You have to want to achieve greatness – GHS’ featured speaker

The feature address, delivered by Laverne Velox, manager of the St Vincent Cooperative Bank, was one of the major highlights at the 2014 graduation and prize giving ceremony of the Girls’ High School (GHS), held last Thursday.

In a witty, but appropriate address,{{more}} Velox spoke the language of teenagers and shared important life lessons with the graduating class.

The bank manager urged the students to realize their true potential as exemplary young women and to always strive for success.

“You have to want to achieve greatness! You have to eat, sleep, dream and live that desire. You are the only person who can determine your future! All you have to do is apply yourself and good things will happen,” she said.

As a past GHS student, Velox acknowledged the pressure that the graduates may be feeling as they begin to think seriously about their future.

“You have to separate good from bad and right from wrong. This is when you have to make tough choices and decisions that will chart your course in life, because your strength and resilience are going to be tried and tested on a regular basis. This is when you leave your uncomplicated childhood behind and begin to wet your feet in the complexities of adulthood,” Velox encouraged.

In addition, the featured speaker noted that instant gratification and indulging in behaviour that seem to be the norm among peers are not things that the graduates should be drawn to. Instead, Velox pleaded with the 2014 graduating class to exercise discipline in such situations.

“You have one reputation which must be fiercely protected. Your reputation precedes you in every aspect of your life and once it is perceived that your reputation is flawed, you will be judged accordingly. Public perception is very real and carries a lot of weight. It can either make or break you!” she said.

“I have noted with concern a growing trend of living like there is no tomorrow. Life is indeed short and tomorrow is not promised. However, you must strive to live life within those boundaries defined as socially acceptable. No good can be derived from incessant alcohol consumption, verbal and physical aggression towards your peers, smoking and promiscuity. I must remind you that you are not invincible, so live carefully to avoid unpleasant situations. Do not be too eager to engage in adult activity just because you have graduated GHS; you are not yet psychologically prepared for the possible results such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases! Take your time. Adulthood is fast approaching and it is the longest period of your life, so enjoy what little is left of your no bills-no husband and children-little responsibility childhood. Above all, be disciplined. It is not just limited to your behaviour at school!”

Velox also encouraged the girls to love themselves and to understand their worth, instead of compromising their high standards for an “underachieving, ‘swag tun up’ young man.”

“From where I sit, the Penny Bank does not accept ‘swag’ as security for or repayment on loans!” she warned.

As a mother of two children, Velox told the graduates that they must talk to their parents and consider them as their protectors, for parents only want the best for their children.

Although she did not have the opportunity to seek higher education at a young age, Velox encouraged the graduates to do so, as education opens the doors to an array of opportunities.

“Never settle for mediocre results in school because mediocre jobs and salaries are what you will attract. Education is the tool for elevating yourself, so go bravely for it! The world is evolving and more professions are emerging. There is something for everyone. A good education provides security relative to employment as well as financial stability! I hasten to note that education is not limited to formal learning institutions,” she said.

She noted that if one cannot afford higher learning, there is no shame in honest employment and so for those preparing to enter the job market, the bank manager urged the young ladies to be aware of their social media presence and ensure that the things they post are a positive reflection of themselves.

“As you prepare to enter the job market, exercise caution with your posts on Facebook, Twitter, BBM, Instagram, Snapchat and other social media; be aware that some employers research prospective employees by visiting their pages and/or accounts and sometimes make decisions based on what they see. In this technologically advanced era, never forget that almost every device has a camera and every social gathering has an official photographer,” she said.

“By the way, when you send out job applications, please sign them and make sure your email address is sober. Most employers do not appreciate tasteless addresses such as sexyandsweetfuhso@hotmail.com. It speaks to your character and even if you are the most qualified applicant on paper, you may not even make it to an interview. If you are invited to an interview, kill them with confidence and style because first impressions are lasting!”

In this year’s headmistress’s report, Andrea Bowman reflected on the five years of the current graduating class and their many achievements.

However, the headmistress expressed disappointment in the year group’s deportment and discipline throughout their school life.

Despite the successes of many students in the 2014 graduating class, Bowman noted that since the group arrived in 2009, a streak of ill discipline seemed to follow them throughout their five years. As a result, 10 girls of 145 students were unable to graduate.

“One hundred and forty five fifth formers began their final year at their school on the September 2, 2013. These girls’ promotion reports entailed a detailed presentation of the criteria for their graduation in 2014. What is more, having been in the school for more than four years, they are aware of the criteria for graduation; yet, their first term was not one month old when their persistent ill discipline reared its head and this is my major bone of contention with this fifth year: unchecked indiscipline,” Bowman said.

“The misguided and thoughtless practices that some of them were never able to overcome resulted in 10 of them being unable to graduate today. This gives them a 93 per cent graduation rate, if we just look at the 145 fifth year enrollment numbers. 93 per cent may not sound poor, but let me break this down to 10 individual young girls who could not comply with rules and instructions established for their own benefit. The enormity of the disappointment looms large. Ten girls are far too many and the overall calibre of the year group is thereby tarnished. Obviously, this smudge is not fair to the vast majority of fifth formers who we have here today. They may not be perfect, but they are young ladies of substance and promise and they deserve to be regarded in that manner.”

The valedictory speech was delivered by Jodi Porter, who received four awards, including special awards for Chemistry, Geography and Math and the Prime Minister’s Award for Student of the Year.(BK)