Class of 2012 On Saturday, 26 May, UWCSEA celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2012 at their graduation ceremony. 316 students graduate from UWCSEA Dover this year, representing 52 different nationalities—testimony to the wonderful diversity within the UWCSEA student body. The Class of 2012 was also significant, since for the first time, students who have been with UWCSEA since their first days of school in K1 graduated from Grade 12. Below are extracts from speeches on the day.
“Academically, intellectually therefore, we are confident you will continue to grow and will succeed at university and beyond.
But perhaps more important than this, are the attitudes and values we have seen develop in you during your time at the College and which will be so important to you in the future. I have seen some of the strongest friendships grow in this class. Such friendships survive distance and time; not binding you exclusively to the friends you have made here, but supporting and guiding you in forming equally nurturing friendships in the future. And whilst you have grown from the sharing of ideas, interests and the amazing talents of those within your own community, you have also reached beyond this. Your empathy for others, your care and compassion, coupled with the drive to take action, is a real force for change. Behind me are 52 flags symbolising the nations represented in this graduating class, our most diverse to date. As a group of 316 individuals from varied backgrounds and different experiences, it is no small task to create the remarkable community you have become. We will miss you next year but are confident that you will flourish in the new communities you help create!” Di Smart High School Principal Dover Campus
12
“Tonight is … about applauding the involvement, the energy and the sheer personality that the Class of 2012 have brought to the College. It’s about recognising the huge effort and commitment required to complete such a demanding programme as the International Baccalaureate. … This is indeed a very special evening for the whole community, bringing together graduates and all those who have guided and supported them through these important years: their teachers, their families and of course their friends.” Gary Seston Vice Principal, Pastoral Dover Campus Senior School
“As we climb the ladder in life and move on to a new stage in life, it is important for us to realise that our journey has just begun. More than ever before, our ethos and values will be put to the test. To this I say, now is the time to go out there into the troubled world and use all the skills we have honed in this school. Now is the time to let the UWC values shine so as to give light to others. Now is the time to make a difference in your community, your nation and the world at large. Reflecting on what we have achieved as a grade and seeing my classmates’ many talents, I have no doubt that we can be the change we want to see in the world.” Osman Ban Chair, Student Council Class of 2012