Wednesday afternoon, July 6th, was graduation time for the Sixth Form students of the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School, as forty-seven jubilant students, brimming with relief, said good-bye to their secondary alma mater. The ceremony was held at the Rodney McArthur Rey Auditorium, under the theme “Overcoming the Odds”.
Following a lively procession along the aisle, music to the National Anthem was played by student Vijay Southwell, while student Khorey Barrett rendered the National Song on the saxophone. A graduand, Alysha Carty, then sang the School Song as a solo, and Pastor Philip Gumbs of the Church of God (Holiness) offered the Prayer of Invocation.
The Chairlady, in the person of Jade Raymond-Richardson, then introduced the Honourable Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers, Minister of Education, who was designated to bring congratulatory remarks. It was to be her first such address subsequent to her surprising reinstatement as Minister after her resignation last week. Upon congratulating the graduands, she spoke profoundly to them, and the tone of her message seemingly reflected her own experience. In part, she stated:
“Class of 2022, I know you might not have expected to see me here this evening, but I am here overcoming the odds with you,” she said. “I have long accepted that rejoining to do the work, from the inside, would come with its share of attempts to tarnish reputation and the passage of dishonest comments. This is the kind of reality that you would have lived with during your high school years and which you will have to deal with when you get on the outside.
“It is important to know that how you show up in your personal and professional lives, specifically as a leader, you will always be required to be open to vulnerability. There will be no aspect or place in your life that is off limits – no personal hurt too sensitive to touch. That is the way you may feel as you traverse this life in the future.
“Sometimes you may have the expectation that because you are good, because you are kind, and because you work hard, you will be free from the hurdles that life will throw your way. But, vulnerability is not weakness. You must speak openly about your experiences, irrespective of how painful they may be, because you don’t get over pain by ignoring it – or [the wound] just sits there and festers. Ignoring pain is counterproductive to a healing process. So it is necessary that you face the pain, examine it, examine the cause of it, and find the best remedy towards healing, and put preventative measures in place to prevent future negative impacts.”
The keynote speaker was Mr. Gino Webster, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Thoughtful Digital Agency. His address was highly charged, as he sought to inspire and motivate the graduating class towards an attitude of determination, even when the odds are against them: “There are three things that I want you to remember,” he said. “First, remember that God has a plan for your life, and it is a plan that is bigger than anything you could imagine…When everything around you is falling down, you must understand that ‘God has a plan for your life’.
“Secondly, remember that there is always going to be noise. We have already established that life will be filled with all kinds of uncertainties. But remember that you have a choice, either to allow that ‘noise’ to consume you, or to take control of it with a determination to overcome it…Draw up a blueprint for your life; set goals, work relentlessly towards them and you will achieve them.
“Thirdly, remember that when your back is against the wall, and you have run out of options, do not be afraid to hit the reset button. You can hit reset from every failure, even if you have to start over from scratch. Although every ‘reset’ might be different, your intention must remain the same – that is that you will improve over your previous experiences.”
Following the distribution of certificates and awards, the Principal, Mrs. Rita Celestine Carty, gave her congratulatory remarks:
“Graduands, it is with immense satisfaction that I address you and your guests on this afternoon in July. It has been quite some time since we have been able to gather for this important event at this time of the year, and to be able to do so is quite an accomplishment for us. I must commend the Deputy Principal for ensuring that this event took place.
“I am happy to report that perhaps you were the easiest form that we have worked with in quite a while in the 6A group – (cheers and applause). You did not give your teachers that much trouble. We can say that you worked with a sense of purpose and determination, and these are the very virtues that we are highlighting this term at the ALHCS.”
She congratulated them for their conduct and thanked them for exemplifying such virtues. She commended them for their achievements and said that their theme which they devised, “Overcoming the Odds”, speaks very well of them.
Following the Principal’s remarks, the Vote of Thanks was delivered by graduate Abigail Proctor.
