Graduates urged to be good ambassadors of Adelphi Secondary

In spite of dark clouds that hung over the Biabou Evangelical Church where the ceremony for the 2012 graduating class of the Adelphi Secondary School was held, graduating student Tashieka Castello shone like the sun, winning the majority of the awards for the graduates.{{more}}

Attired in their blue gowns and white scarves, bearing the imprint of the graduation theme “Achieving Above All Odds”, thirty-two students graduated before a large gathering, comprising parents, teachers and schoolmates.

Castello, who was also designated the valedictorian, won seven of the eighteen awards that were presented at Wednesday’s graduation ceremony.

The young lady, who wrote seven CSEC subjects and aspires to become an Accountant or Entrepreneur, told SEARCHLIGHT she is very proud of herself and thanked all who assisted and encouraged her during her journey through secondary school.

She also advised upcoming fifth form students to never give up on their hopes and dreams and to remain focussed on their academics.

“Hard work brings success,” Tashieka added.

Tashieka’s mom, Natasha Castello, said she is very proud of her daughter’s achievement and looks forward to her achieving even more as she prepares for the next step in her academic journey.

“She has achieved things that I never did and I’m so proud of her,” a proud Natasha said.

Her dad Conroy John said he felt like the happiest man on earth.

John, also a Constable with the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force and attached to the DARE program, explained that Tashieka has been very dedicated in relation to her education and he’s extremely proud that she has topped the awards list.

“I am so proud of my daughter. I just want to encourage her now to keep pressing, because it’s just the beginning of the journey.

“As she always says, ‘hard work brings success’ and I know that working hard is a part of her…”

John also took the opportunity to encourage his daughter’s classmates to “strive for the best and reach for the skies” in their next journey ahead.

Meanwhile, Dr Daniel Garraway, featured speaker at Wednesday’s ceremony, told the students that the graduation theme “Achieving above all odds” is not an impossible task.

“The truth is, that is not as difficult as it seems…,” he said.

“We each arose from the union of two half-cells, 46 chromosomes, chaos, disorder and disorganization. The thyroid journeys from the tongue to the base of the neck and two masses of tissue fuse in the midline to become a face.

“The bowel rotates 180 degrees and places the appendix on the right, while the kidneys journey from the pelvis to the loins and we push limb buds which become Pentadactyl limbs and we are born against the odds,” Dr Garraway told the students as he used analogies from the human anatomy.

Principal of the school Hugh Thomas also had a few words of encouragement for the graduating class.

Thomas implored the students to do their best as they enter another stage of their lives, to be good ambassadors for the Adelphi Secondary School.

“Many of them may go into the field of work, while others may attempt to further their studies, but, as I mentioned before, the character that they live is very important,” he added.

Apart from the graduating class, two past principals, Paula Morris who served as head during the period 1994 to 2001 and George Bailey, 1978 to 1988, were presented with awards for their contribution to the advancement of the school.

A surprise award was also presented to Gordon Alexander, who has served as a teacher at the school from 1985 to the present.(AA)