FICS Student Achievers Awarded at Prize-Giving Ceremony

FICS STUDENT ACHIEVERS AWARDED AT PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY

 

By J. Brock (FINN)

 

The annual presentation of GCSEs and Prize Giving at the Falkland Islands Community School took place at 1900 on 20 May 2004 in the School Street.  Parents, friends and well-wishers filled the venue while Headmaster, Mr. Alan Purvis welcomed everyone.  He said:

 

“First of all, I would like to welcome His Excellency the Governor, Mr Pearce, who kindly agreed to present the certificates this evening and also to the Director of Education, Mrs. Cole.  It’s good to see so many of last year’s successful examination candidates here for what has now become an established annual event. 

 

This is the result or the culmination of a great deal of effort and hard work by students, teachers and, I am sure all of you would agree, parents, who helped to support the students through two years working towards their GCSEs.  This is not an easy task.  Several months have passed since most of you have left formal education and I know that some of you are heading for further education in the UK.  And, I hope that you are going to take full advantage of the opportunities that are going to be open to you there. 

 

And, as usual, the outline courses that you have chosen to study.  And, this year, they include construction, product design, physics, math, psychology, business studies and English, to name just a few.  All these are worthwhile courses of study and I hope that you are going to use them as stepping-stones to higher education, then return to the Islands and make a contribution to the community. 

 

Other students have already entered the world of work and are about to think that their education is over.  It would be a great shame if that was the case.  There will, I am sure, be opportunities to continue to learn in your chosen area of work and gain other skills and become a more effective member of the workforce. 

 

Continued education, or life-long learning, as it has become known, has got a high priority in our school and our community.  And, that’s evident from the high level of commitment for further education and further education as well as working based education and training.

 

The opportunity you have to develop your careers and the support you have been given here is far greater than you will get elsewhere in the world.  We do not have to look to the UK, I would have thought, for further education after the age of 16.  Last year, the Community School continued to provide a good range of recreational and academic courses in our evening class programme.  Many of these students have gained good grades in English, Mathematics, and Spanish.

 

This evening, in addition to the GCSE Certificates being presented, we also have the pleasure of awarding The Duke of Edinburgh Awards for two of our students.  This, again, is a significant achievement and it is in contrast to the academic achievements represented by GCSEs.  The first days of your education are now over and I think that it’s important that we celebrate your achievements publicly rather than just sending your certificates through the post.  We found that this evening is one of the best ways that we had to achieve this.  I hope you take advantage of all the opportunities open to you in the future and hope that you all achieve your goals and visions, whatever they may be.”

 

His Excellency the Governor Mr. Howard Pearce then presented The Duke of Edinburgh Silver Certificate and Bronze Certificate to Samantha Brownlee.  Alexandra Cripps received a Silver Certificate from the Governor.

 

Those awarded GCSE Certificates by H. E. the Governor Mr. Pearce were:  Teslyn Barkman, Samantha Brownlee, Christopher Cant, Alexandra Cripps, Matthew Eccles, Rosalyn Gough, Tanzie Gough, Katie Hancox, Katrina Lowe, Teraaka Middleton, Sean Moffatt, Sarah Peart, Matthew Pointing, Simon Reid, Alexandra Sanders, Emily Sanders, Ashley Smith, Caris Stevens, Matthew Strange, Victoria White and Zoran Zuvic Bulic.

 

The student who attained the best GCSE results, Matthew Pointing, was presented an award by H. E. the Governor Mr. Pearce.

 

In his address to the students, H.E. the Governor Mr. Pearce mentioned life’s mile-stones and that leaving the Community School was an important one in their lives.  He gave tribute to those students who left school to go to work in Government and in the private sector as valuable members of Falkland Islands’ society.   He also mentioned those who were going on to continue their further education.  “I would like to offer all of you, no matter what your are doing, my sincere congratulations on having passed this important mile-stone in your lives,” he said.  Then he special made note of those who received special recognition –the first Silver Duke of Edinburgh Certificates and those doing exceptionally well in their GCSEs.  “Whatever achievements you have made have a central role to play in this community,” he continued.  Finally the Governor wished every the best in whatever they chose to do and said it was good to be at the Community school for the occasion and he hoped to meet the graduates many times in the future.

 

Director of Education, Mrs. Sylvia Cole, was rather unconventional in her introduction and stressed the importance of being practical rather than academic.  “There are always things that do go wrong and can go wrong and the more knowledge you have the better,” she quipped.  She continued on Alan Purvis’s theme that every student had a part to play in the future of the Falkland Islands and its economy.  She stressed the fact that there were a lot of educational opportunities for students who did not go abroad.  She has now taken on training and knows this well.  “It’s important to remember that if you are here and not doing the job that you want to do, it’s really important to come and find some advice and we can talk about it,” she said.  “You don’t want to lose the golden opportunity to better yourselves,” she concluded.

 

Then Mrs. Cole turned musical and played for all present a record she requested to be played over FIBS.  “One Moment in Time” rang out through the Street.  And, it spoke of the admiration that she had for the students, and the hope that they would keep up the standards they set for themselves.

 

Mrs Cole concluded by asking that a special evening and reception can be given by H. E. the Governor for “A” Level Students and those who have achieved their NVQs.  “Students go away and get good grades and we don’t have the opportunity to recognise their achievements that we have with GCSEs.”

 

After the ceremony was over, all were able to chat with teachers, parents and students over light refreshments.

 

 Note:  Other photos show Samantha Brownlee and H.E. the Governor Mr. Pearce, Alexandra Cripps with the Governor and Matthew Pointing with Governor Pearce.