This post is also available in: Spanish
We love graduation season, it feels great to see our young go through the different stages of their education and celebrate their achievements. It feels even better to see those who achieve this against all odds celebrate such a triumph. The past Thursday 12th of June, Fundación MIR celebrated the 8th grade graduation of 20 young and bright teenagers, who now leave childhood behind and enter young adulthood.
The Fundación MIR, which throughout its 3 schools, works to provide education to children of the greater La Romana area who are most in need, is always proud and happy to see their children grow up and thrive. It is something that provides great pleasure because many children drop out of school before this stage due to lack of means, or drop out at this stage, but thanks to Fundacion MIR these children are graduating and going on to complete their High School studies, making their future so much brighter and really changing their lives.
The ceremony, which was held at the Boy’s School, Campo Nueva Esperanza, commenced with a few words by the master of ceremony, the entering of the graduates along with their respective godmothers and of course the vibrant notes of our national anthem.
This was followed by a beautiful thankful prayer from Sister Prati, blessing the bright future lying ahead of these young boys, the presentation of the staff that made all this possible and a word from the Vice-Principal.
As a gift to their predecessors the 7th grade class gifted the graduates with a beautiful musical moment prepared specially for them and which was exquisite to listen to.
Finally the moment of truth, where one by one the students were called by name to receive their diploma, the acknowledgment that they went against the grain that is sadly causing many of the La Romana youth to drop out of school, they are different and more prepared. This was also the proud moment of recognition for the students who gave a little more, who tried a little harder, day in and day out resulting with outstanding grades and thus graduating as merit students. These were Cristhian Christian de Oleo, Wesley Rosario Pichardo, Gerald Adonis Estrella Rosario and Jairo Rijo Nieves, whom we congratulate for their achievements. In turn the students also had a recognition for the school, to whom they showed themselves to be extremely grateful for helping them achieve all they had achieved.
Now that the students had officially graduated, the School Principal, Ramón Nieve, took the stage to offer his wise words of advise, congratulating the class on their performance so far and urging them to continue on this path of education, to continue to be outstanding in our society. This was again followed by thank you speeches in we were able to see the gratefulness to the Fundación MIR both from a student’s point of view and from a parent’s point of view, as a mother took the stage and expressed her thanks for the contribution MIR had done for their children’s future.
The ceremony culminated with the passing of the flag from the 8th graders to the 7th graders, who are now the oldest students of the Middle School and hold the responsibility of setting an example to the younger ones. The notes of the class’ anthem were heard as well as the national anthem to finally end with a dance among the students with their godmothers and a celebratory toast.
It was a beautiful ceremony and we are all very proud of the graduates, wishing them the best in their years to come.
The following collection of photos were taken by Alejandro Heredia at the graduation ceremony celebrated at the Fundación MIR:
The Fundación MIR is a non-profit organization which works to provide education to the children of the greater La Romana area, who are most in need. They run 3 schools; the MIR Esperanza (boys vocational school), the Escuela Técnica Vocacional Fundación MIR (girls vocational school) and the Primaria MIR (infants school).
For more information on the Fundación MIR and to make a donation, visit their website: www.mirinternational.org
To make a donation contact the MIR office in Casa de Campo (809-523-8270) or in West Palm Beach (561-366-5095). Donations are tax deductible for US Citizens!
To find out more and see photos and articles of events organized by the Fundación MIR – click here!
