First Steps Educational Development Centre sent off 35 graduates in an enthralling graduation ceremony, showcasing the talents and excellence of the graduates.
The ceremony also celebrated the achievement of the young ones who completed their first step on the journey towards personal and educational development.
The graduation ceremony was held at the Port Maria Seventh Day Baptist Church in Port Maria, St Mary on Wednesday, June 28. The school is also located on the church’s property.
The ceremony began with the usual procession of the 35 graduates decked in their blue and yellow gowns, with their parents, well wishers and teachers all looking on proudly.
The devotional exercise was led by Reverend Carlton Beckford and the scripture reading was done by graduate, Kioja Walker. The rest of the afternoon’s programme was chaired by Dr Phillipa Campbell-Francis, who kept the ceremony alive with her energy and entertaining personality.
The welcome was done by graduates, Dashawn Green and Gabriel Whittle.
In her greetings, vice chairman of the school, Judith Campbell explained that First Steps Educational Development Centre was the brain child of the board chairman, Monica Walters whose sacrifice and that of others got the school started.
The school started with four students and three members of staff 13 years ago.
Ms Campbell said they were proud that the school was now sending off 35 students at its graduation ceremony.
First Steps Educational Development Centre now boasts a population of 161 students on roll, along with 15 daycare registered babies. The members of staff are: class one teachers, Ivette Brown, Claudine Brown-Beckford, Vanessa Campbell, Shadine McNair and Carole Campbell, also sign language and dance teacher. Class two teachers are: Simone Moodie and Edwina Brown (also principal). Class three teachers, Nischa Melbourne and Shantelle Lindsay. Music teacher is Kacia Royal-Nembhard; daycare caregivers, Burnette Ramjeet and Latoya Brown; cooks, Myrtle Robinson and Ivorine Henry-Millwood; janitors, Pamella Creightney and Nicola Gray; gate porter, Byron Howell and administrative assistant, Daneesh Brown.
The graduation also saw several performances by the graduates, including a song, a musical presentation, a dance piece and a sign language piece of the song ‘My God is Awesome.’
Principal of the institution, Edwina Brown, in her report, said that the students were “not only competitive in sports and play, but also in academics.” Ms Brown also highlighted that the school started with a population of 141 students in September of 2016, but by January this year, that grew to 161 with the addition of 20 new students. Ms Brown implored the graduating class to continue to work harder as they moved on to higher education and take along the values and attitudes learnt with them.
The valedictorian speech followed and was read by graduates Daniel Gayle, Mahalia Waugh and Tavar Carey.
The guest speaker of the graduation ceremony was Davia Bryan-Campbell, the training officer of E-Learning Jamaica. In her interactive presentation, in which she involved some of the parents, she highlighted what she termed were the six ‘A’s of “attention, availability, acceptance, approval, appreciation and affection” in an attempt to encourage them (the parents) to always listen to their children and love them.
The proud moment for several parents was seeing their children walk to collect their certificates, plaques and prizes as they received loud cheers.
The over three-hour long ceremony came to a close with the vote of thanks delivered by the parent/teachers’ association (PTA) president Lydia Davidson-Brown.
