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Sunday was the Windermere 2012 Graduation Ceremony, and it was amazing! The seniors with the help of Mr. Alipio decorated the local Methodist church with the blue and white to make the stage just shine, and each student had on their very best for their big day.
In attendance along with all the proud parents was the president of the Windermere Group, the District Superintendent, and the regional Member of Parliament. However we were missing our keynote speaker and Ms. Gibson asked me to fill in in a moment’s notice, and I had an entire message ready, all about moving forwards and pressing towards the goal and future… but thankfully the speaker showed up in the middle of the service and I didn’t have to wing-it.
My portion of the service was the reading and bestowing of awards, and we had some students this year who achieved much and deserved recognition. One of our senior girls who lived in the dorm was just “Ms. Dependable” and we felt that although she didn’t earn an academic award we needed to create a certificate simply to recognize her high level of responsibility.
Another student was just our shining star from the entire class, and incidentally the entire island. She scored the only 4.0 on the whole island of Eleuthera. Public events even asked to serve as their moderator; she has written some stirring essays and will no doubt go on to college to do great things. She was awarded Valedictorian and during her commencement address she recalled how she didn’t come from money, power or fame, and the prestige of valedictorian was earned by the grace of God.
The senior class then stood up and together they had a class song, others had poems and presentations to make. There were parents who received recognition and baskets of fruit. The entire event was spectacular and “one of the best” according to Ms. Gibson.
This year’s senior class will be very hard to top. They were a class that showed real “class.” Their maturity level was just beyond any other class, and although they made some mistakes during the year, they showed a fraternity of unity and togetherness. I was smiling as a looked at the stage with all these young people and how each of their personalities fit in with the next. For even such a small school, you had the “class clown,” the “prep,” the “nerdy one,” the “jock,” and on… yet they all supported each other and it was a special thing to see. We wish them all the best in their futures – God bless class of 2012.