Photos: Purvis Primary School Graduation

June 24, 2015

Purvis Primary School recently held their year-end graduation ceremony, with a group of graduating students – each of whom will enjoy a break before the next school year – honoured at the event.

The school leaving programme listed Primary 6 West students as Nidia Camara, Che’Chulae Dowling, Ny’Zayah James, Rickai Johnston, Raviunna Lutchman, Tranell Nisbett, Miquan O’Brien-Darrell, Christopher Rego, Ashaundre Talbot-Perinchief, Kaori Trott, and Iyahndae Wright.

Listed from Primary 6 East are Jaden Anderson, Asia-Lee Arruda-Stevens, Ashley-Morgan Attride-Stirling, D. Dahkari Bailey, Emily Cabral, Jayden Correia, Laylah Hassell, Antione Packwood-Darrell, Eijaz Shakir, Meron Simons, and Chayse Tanner.

The ceremony saw the children dressed up for the occasion, with some students offering their words at the podium. Principal Judith Alexander gave some remarks before student Chayse Tanner introduced guest speaker Eron Hill who gave the school leaving address.

In addressing the students, Mr Hill said, “Firstly, keep no company around that you cannot learn from or build with. It’s often said that we become like the 5 people we spend the most time with. As a young man I didn’t always make the best choices of friends. Although I was goal orientated and knew where I wanted to go in life, I associated with people that didn’t have the same mindset. This proved to be a flaw in judgment, a lesson I had to learn the hard way.

“Look at your circle of friends and associates, evaluate whether you are headed in the same direction. If not, now is the time to cut ties from them and surround yourself with like-minded individuals that share similar goals and aspirations. After all, association breeds similarity.

“Never allow anyone to convince you that your goals and aspirations are too big to have as a young person. Make your dreams like mama used to buy your clothes when you were little, a little too big so that you can grow into them.

“Don’t be afraid of failure. When it feels as if you’ve tried everything but it just wont work out. Just think to yourself “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work”. Positive thinking goes a long way. We must understand that nothing in life is worth it unless we take risk. Risk have to be taken in order to reap great success. You may not have a great start but you have to start to be great. Don’t be afraid of failure or mistakes. It was with my greatest failures that I learned life’s greatest lessons.

“Reggie Jackson struck out 2600 times in his career. The most in the history of baseball. But you don’t hear about the strikeouts, you hear about the home runs. Thomas Edison failed at his first 1,000 experiments, but you don’t hear about those because experiment number 1,001 was the invention of the light bulb. Every failed experience is one step closer to success. Never give up on your dreams. If you hang around the barbershop long enough, sooner or later you’re going to get a haircut. Stay determined.

“Be open to the lessons that middle school and adolescence throws at you; although at times the lessons are extremely humbling, they are necessary in preparation for what we will encounter in life. We must be able to walk through life eager and open to improvement. Although you are a graduate, I urge you to forever remain a student, a student to the best teacher of all time, life. Life is always teaching us lessons. The thing about the classroom of life is, it gives the test first, and the lessons after. Stay attentive.

“Once again, I congratulate all of those graduating this evening. This is not the finish line but rather a pit stop on the road to success. You all are to be commended on your hard work and persistence you’ve clearly displayed thus far. Graduating class of 2015 you are the quintessential example of brilliance that society should acknowledge more often. Keep up the good work, and remember “To get something that you’ve never had you’ve got to do something that you’ve never done”.

Students were then announced to the audience one by one as they proceeded to accept their certificates, followed by the presentation of the Principal’s Awards. The graduating class stood before the hall and recited the poem ‘Just One” before tributes were offered to parents and teachers with the children moving about the audience handing out flowers.

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