The Kenny Jacobs Perspective features: Salutatory Address Delivered by Kenrick Mark Coleman June 18th, 2006, JCTHS Commencement Exercise, Fr. Ring Parish Hall, Punta Gorda, Belize Thank You Very Much Master of Ceremonies, Mr. George Emmanuel Guest Speaker, Mr. Oscar Requena & Mrs. Requena Chairlady of the Board, Mrs. Marie Aleman & Other Distinguished Members of the Board of Directors Chairlady of the P.T.A, Mrs. Pulcheria Teul & Other Distinguished Members of the Parents Teachers’ Association The Principal, Mr. Sylvestre Cucul & Mrs. Cucul The Vice- Principal, Ms. Carmen Jane Lopez Distinguished Members of the Faculty & Staff President of the Alumni Association, Miss Ravina Aleman & Other Distinguished Members of the Association Fellow Distinguished Members of the Student Government Association Parents of Graduates Invited Guests Fellow Graduates Ladies and Gentlemen Good Afternoon to you all- Even though I am aware of the excitement of the moment, I feel I am bound to address my class, the Class of 2006, in a serious manner. This is the commencement of our lives together as a class; I will try to be brief, however. I first would like to welcome all of the parents, teachers, and community members who could join us here this afternoon to participate in this milestone event. Today is a day of celebration, but without the love and constant support of our parents, along with the guidance and determination of our teachers at Julian Cho Technical High School, none of us would be here today. To the Class of 2006, congratulations! We are finally at the stage in our lives we have hoped for and dreamed of when we first entered kindergarten. All of our hard work and struggle throughout our years in primary and high school has, at last, come to end. But as we have finally finished our tests, exams and essays, all of us will face new struggles, and will have to work even harder now that we are going off to college, to work, or to make a family. It is difficult to say that today we will no longer be high school seniors. Some of us have waited for this moment for four years, and it is already here. It is difficult to leave friends, to leave memories of those four years. I know from experience that leaving a dear someone or an enjoyable something is awfully hard. But we must not keep this afternoon’s event as the highest of our aspirations, we should not stay where we are, we should not aim so low. Shakespeare has once said, “There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” We must go on. Deciding your future plans is a complex task; above all, no matter what you decide to do, you should ultimately become apart of society, we should all aspire to work with the members of our society to achieve a common goal, to be a Society of Good People. The thread which holds of our civilized society together is thin and vulnerable; therefore, we should place great value on tradition, social restraint and continuity. We must learn to take an interest in public affairs and work for the improvement of our public behaviour. We must appreciate the discipline, skill and taste that are required to produce enduring futures. In whatever we do, we must find happiness and satisfaction. We should neglect materialistic matters and understand, enjoy and live the essence of life. Aristotle found that happiness depends on clear judgement, self control, symmetry of desire, artistry of means…there is a guide to happiness, which may save many detours and delays, it is what he calls the golden mean. There are no mathematical formulas to develop happiness or to lead to the golden mean; it varies according to the circumstances of each situation and it varies with each one of us. The golden mean however is not all that leads to the secret of happiness; the noblest of the other aids to happiness is friendship. Happiness is multiplied when shared. Those of you who go to college; do not go there simply to learn a trade or a vocation so you can find a job with better pay; always keep in mind what Jose Ortega y Gasset, a great philosopher, once said about learning: “To study is to find the truth that quiets an anxiety of our intelligence”. We must realize that the task of education is to develop a better generation. Education is to produce a citizenry who can be responsible for carrying their country on their shoulder and if need be recreate their country’s civilization. Education must be reconceived, not as a mere preparation for maturity, but as a continuous growth of the mind and a better understanding of life. On behalf of the Class of 2006, I acknowledge the Almighty for guiding and helping us through the entire four years. I thank teachers who were dedicated to teach and were willing to help us whenever it was possible and even when it was not possible. I would like to thank my parents, especially my mother (Mrs. Perlene Jacobs Coleman) who are always supportive and who created an environment for me to study. Without their help I would be incapable of accomplishing any success. I also thank my brothers, Thomas Jr. and Brandon, who are above all my friends, for their support and encouragement always. I would also like to acknowledge all my teachers who always helped me and who treated me more like a friend or a younger brother. Special thanks to all my friends sitting in front of me at this moment. This year, I had truly wonderful experiences in my academics and in my social life…I learned many things this year. Thank you once again to my parents, to all my teachers and friends! Seniors: Congratulations and good luck and remember: there is a great country out there, it needs doctors, scientists, engineers and teachers, must of all it needs Thinking People; it will take us all. I hope to see you again in the future as successful figures in your fields of Endeavour. “Yesterday we worked with success; Today begins tomorrow’s challenges” I Thank You!!!
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 01:09:57 +0000
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