Valedictory

Dusk stood still as our Principal Rev Fr Clifford Sequeira SJ, led the valedictorians - the graduating batch of Std. X and XII - down the red carpet through the audience comprising of parents, grandparents and relatives of the students. The deepening sunset was in sync with the final grand march from the safe haven of SJBHS into the world of opportunity.

The Vice Principal, Mr. Uday Kumar, along with the primary school administrator Rev Fr Alwyn D’Souza SJ led the Chief Guest Mr. Salil Shetty, Sr. Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and former Secretary General Amnesty International, and his spouse Mrs. Bina Shetty; the Guest of Honour Rev Fr Julian Fernandes SJ former Provincial and regional Assistant for South Asia; special invitees Rev Fr Sunit Prabhu SJ and former Vice Principal of SJBHS Mr. Charles Noronha; Secretary of the OBA Mr. Brian D’Lima; Vice President of the PTA Mr. Srinivas Wardha and the Secretaries of the PTA Mrs. Sudeshna Ghosh and Mr. Pravin Anthony, through the Josephite Guard of Honour, to the venue.

The programme began by calling on the Almighty through the prayer and prayer song. The lighting of the symbolic lamp, by seven outstanding valedictorians, was an enduring metaphor of knowledge and wisdom, warmth and enlightenment.

Fr. Clifford delivered the inaugural address welcoming the audience and highlighting the achievements of the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour.

The valedictorians, Dhruthi of Std. 12 and Kaverappa of Std. 10 took centre stage to deliver their message of thanks to their mentors, words of counsel to their juniors and pearls of wisdom to their peers.

The ‘transfer of charge’ happened to the strains of ‘Abide with me’. The flag was lowered and folded by the valedictorians, handed to the representatives of Std.11 and 9 who then unfurled the flag with grace and pride symbolizing a promise to shoulder all responsibilities and to safeguard a legacy of 160 years.

The Chief Guest’s message re-iterated his belief in the core ingredients for success – viz. the motto of the school ‘Fide et Labore’ along with a healthy mix of honing ones analytical abilities, critical questioning and disruptive thinking. Leadership, as a Josephite, should come from team building, cultivating emotional intelligence and never compromising on one’s values and ethics.

The Guest of Honour, Fr. Julian, wished the valedictorians the very best as they step forth into an exciting world of challenges. He asked them to ‘go forth and conquer’- not for themselves but for society at large.

The valedictorians received their mementoes and certificates, were treated to a bouquet of songs by their peers and juniors but the song which struck a chord with every person in the audience was the one by the mentors represented by Mr. Robin Colaco and Mr. Fabian, as they sang Josh Groban’s so

“Believe in what your heart is saying, hear the melody that’s playing;
There’s no time to waste, there’s so much to celebrate.
Believe in what you feel inside and give your dreams wings to fly,
You have everything you need, if you just BELIEVE.”