, Jeremiah 29:11….”For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. May God truly bless each one of you, and I bid you farewell with my favorite principal’s saying, “If no one told you they loved you today, you remember I do and I always will.”— Linda Cliatt-Wayman.”
