The Seventh Day Adventist School Class of 2023. Photo Credit: V.I. CONSORTIUM
Seven beaming graduates and proud parents and guardians converged on the multi-purpose center of the Central Seventh Day Adventist Church on Sunday for the St. Croix Seventh Day Academy’s 2023 graduation exercise.
It was a day of eager anticipation for the "Overcomers" class, as parents watched their children close one chapter of their lives and open another. Heartwarming music and illustrious speeches set the tone for the day, including commencement speaker Dr. Hamil Tobias. The former principal outlined the five "P"s which he said were key to being an "overcomer". To be ready to meet life's challenges, Dr. Tobias said, one must be sure to plan, prioritize, practice, persevere, and pray.
Among the seven members of the 2023 graduating class who received their high school diplomas on Sunday, were salutatorian Anjeness Williams and valedictorian Abigail Rose, who told the Consortium about their respective journeys which culminated in this day of achievement.
According to Ms. Rose, who says she will be majoring in chemistry when she begins her tertiary education at the University of the Virgin Islands, being selected as salutatorian “proves that God can come through for anyone and help them be all that they can be.” That divine intervention, however, does not just appear on its own, according to Williams. “Hard work does pay off,” the recent graduate noted.
SDA Class of 2023 Valedictorian Abigail Rose.
Meanwhile, Ms. Williams says she intends to pursue a bachelor’s degree in English, followed by a master’s in history. She says her parents’ high regard placed on success permeated the household. “Over time that value was instilled in me. This honor is just another way to manifest it,” said the salutatorian.
The honorees’ rise to the top was not without its challenges. Ms. Williams says that getting through the SAT was the biggest hurdle she has had to face at this point in her academic journey. “I have never sat a standardized test with so much riding on it,” she told the Consortium. “All the concepts in the practice book were so daunting but I paced myself and got it done.”
SDA Class of 2023 Salutatorian Anjeness Williams.
For Ms. Rose, adjusting to virtual school during the pandemic was difficult. “The biggest challenge I had was getting used to the online classes during the Covid-19 period,” she said. “Balancing school while being at home was difficult.”
By tackling these difficulties head on, and rising above the challenge with the support of teachers, family, and friends, both salutatorian and valedictorian were able, on Sunday, to lead the rest of their graduating class in triumph, celebrating what is thus far the biggest accomplishment of their young lives – hopefully the first of many.
