SJCK 2015 Valedictorian urges classmates to ‘keep on working hard’

The valedictorian of this year’s graduating class at the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown is reminding her peers to apply the knowledge and values that they have learnt at the school throughout their lives in order to be successful.

Celine Lochner, who won seven subject awards and a special award in addition {{more}}to being voted Valedictorian, made her address at the graduation ceremony, which was held at the school on Tuesday, April 28.

Lochner, in reminiscing on their time spent at the SJCK, urged her classmates to continue working hard throughout the good times and the bad in order to achieve their career goals.

“We have learnt a lot here about standing up for what’s right,” she asserted. “We are wiser and more mature…”

Lochner won the subject awards for Biology, Chemistry, English A, Economics, French, Information Technology, and Social Studies; and also won a special award for being the most disciplined.

Calma Balcombe, principal at the SJCK, congratulated the 91 graduands on reaching this “historic milestone” in their lives, and lauded the teachers for doing their part in moulding the minds of the nation’s youth.

“A teacher’s task is never easy, it is never done; shaping the minds of our young people demands total commitment,” she insisted.

In her address, Balcombe recounted the successes that the school had accrued over the past year – which included 100 per cent passes in the May/June 2014 CSEC examinations in 16 subject areas, ranking second among secondary schools with 93.6 per cent; winning Senior Champion and Victrix Lodorum at the 2015 Inter-Secondary School Sports; placing first in the zonal leg of the ECGC Food and Nutrition Competition; and taking first and third spots in the Rotary Food and Nutrition Quiz.

“We have a lot to be thankful for,” she added. “We have some respectful, focused and hard-working students… who uphold the ideals of the school and are exemplary in behaviour. It is a joy for us to see them blossom into individuals who are helpful, disciplined, responsible and sensible.”

Balcombe further urged the graduating class to maintain their faith in God, and to live the school’s motto ‘With God I can, for with God all things are possible’.

The other subject awards went to Maliyah Lulley (Caribbean History, English B), Atisha Butler (Clothing and Textiles), Lyn-Marie De Freitas (Mathematics, Physics, Principles of Accounts), Carianne Padmore (Office Administration, Principles of Business, EPDM, Food and Nutrition), Danielle Charles (Music), Nicolleen Lewis (Religious Education), Michaela Miguel (Geography), Brienna Jack (Home Economics Management), Tyeisha Garraway (Integrated Science), Christie Balcombe (Visual Arts), and Lina Dornieden (Spanish).

In the Special Awards segment, Carianne Padmore and Michaela Miguel received Most Disciplined; Christie Balcombe, Shaniece Cupid, Ornela LaFlouf, Alimwa Browne and Oleen Horne received Most Helpful; Crystal Cruickshank, Outstanding Punctuality and Attendance; Kay-Shaughna Chance, Pan; Deslorn Lawrence, Athletics; Janeika Straker, Netball; and Michaela Miguel, Public Speaking.

Oleen Horne also won awards for Sense of Responsibility and Most Outstanding Peer Counsellor.

Monsignor Michael Stewart delivered the feature address, in which he urged the graduating class to resist the temptations of the world, and “walk as children of the light”.

Stewart also pressed upon them the importance prayer, establishing dreams and goals, choosing friends wisely, good conduct, and healthy lifestyles, as they all contribute to influencing the students’ lives – and those of others – in a positive manner.

“You can make a difference in the world.”(JSV)