”Today marks the end of your secondary education. Congratulations – you made it!
Whether you spent the full last 5 years at ICC or elsewhere, you have made it through so many mentor times, lessons, breaks and lunches. But your experience at ICC has been far from ‘normal’. You weathered the uncertain Covid storms of 2020 and 2021 when you were so young and so new to our school. You may remember the news about ‘lost learning, and the need for students to ‘catch up ’ throughout the pandemic. Some headlines described young people as a ‘lost generation’, but knowing each and every one of you as well as I do, I dispute this wholeheartedly. You were not lost but found. You found ways to carry on after the first couple years of your ICC experience were transformed into online lessons, ‘bubbles’ and missed events like sports days and sponsored walks. You found resilience and ways to adapt to this strange new school world.
So, congratulations – because you are still standing… and you are about to start one of the most exciting times of your life! So exciting because over the next few years you get to choose how your life turns out! You get to choose what you’ll study, what sports you’ll pursue, the friends you’ll make. You’ll choose what you want to do after today, and most importantly, you get to choose what kind of person you will be. Remember, always choose to work hard. Whatever way you put those 2 words together, work hard, or hard work, the message is the same – nothing of value will come without it. Choose to not give up easily. Resilience will get you everywhere. Something that Mrs Healy and I have tried our best to help you learn over the last few years, and something you have all shown during the exam season. Finally, you have made it to the end (unless you’re in the minority who still have further maths or a language tomorrow)! Remember the resilience and strength you have shown during this time on any days you feel like giving up.
And so, we come to the end. Not just of this speech, but of your time here at ICC. I was thinking about what message I wanted to leave you all with, and as an English teacher I think it only right to end with the words of a famous author. Dr Seuss once said – ‘’Remember this: You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where you go. You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… go on, get on your way’’.
Thank you for being incredible students and the incredible journey you have been through together, and with Mrs Healy and I. Go out into the world and do great things. I know you all will.”
