Hon Asot Michael speaks at the St. Joseph Academy Graduation Ceremony 2011
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Her Excellency the Governor General
Honourable Minister of Education
Honourable Members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives
Members of the Clergy
Members of the Faculty and Staff
Parents and Guardians
Students of the St. Joseph Academy
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
The Graduating Class of 2011
NE TIMEAS – DO NOT BE AFRAID.
I begin with my favourite poet:
A VISIT FROM WISDOM
‘In the stillness of night Wisdom came and stood by my bed.
She gazed upon me like a tender mother and wiped away my tears, and said: 'I have heard the cry of your spirit and I am come to comfort it.
Open your heart to me and I shall fill it with light.
Ask of me and I shall show you the way of truth.'
KHALIL GIBRAN
1. First, allow me to extend congratulations to each and every one of the graduates this afternoon. You have completed the most rigorous academic preparation offered by any Secondary School in Antigua and Barbuda. I speak as an alumnus who has experienced the excellence for which the St. Joseph Academy is known. I can therefore pronounce with the confidence of one who has been put to the test, over these past three decades, requiring the use of the St. Joseph Academy’s preparation at every turn. That preparation has proven invaluable. Thank you, St. Joseph Academy!
2. I congratulate each and every one of you, today. Give the graduates a round of applause!
3. This afternoon, I have been asked to deliver the charge to you. That duty is indeed a challenge, because these are extremely difficult times in the world, in the region and in this our beloved country. But, overcoming challenges is the basis of creating excellence.
4. A captain who has sailed only on calm seas is never regarded as competent. Until a captain has managed his craft during turbulent weather and adverse conditions, and he and his crew live to tell of the perilous experience, that captain’s mettle has not been tested.
5. You live in a world that, according to Jeff Dickson, is no longer as kind and gentle as it used to be.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We've added years to life, not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
We've split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We have higher incomes, but lower morals;
We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of tall men, and short character;
Steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
More leisure, but less fun;
More kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes
6. You live in a country crying out for equal rights, justice and freedom of the human spirit. You live in communities too fearful of crime and too consumed with paying the monthly bills to be bothered about your happiness and well-being
7. But embedded in these realities is the challenge of your generation to create an ideal society. YES YOU CAN! You can do what those who came before you failed to do. You can lead the transformation of Antigua and Barbuda into a model of equal opportunity, sustainable development, good governance and peaceful co-existence in accordance with the rule of law
8. NE TIMEAS: Fear not, I say. The challenges which you face today are comparable to those faced by previous generations of alumni. Yet, those challenges differ markedly.
9. The St. Joseph Academy exists because there were many men and women who faced enormous challenges in making it a reality; yet, they persisted. I can speak with authority about Mitchell Michael, an uncle, who purchased the land on which the School sits, with his own money, and then donated that land. He also spent more than ten hours each day on the building site, from 6 am to 5 pm, having been tasked with supervising the construction. His wife, my Aunt Louise, threatened to divorce him. Mitchell Michael also sat on the Finance Committee, raising funds to equip the school so that it could be fully prepared to receive students.
10. In January 1958 when the St. Joseph Academy threw open its doors to welcome its first class, the school and its small body of students had no guarantees of success. Antigua and Barbuda was still a colony, ruled by others in their interest. On May 1st, 1958, Antigua and Barbuda and nine other British West Indian colonies entered the West Indies Federation full of great expectations. That experiment at federation did not succeed. Yet, Antigua and Barbuda has evolved a marvelous alternative, including full sovereignty. And, the St. Joseph Academy, 53 years after 1958, has a record of astounding success.
11. Our school has produced so many outstanding alumni that faith in the St. Joseph Academy is firmly established in the minds of our countrymen, recognized by your counterparts in other secondary schools, and subscribed-to by your parents.
12. The mothers and fathers of these alumni, just like your Moms and Dads, were instrumental in guiding and encouraging them. Give your parents a round of applause!
13. From this moment forward, every single young man seated before me, wearing the graduation sash, will begin to chart his own course towards his own destiny. Yet, you will still need some guidance.
14. Today as you graduate I want you, each one of you, every one of you, to commit yourself to changing the world. Each one of you must search your soul, search your heart, seek inspiration to dedicate yourself to a life of substance, a life of value, a life of high ideals, a life of high ethical standards, a life of excellence, a life dedicated in your chosen field of endeavour to changing the world.
15. You are graduating into a world that is more than ever powered by ideas, powered by technology, powered by science, powered by artistic and creative talents, powered by the super athlete, powered by the super entertainer. You are graduating into a world that is committed to environmental sustainability, committed to environmental diversity and by intergenerational responsibilities passing on to future generations a better world than you inherited. Equally you are graduating to basic freedoms of justice, equity, freedom of expression, the rule of law and political and religious freedoms, diversity and social justice.
16. Within these varied powerful currents on which the future of the world in your lifetime will be written, you will find tremendous scope to choose a life endeavour that will be worthy of your life long commitment and talents.
17. Those elders within your family, your community, your nation and region, whose accumulated wisdom has come from a lifetime of trial and error, will surely help. I encourage you to seek out and apply the wisdom of your elders, whether by the spoken or written word.
18. Make no mistake this world needs individuals who will change it. This country will only be able to survive if we are world class in all we do. Your life will be so much more enjoyable when you commit to great causes, to great ideals, to great objectives. Stay in touch with each other, inspire and push each other; let no barrier limit you, find yourself all ways on the side of truth, justice, right and dignity. Honour your parents, respect them, but do not let anyone including your parents smother your ambitions, your dreams. Do not stick to the tried and well trodden path, step out, step high, jump. Even, make the world your village, seek out opportunities where ever they exist, but carry Antigua and Barbuda in your hearts, in your soul, give back to your country, community and family, mentor those who will follow you as you seek mentors to follow.
19. Yet, I am fully aware that yours is --in many ways-- a brand new world. In 2011, you have blackberries, laptops, Face Book, electronic games and temptations so varied that even youthful parents are challenged when navigating the treacherous waters into which you have been launched.
20. The skills with which you set sail today will undoubtedly cause you to become a better learner, a better man, a better citizen. I can recall taking my history exam for the GCE Exam in Form 4B, at the time, and scoring a near-perfect score. So doubtful were the examiners of a fourteen year-old doing so well that I was required to take the exam a second time. Because of the gift of a near-photographic memory, I recalled all the pertinent facts on the history exam and scored nearly 100% a second time, with the headmaster serving as the invigilator. The test of excellence at the St. Joseph Academy, like I faced, will therefore always feature in that unknowable future which you will encounter. Fear not, I say, for you will help to create another better future which I believe will be even more glorious than our past and our present.
21. Seven years ago, when I entered elective politics, I adopted the motto of my school: NE TIMEAS. Do Not Be Afraid. Whoever gave our school this motto can be credited with making its alumni the bravest men who lead in industry, commerce, banking, tourism, the legal profession, education, religion, politics, computer science, and every endeavour that is possible within the special limitations of our Antigua and Barbuda.
In this regard, I applaud your Principal, Mr. Rudolph Davis, whose 34 years of teaching, including six years as the Principal of the St. Joseph Academy, demonstrate talent, perseverance and bravery. Give your headmaster a round of applause!
22. I want each graduate to look to your class mate on either side of you and with a firm hand shake pledge to each other, before God, and man to commit yourself to changing the world.
23. Away from Antigua and Barbuda, the St. Joseph Academy alumni are just as aggressive, as determined, as driven, and as certain about their aims and objectives as those who remained here. Our school has prepared all of us well to face the future.
24. I charge you therefore to ensure that the excellence customarily won by the graduates of the St. Joseph Academy is not diminished. You are to leave here today with a determination to make the education and training received at the St. Joseph Academy reflected in your personal endeavours and achievements.
25. With all its moving targets and changing responsibilities the future is still the only place you have to go. Be serious about it. Whether you are sixteen or sixty, your potential is ahead of you. If you purposefully commit yourself to continuous improvement; to getting better every day; there can be no doubt that you will grow to your full potential.
26. Just remember, you will need to concentrate on one main goal, forget the past and focus on the future. As the old Spanish proverb says, “he, who does not look ahead, remains behind”.
27. I want to share with you, the words of author John Maxwell from his best seller Attitude 101:
“When you know your purpose in life and are growing to reach your maximum potential, you are well on your way to being a success. But there is one more essential part of the success journey: helping others. Without that aspect, the journey can be a lonely and shallow experience.
“Its been said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give…”
28. I applaud your parents, the other members of your family, your teachers, your friends and all those who in one way or the other assisted you in the challenge of making it through to this stage of your human development.
29. Go forward, graduates. Let your oars strike hard the surface of your seas. Let the craft which bears you from destination to destination travel forward swiftly, guided by knowledge and wisdom. Let those who witness your outstanding achievements be awed by your courage and fearlessness, generated by the certainty which comes from being a graduate of this magnificent school. Let not the marvelous gadgets invented in these past decades be your master, but learn instead to master them all. Aim high, strive to achieve, love your family, love your nation and love your God. DO NOT BE AFRAID.
30. I end as I began with a quotation from
A VISIT FROM WISDOM
By Khalil Gibran:
'What is this youth that plays with my desires and mocks at my longings, forgetful of yesterday's deeds, Rejoicing in paltry things of the moment, Scornful of the morrow's coming?...What is this youth?
Then, Wisdom put her hand on my burning brow and said: 'Go then forward and do not tarry, for before you walks perfection. Go, and have no fear of thorns on the path…’
I thank you!
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FROM ST. PETERS
HONOURABLE ASOT MICHAEL
DELIVERS THE CHARGE
AT
THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE ST. JOSPEH ACADEMY
HELD AT THE HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL
AT MICHAEL’S MOUNT, ON
JUNE 23, 2011
HONOURABLE ASOT MICHAEL
DELIVERS THE CHARGE
AT
THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE ST. JOSPEH ACADEMY
HELD AT THE HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL
AT MICHAEL’S MOUNT, ON
JUNE 23, 2011
Her Excellency the Governor General
Honourable Minister of Education
Honourable Members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives
Members of the Clergy
Members of the Faculty and Staff
Parents and Guardians
Students of the St. Joseph Academy
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
The Graduating Class of 2011
NE TIMEAS – DO NOT BE AFRAID.
I begin with my favourite poet:
A VISIT FROM WISDOM
‘In the stillness of night Wisdom came and stood by my bed.
She gazed upon me like a tender mother and wiped away my tears, and said: 'I have heard the cry of your spirit and I am come to comfort it.
Open your heart to me and I shall fill it with light.
Ask of me and I shall show you the way of truth.'
KHALIL GIBRAN
1. First, allow me to extend congratulations to each and every one of the graduates this afternoon. You have completed the most rigorous academic preparation offered by any Secondary School in Antigua and Barbuda. I speak as an alumnus who has experienced the excellence for which the St. Joseph Academy is known. I can therefore pronounce with the confidence of one who has been put to the test, over these past three decades, requiring the use of the St. Joseph Academy’s preparation at every turn. That preparation has proven invaluable. Thank you, St. Joseph Academy!
2. I congratulate each and every one of you, today. Give the graduates a round of applause!
3. This afternoon, I have been asked to deliver the charge to you. That duty is indeed a challenge, because these are extremely difficult times in the world, in the region and in this our beloved country. But, overcoming challenges is the basis of creating excellence.
4. A captain who has sailed only on calm seas is never regarded as competent. Until a captain has managed his craft during turbulent weather and adverse conditions, and he and his crew live to tell of the perilous experience, that captain’s mettle has not been tested.
5. You live in a world that, according to Jeff Dickson, is no longer as kind and gentle as it used to be.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We've added years to life, not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
We've split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We have higher incomes, but lower morals;
We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of tall men, and short character;
Steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
More leisure, but less fun;
More kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes
6. You live in a country crying out for equal rights, justice and freedom of the human spirit. You live in communities too fearful of crime and too consumed with paying the monthly bills to be bothered about your happiness and well-being
7. But embedded in these realities is the challenge of your generation to create an ideal society. YES YOU CAN! You can do what those who came before you failed to do. You can lead the transformation of Antigua and Barbuda into a model of equal opportunity, sustainable development, good governance and peaceful co-existence in accordance with the rule of law
8. NE TIMEAS: Fear not, I say. The challenges which you face today are comparable to those faced by previous generations of alumni. Yet, those challenges differ markedly.
9. The St. Joseph Academy exists because there were many men and women who faced enormous challenges in making it a reality; yet, they persisted. I can speak with authority about Mitchell Michael, an uncle, who purchased the land on which the School sits, with his own money, and then donated that land. He also spent more than ten hours each day on the building site, from 6 am to 5 pm, having been tasked with supervising the construction. His wife, my Aunt Louise, threatened to divorce him. Mitchell Michael also sat on the Finance Committee, raising funds to equip the school so that it could be fully prepared to receive students.
10. In January 1958 when the St. Joseph Academy threw open its doors to welcome its first class, the school and its small body of students had no guarantees of success. Antigua and Barbuda was still a colony, ruled by others in their interest. On May 1st, 1958, Antigua and Barbuda and nine other British West Indian colonies entered the West Indies Federation full of great expectations. That experiment at federation did not succeed. Yet, Antigua and Barbuda has evolved a marvelous alternative, including full sovereignty. And, the St. Joseph Academy, 53 years after 1958, has a record of astounding success.
11. Our school has produced so many outstanding alumni that faith in the St. Joseph Academy is firmly established in the minds of our countrymen, recognized by your counterparts in other secondary schools, and subscribed-to by your parents.
12. The mothers and fathers of these alumni, just like your Moms and Dads, were instrumental in guiding and encouraging them. Give your parents a round of applause!
13. From this moment forward, every single young man seated before me, wearing the graduation sash, will begin to chart his own course towards his own destiny. Yet, you will still need some guidance.
14. Today as you graduate I want you, each one of you, every one of you, to commit yourself to changing the world. Each one of you must search your soul, search your heart, seek inspiration to dedicate yourself to a life of substance, a life of value, a life of high ideals, a life of high ethical standards, a life of excellence, a life dedicated in your chosen field of endeavour to changing the world.
15. You are graduating into a world that is more than ever powered by ideas, powered by technology, powered by science, powered by artistic and creative talents, powered by the super athlete, powered by the super entertainer. You are graduating into a world that is committed to environmental sustainability, committed to environmental diversity and by intergenerational responsibilities passing on to future generations a better world than you inherited. Equally you are graduating to basic freedoms of justice, equity, freedom of expression, the rule of law and political and religious freedoms, diversity and social justice.
16. Within these varied powerful currents on which the future of the world in your lifetime will be written, you will find tremendous scope to choose a life endeavour that will be worthy of your life long commitment and talents.
17. Those elders within your family, your community, your nation and region, whose accumulated wisdom has come from a lifetime of trial and error, will surely help. I encourage you to seek out and apply the wisdom of your elders, whether by the spoken or written word.
18. Make no mistake this world needs individuals who will change it. This country will only be able to survive if we are world class in all we do. Your life will be so much more enjoyable when you commit to great causes, to great ideals, to great objectives. Stay in touch with each other, inspire and push each other; let no barrier limit you, find yourself all ways on the side of truth, justice, right and dignity. Honour your parents, respect them, but do not let anyone including your parents smother your ambitions, your dreams. Do not stick to the tried and well trodden path, step out, step high, jump. Even, make the world your village, seek out opportunities where ever they exist, but carry Antigua and Barbuda in your hearts, in your soul, give back to your country, community and family, mentor those who will follow you as you seek mentors to follow.
19. Yet, I am fully aware that yours is --in many ways-- a brand new world. In 2011, you have blackberries, laptops, Face Book, electronic games and temptations so varied that even youthful parents are challenged when navigating the treacherous waters into which you have been launched.
20. The skills with which you set sail today will undoubtedly cause you to become a better learner, a better man, a better citizen. I can recall taking my history exam for the GCE Exam in Form 4B, at the time, and scoring a near-perfect score. So doubtful were the examiners of a fourteen year-old doing so well that I was required to take the exam a second time. Because of the gift of a near-photographic memory, I recalled all the pertinent facts on the history exam and scored nearly 100% a second time, with the headmaster serving as the invigilator. The test of excellence at the St. Joseph Academy, like I faced, will therefore always feature in that unknowable future which you will encounter. Fear not, I say, for you will help to create another better future which I believe will be even more glorious than our past and our present.
21. Seven years ago, when I entered elective politics, I adopted the motto of my school: NE TIMEAS. Do Not Be Afraid. Whoever gave our school this motto can be credited with making its alumni the bravest men who lead in industry, commerce, banking, tourism, the legal profession, education, religion, politics, computer science, and every endeavour that is possible within the special limitations of our Antigua and Barbuda.
In this regard, I applaud your Principal, Mr. Rudolph Davis, whose 34 years of teaching, including six years as the Principal of the St. Joseph Academy, demonstrate talent, perseverance and bravery. Give your headmaster a round of applause!
22. I want each graduate to look to your class mate on either side of you and with a firm hand shake pledge to each other, before God, and man to commit yourself to changing the world.
23. Away from Antigua and Barbuda, the St. Joseph Academy alumni are just as aggressive, as determined, as driven, and as certain about their aims and objectives as those who remained here. Our school has prepared all of us well to face the future.
24. I charge you therefore to ensure that the excellence customarily won by the graduates of the St. Joseph Academy is not diminished. You are to leave here today with a determination to make the education and training received at the St. Joseph Academy reflected in your personal endeavours and achievements.
25. With all its moving targets and changing responsibilities the future is still the only place you have to go. Be serious about it. Whether you are sixteen or sixty, your potential is ahead of you. If you purposefully commit yourself to continuous improvement; to getting better every day; there can be no doubt that you will grow to your full potential.
26. Just remember, you will need to concentrate on one main goal, forget the past and focus on the future. As the old Spanish proverb says, “he, who does not look ahead, remains behind”.
27. I want to share with you, the words of author John Maxwell from his best seller Attitude 101:
“When you know your purpose in life and are growing to reach your maximum potential, you are well on your way to being a success. But there is one more essential part of the success journey: helping others. Without that aspect, the journey can be a lonely and shallow experience.
“Its been said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give…”
28. I applaud your parents, the other members of your family, your teachers, your friends and all those who in one way or the other assisted you in the challenge of making it through to this stage of your human development.
29. Go forward, graduates. Let your oars strike hard the surface of your seas. Let the craft which bears you from destination to destination travel forward swiftly, guided by knowledge and wisdom. Let those who witness your outstanding achievements be awed by your courage and fearlessness, generated by the certainty which comes from being a graduate of this magnificent school. Let not the marvelous gadgets invented in these past decades be your master, but learn instead to master them all. Aim high, strive to achieve, love your family, love your nation and love your God. DO NOT BE AFRAID.
30. I end as I began with a quotation from
A VISIT FROM WISDOM
By Khalil Gibran:
'What is this youth that plays with my desires and mocks at my longings, forgetful of yesterday's deeds, Rejoicing in paltry things of the moment, Scornful of the morrow's coming?...What is this youth?
Then, Wisdom put her hand on my burning brow and said: 'Go then forward and do not tarry, for before you walks perfection. Go, and have no fear of thorns on the path…’
I thank you!
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