Freeport, Grand Bahama - Enclosed are photos from the G.B Catholic High School Commencement Exercise held on June 9th, 2009 by Senior Asst. Comm. Marvin Demes. Theme: "We Will Prevail".
G.B. Catholic High School
Commencement Exercise
9th June, 2009
By Senior Asst. Comm. Marvin Demes
Theme:
“We Will Prevail…”
“I believe that man would not merely endure. He will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance” (William Faulkner, American short Story and Novelist).
To the principal of this great institution Mrs. Daisy McPhee , staff, parents, friends, invited guests and graduates, a pleasant good afternoon. I am grateful to the administration and students for inviting me to be your guest speaker on this most auspicious occasion. As a member of a disciplined organization I promise that I will confine myself to the ten minutes allotted to me by Mrs. McPhee.
With that in mind, my first order of business is to offer my congratulation to you the 2009 graduates of the Catholic High School for overcoming all of the obstacles to arrive at this most crucial juncture in your young lives. While it is acceptable for each of you to pause, give thanks to God and all of those who have been instrumental in your success to date; and yes, celebrate the way you know how to, responsibly that is; because you have work hard to get to this point. You ought not to lose sight of the fact, however, that your life journey has only just begun. If you genuinely believe and hold true to your graduation theme which is “We Will Prevail”, then there is no doubt that your future and the future of this great nation of ours remain secure.
In the remaining nine minutes that I have left, I would like to tell you a story about the journey of four high school students: John, Sophia, Kevin and Sandra. Each of these students started their high school journey with the hopes, dreams and aspiration of their parents; that one day they would conquer life challenges and realize their dreams of making something of themselves. As we know all too well, life challenges have a way of consuming the very vulnerable, the less discipline, the disruptive, the mal-adjusted and the nonchalant. In the case of the John, Sophia, Kevin and Sandra, they too had to endure these challenges on their journey to their destination along the path to success.
Theirs was not an easy road to travel. An unstable home environment, broken neighborhoods, peer pressure, low self esteem and the absence of positive reinforcement were only some of the issues these young students faced. Some prevailed, while others became disillusioned and cashed in their dreams for a future of uncertainty. In John’s case, in the midst of failing grades he traded in school for the blocks where he would often be seen hustling a few bucks from passers-by in the neighborhood to maintain his drug habit. Sophia; oh Sophia, poor girl, she fell victim to the guy in the nice sports car with the “dope rims”, so much so, that she got pregnant and now she finds herself all alone because when she informed him of their dilemma, he disappeared never to be heard of again. What about Kevin and Sandra? They both made it to twelfth grade and are about to graduate. Good news! But their greatest challenges loams just on the horizon, they only have a limited time to celebrate.
Which of these four individuals best describes you? The fact that you are present here today is no confirmation that you will persevere and prevail in your pursuit to your final destination along the path to success. Are you wrestling with your innermost demons? Are you losing focus and are running out of steam because the path to success is long and arduous? Are you feeling lonely and defeated because many of your friends have given up and have pack it all in? Or, did you assume that the road to success is as much fun as success itself?
I believe, like those who have come out in large numbers to support you this afternoon that you will prevail. Not simply because we say so, but because you are battle tested. The scars you bear are as a result of many years of trials and failures. At times you felt like giving up, but you persevered and prevailed. You have successfully completed the first stage on your journey to your destination on the road to success. By this fact, you have demonstrated that you possess the strength and determination to prevail despite the challenges or adversities. You comprehend the fact that it is okay to fail, but disastrous to quit.
Today can be viewed as more than just a Commencement Exercise for each of you, but also as a Passage. For those who have been responsible for your every being, now is the time to relinquish more responsibility to you. What does this mean? Simply put, it means that you are fully responsible for you actions. You can no longer blame your parents for your poor decision making. You have proven yourself responsible and capable of sound judgment. You understand that it’s okay:
To keep falling down, don’t you dare give in
You will arise safe and sound, (stronger that before), so keep pressing on steadfastly and
You’ll find what you need to prevail
what you say
I can make it through the rain
I can stand up once again on my own and I know that I’m strong enough
to mend
And every time I feel afraid
I hold tighter to my faith and I live one more day and I make it
Through the rain
Congratulations Class of 2009 and may God continue to guide and bless you!
