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| The graduates |
CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 13, 2005) -- Eight students graduated from the St. James Primary School on Tuesday afternoon with words of encouragement. Keynote speaker Mr. Sydney Newton told the graduands that they should take pride in all that they do and to set high goals.
I would like to encourage you to take pride in what ever you do and set high goals for your selves. If you continue to press towards your dreams and embrace the aspiration of your schools motto which is Success Through Perseverance, you will be assures of only one thing and that is success, he said.
The graduating ceremony was held at the St. James Anglican Church under the theme Transforming Lives Through Positive Values, Pride and Perseverance . Present at the function were Premier Honourable Vance Amory, Parliamentary Representative and Minister of Health Honourable Jean Harris, other government officials and well wishers.
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| Valedictorian Terisha Daniel |
Mr. Newton took the opportunity to remind parents, teachers and the community of their responsibility to help mould the lives of the nations children and youths especially if it is believed that the future lies with them.
He stressed the need for values and defined them as being what one believes that determines or influences how one acts. Values lay the foundation for personal traits such as our attitudes, motivation and behaviour. They influence how we think and how we act&Our thoughts reflect who we really are. However, since none of us can read the minds of other people, our only guide to determining values are our actions.
Mr. Newton lauded teachers who he said were to a great extent responsible for imparting values in the formative years of children.
If we truly understand that a large part of our values are established in our early years, we will appreciate the significant role that teachers play in transforming the lives of our children and steering them away from a path of anti-social behaviour, he said.
To the adults, Mr. Newton issued a word of warning citing that in the face of the Caribbean Single Market and a globalise world, local communities will continue to feel the pressures of conflicting external values. I submit to you that only those persons who are grounded in values will succeed.
There are three factors that will continue to have a negative effect on our communities and by extension our value system, against which we have to compete the pace of technology; increased mobility and materialism, he said.
Mr. Newton noted that Nevisians should not allow the changes in information and knowledge to lead to the marginalisation of elders, their wisdom and advice, neither should they allow the improved access to transportation separate people and reduce interpersonal relationships which he contends lead to a breakdown in family life resulting in delinquent children.
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| Sydney Newton |
He also urged persons to not place emphasis on what we have but rather than on who we are since materialism is deceptive and increases negative habits such as loneliness, alcoholism, drug use, gambling and increased criminal activity.
Meanwhile, in delivering the Principals Report, School Principal Ms. Vertille Weeks noted that the school had placed much emphasis on reading and lauded the efforts of Mrs. Palsy Wilkin, Reading Intervention and Recovery Teacher who set about the task of ensuring that every child at the St. James Primary School received quality teaching in the art of reading.
She also took the opportunity to thank the Department of Education for the professional development of her staff and by extension the development of her 72 students. She urged parents to continue to support and encourage their children to ensure that they give of their best at all times.
Ms. Weeks announced Terisha Daniel Valedictorian of the graduating Class of 2005 and told the graduates that the success of the next round they climbed of their educational ladder would depend on how persistent and focused they would be.
The road would not be smooth, she warned, but if you persevere you can attain heights you would never have dreamed of. We expect to hear great things of you not just academically but in terms of your attitude towards work. Set your compass and stay on track, set goals and never lose sight of them rather create for yourselves positive values, have pride in yourself, believe in yourselves and persevere to the end.
Mrs. Versalie Powell, Education Officer gave brief remarks, Mrs. Monica Leader gave brief remarks on behalf of the parents while Mrs. Patricia Jef serenaded the graduands. The ceremony was chaired by Mr. Gleniss David.
