Graduation ball: Time to say good-bye to our fourth graders #farewell by Marina.Hurt ;)

My dearest beloved students,

Today, you gathered to celebrate a new milestone in your academic lives: the culmination of four years of hard work, dedication, and growth: the end of your Compulsory Secondary Education Stage.

I'd like to express my deepest apologies for not being able to attend the ceremony today, unfortunately, due to personal reasons. Having apologised for that, now I would like to express my profound admiration and congratulations to each and every one of you.

The journey we embarked upon together four years ago was filled with laughter, tears, and a global pandemic in between. Yet, here we are, stronger, more mature and wiser than ever before. Looking back, I feel really overwhelmed by the memories we have shared and the perspective the pandemic in general and the confinement in particular, imprinted in our lives.

In this journey, I know you have worked so hard but soon you will realise how your hard work will pay off: actually, it pays off right today. Remember: you have developed critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills thanks to your persistence. You have learnt the importance of working together, with your partners, team work, respect, you have learnt to embrace diversity, and to respect different viewpoints in class. You are such a special class to me! Oh, I will miss you loads. We together have come across the power of empathy, compassion, and kindness in our lessons and for all of that, I feel I have also grown up with you, as a teacher.

Dream big, my dear students, dare to take risks, take breaks if you need them, and let your passion be the guiding force that moves you forwards but above all be yourselves at all times. Each one of you possesses unique and wonderful talents and different abilities that, believe me or not, make you have the potential to make a difference in this world. "Be the change you want to see in this world", someone I cannot recall right now said.

Again, I'll be missing you!

With all my love,

Marina

Here are some random pics I managed to find. There are funnier ones (In particular some at the "chalet") but I can't find them. Fill your backpacks with memories!