Since the Bregado Flax Educational Centre was established 40 years ago, no senior has topped the territory-wide graduating class, but that changed on Friday.
Valedictorian Ryan Ramlall earned the highest grade point average of all public high school graduates in the territory.
During a Friday ceremony, where he graduated with 21 classmates, he said the accomplishment wasn’t easy to achieve. He also shared two lessons with the crowd that gathered in the Sanctuary of Hope New Testament Church of God in The Valley, Virgin Gorda.
“In real life, the success we see from successful people is the result of years from hard work and determination,” he said. “Secondly, we must be disciplined to solve our problems.”
To demonstrate his point, he used the example of a Rubik’s cube.
“This cube has about 43 quintillion possible combinations. However, no matter which combination it is, I know the solution to fix it,” he said. “This reminds me of the real world. Life will always throw 43 quintillion problems at us, and at times it will seem impossible to overcome them. But just remember that every problem is simply a situation requiring a solution, and there is always a solution.”
Mr. Ramlall’s peers cheered after his speech, which came at the end of the ceremony.
Other speakers included Ninth District Representative Vincent Wheatley, keynote speaker and BFEC alumna Kishelle Blaize-Cameron, and Deputy Premier Kye Rymer.
The stage was decorated with the school colours: maroon, gold, white and black. Of the 22 graduates, 19 finished with honours, including salutatorian Sherdiya Williams.
Ramlall received his diploma on Friday during the Bregado Flax Educational Centre Secondary Division graduation. (Photo: ZARRIN TASNIM AHMED)
Other ceremonies
Other public high school graduations were also held in recent days.
The Claudia Creque Educational Centre on Anegada hosted its ceremony on June 22, graduating two 12th graders.
Two days later, the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies graduated 17 students, who wore yellow, black, grey and white. Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley spoke during the ceremony, stating that the students were “a force to be reckoned with.”
He also noted challenges like the 2017 hurricanes and the pandemic, adding that VISTS students may be more “wellrounded and more prepared for life” than their peers because they each have honed a specific skill like cosmetology, hospitality, tourism, construction or auto mechanics.
Cedar International
Graduates from private schools were also honoured over the past week. Last Thursday evening at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College auditorium, Cedar International School graduated its largest class to date, a feat that Director Scott Crawford said was “one of the many ways the Class of 2022 is remarkable.”
The 19 graduates represent eight nationalities, and 12 are belongers, Mr. Crawford said. Altogether, they received offers from 49 universities across five countries and scholarships worth $2.1 million, he added.
Mr. Crawford also noted that the class helped organise Cedar’s first volleyball teams, with both the men’s and women’s teams going undefeated this year.
Seventh-day Adventist
On Sunday, the BVI Seventh-day Adventist School graduated 30 high schoolers at its auditorium in Sea Cows Bay.
Among them were 14 honour students, six of whom earned high honours.
Keynote speaker Dr. Dawn Joseph — a Finance Ministry policy analyst who serves as president of the school’s Home and School Association — reminded graduates of their hard work by using the analogy of a child learning to walk after overcoming a first fall.
The valedictorian, Leesha Richardson, also spoke. In her address, she compared her class- mates to pencils, praising their ability to erase their mistakes and make the changes needed to fulfill their dreams.
Other speakers included salutatorian Miliyisia Williams; Principal Wade Tobin; Pastor Desmond James; Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sharie de Castro; and Opposition Leader Julian Fraser.
The students were sent off with performances including an interpretive dance before closing the ceremony by singing their class song one final time.
Sariah Lake contributed to this story.