CAY HILL–Forty-six students bade farewell to their high school years at the Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (PSVE) section of St. Maarten Academy, during the school’s graduation ceremony held at the Belair Community Center on Monday evening. The theme of the ceremony was: “Stability is the foundation of all creations.” Graduates represented 71.4 per cent (45 students) of the 63 students who sat the final exams at the school.
Several awards were given out: Yailin Jimenez Colastica and Diana Romero Familia each took home four subject awards. Victor Polanco Guillen received three subject awards. Other awardees included Adriana Bissasor, Claudia Carty, Wanderson Deridort, Victor Santos Comenencia, Narkifa Richardson, D’ondre Richardson, Aneka Ebanks, Jawanza Williams, Jodian McDonald, Karla Robinson and Nigel Etienne.
The ceremony included heartfelt speeches from the three valedictorians: Yailin Jimenez Colastica (PKL), Wanderson Deridort (PBL) and Victor Polanco Guillen (PBL).
In her keynote address, alumnus Iresha Van Heyningen outlined five lessons which she had learned along her academic path and which she hoped that the graduating students would apply to their lives in order to be successful in their own journey.
Other highlights included a show of talent by the graduates: a song by Aneka Ebanks, poetry by Adrianna Bissasor and performance poetry by Wanderson Deridort.
In remarks at the ceremony, Principal Lavern Nelson told graduates that their presence is a testimony that they are diligent and hard working. “Your achievement proves that a collaborative approach to teaching and learning is still the best success model. I am indeed thrilled by the magnitude of your success. I say magnitude of your success because despite our school being told seven days before your official exams that two new requirements would affect your performance, you persevered,” the principal said.
“You and your parents learned of the 50-50 rule for PBL classes. That is, School Based Assessments (SBAs) and your exam are equally weighted. Today 60 per cent (27 students) of a graduating class are PBL students,” she said.
She cautioned students that their graduation from high school is just the beginning. “I am confident that each of you will make use of the vast opportunities that the future will bring and will grow to your fullest potential. Consider our graduation theme: ‘Stability is the foundation of all creations.’ Go on to higher heights, graduating class. Make use of every opportunity to grow, and in your growing think about others who are less fortunate than you. Serve humanity,” she said.
She also shared some words of encouragement for the students who did not make it. “You too are champions, if you do not give up. Most success stories have their genesis in failure. Keep striving, never give up because each of you is a champion,” she said.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/67406-46-graduate-from-psve-71-4-pass-rate-recorded
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