Thursday, July 16, 2020

NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020 2 GRADUATION YEARBOOK – MT ALVERNIA HIGH SCHO L A SWE celebrate your achieve- ments amid challenging times, I would like to take this opportunity to first share with you my profound gratitude to have known and worked with you over the past four and a half years. I have witnessed growth and overwhelm- ing pride in all of you, and I am so proud to have called you “My stu- dents”,“My girls”,“My ladies”,“Mount Alvernia”. AS YOU move on to even greater heights, and an astounding future, I am confident that you will all over- come whatever hurdles you will encounter during this race called life, and become some of the most amazingly courageous, determined, graceful yet strong, impactful, phil- anthropic and poised yet strong- willed women within our society. I admire you all, especially for put- ting up with me for so long and, most importantly, for rising to every single challenge/standard that was established for you during your ten- ure with me ... CONGRATULATIONS, LADIES!!!! Thank you for trusting and be- lieving in me as you started with me and ended with me. WE DID IT, and we can proudly say that we did it our way ... breaking away from the stereotypical norms of what a LADY should look and sound like, of what a school should be, and the rela- tionship that must exist between a principal and her students. I will re- member all the hugs, the tears, the laughter; the silence at the words, “Good morning, Mount Alvernia”; the rubbing of the hedges and the re-combing of the hairstyles; the confiscation of the sweaters and the attempts to whisper,“Reynolds a come” as I approach blocks and classrooms; the response to the rhe- torical question,“Am I understood?”; the ladies who attempted to make a U-turn whenever I was observed in their pathway; the black uniform later turning to brown; the resound- ing vocal, clapping and stomping of feet during the singing of the school song and the sports day cheer-offs; as well as everyone pushing with utmost enthusiasm to meet the school’s pass mark in order not to get the dreaded repeat; those of you who were painted on the inside walls of my office and those of you who dreaded the thought of even approaching the door. We worked and played hard and celebrated like true ladies, while we reaped somuch success (more than 500 of you on the principal’s Honor Roll, up from 70 at the start; ranked top five in the island, up from 18 – with rarely any lady left behind, as only three ladies were unable to make the school’s pass mark to date – and a 99.5 per cent pass rate at the CSEC level currently). YOU DID IT, and I am so PROUD OF YOU. As we all take our leave from this great institution, the school on the hill called Alvernia, please ensure that nomatter what life hurls at you, nomatter howmany hurdles you hit and fall during the race, no matter how overwhelmed, outnumbered, inadequate or intimidated you may feel, or how long the race may take, please, always remember that with God all things are possible when you believe Him and trust His tim- ing. You are a living proof of that. Chase your dreams, no matter what happens or what persons may think or say; chase your dreams. Never allow problems to get you down. Respect yourselves, Never be afraid to state your opinions, to speak your truth, while you listen; and never allow anyone to put you in a box. You are ladies poised for positive pursuits with the gifts of beauty, brains and benevolence. Most im- portant, always remember, Ad Astra Per Aspera – ‘To The Stars Through Difficulties’– in everything that you do. You are the queens of my heart ... I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. STACEY REYNOLDS MY HEART Queens of Scotia-Lee Ricketts Valedictorian My tenure at Mount Alvernia has been quite the fascinating journey. It has provided an environment where I was motivated to strive for excellence. This school has pre- sentedme with different opportu- nities that allowed me to groom my strengths and improve on my weaknesses. The recognition that was given for hard work encour- aged me to continue to do well. Mount Alvernia High School has provided me with fertile soil that nourishedme tobloombeautifully. I thankGod that I got the chance to be a part of such a noble institution. Tiana Dinham Grade 11 Growing up in a rural community, I never had a lot of opportunities to discover my true self and capa- bilities. Choosing Mount Alvernia High School as my first choice was the best decision I had ever made. This school has moulded me into the individual of purpose I am today. Everything I have accom- plished is as a result of the groom- ing I have received at this school. Mount Alvernia High School,‘The Home of Ladies’. While this state- ment is true, I believe that it should be called Mount Alvernia High School, ‘The Institution of Self- Actualization’, as it has groomed and produced well-rounded la- dies who will impact and foster a positive change in the world. This school, through academic com- petitiveness, has made some of the most hard-working individuals the world will ever see. Through guidance from the world’s most caring teachers, the exposure to extracurricular activities, compet- ing in various sporting disciplines and through attending mentor- ship and leadership workshops, I have discovered my true poten- tial and have developed a high self-esteem. The school’s motto, ‘Ad Astra Per Aspera’–‘To the Stars through Difficulties’, has become my personal mantra that keeps me grounded on my journey to suc- cess. At the beginning of my ten- ure, I was just a lump of coal but through the hard work of Mount Alvernia High School, especially our amazing principal, Mrs Stacey Reynolds, I have undergone the necessary heat and pressure to transform into a diamond. Chioma Okafor Grade 11 “The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn…and change.” – Carl Rogers My tenure at Mount Alvernia has been nothing short of a journey. I am beyond grateful to have been planted in an environment that poured into my holistic devel- opment. Like many of my peers, I grew. There was definitely no option to sit idly by. After all, each year challenged the limits I placed on myself and daredme to aspire to the stars. Today, I am the product of my experiences here, which are coloured in by the ded- ication of teachers and love from a supportive community. If I’ve learnt anything, it would be the self-awareness required to thrive in unconventional situations. Truly, in any aspect of life, if we are con- fident in our talents, then we per- severe. But more important, if we are aware of our strengths and see our weaknesses, with a willing atti- tude, we grow and create change. TESTIMONIALS I was just a lump of coal but through the hard work of Mount Alvernia High School, especially our amazing principal, Mrs Stacey Reynolds, I have undergone the necessary heat and pressure to transform into a diamond. Mount Alvernia High School has providedme with fertile soil that nourished me to bloom beautifully. “ “ Valedictorian Scotia-Lee Ricketts Principal’s Award recipient, Tiana Dinham Grade 11 standout Chioma Okafor