Graduation weekend in Torbay

As he took his suit from the wardrobe, Neil absent-mindedly mused upon the previous years. In doing so, he inadvertently discovered that this musing upon bygone Graduations had become something of a ritual for him. Just as footballers each had their own pre-match list of gestures and actions that they had to go through in order to feel  at one with  themselves before entering the stadium with  it’s cacophony of sound, so Neil, went through his own checklist. As he had done last year, he flicked an imaginary fleck from his dark  blue suit, checking it as he did so,  for any  tell-tale signs of poor wardrobe storage! “No”, he said to himself, “ it was fine”. It would grace any such gala event, including tonight’s pre Graduation meal.  After, a final  inspection of his appearance, after repeated verification of his tie being in the right place, after checking his pockets for keys and money and phone, he stepped out, as a gladiator into an arena, into an arena of education where the true contests had already  taken place, for tonight was all  about the celebration of the winners who  would be receiving the crown of laurels, the culmination of their efforts…….

As he made his way into the room reserved for the reception of the guests, Neil felt strangely moved…. here it was, 34 years before that he had celebrated his own wedding reception. As he mingled with the guests, his mind flitted between those that were there in the present, and those that had been there all those years before. Friends, and significant others who were no longer present, remained shadowy, but nevertheless real images in his mind, all caught up  with  the evenings celebration. But tonight, was no time for melancholia. He focused his attention again and allowed his eyes to survey the living pageant of rich cultural diversity that paraded before his eyes. Before him he examined the stunning elegance of colleagues, in their beautiful finery, making him feel somehow sordid in his dark blue suit, somehow tawdry, as if an interloper into  a meeting of class. Alongside colleagues, he noticed the guests, with each corner of the room housing an expression of the global  village that is today’s world. There, in one corner, stood a Nigerian family, resplendent and glorious in all their kaleidoscopic colors. In another, an Indonesian family with  their gracious gestures, bowing their heads and touching their chests as a sign of greeting; welcoming and greeting members of staff with  a deference that guaranteed a feeling of awkwardness in the recipients of it. Elsewhere,  a hoot of derisive laughter greeted an  anonymous humorous comment made by an unseen guest. Here were the sights and sounds of the extended EF Academy family, communicated to all  who  would care to  look and listen ;  the joy, the pleasure, and the richness of inter cultural humanity, in all  its glory. Far from  the narrow mindedness of protectionist values, this gathering chose, subconsciously to  testify to, and to  validate another set of values, that of the possibility of the richness of differing cultures being a way of defining oneself, rather than the opposite. Far from the bland homogenization of peoples, what was in evidence this evening spoke of depth and life and vibrancy.

And so  the evening continued, a sumptuous meal, enjoyed by all  as they  sat in families around the simply decorated tables. At each  table, reunited families exchanged the tell-tale glances of deep  affection  between  parents and their beloved children. Gestures of tenderness and love permeated the proceedings. A daughter kissing her father, a son holding his fathers hand. In and of themselves, only simple, almost hidden gestures, but joined together, they  formed a fanfare of happiness. And this was but a prelude to the real event, a rolling out of the red carpet before the following days Graduation ceremony.

As the early morning light, pierced the gloom of the various curtained bedrooms around the bay, so the many guests began to stir. The lethargy that accompanied their awaking, shaken from  spirits as the prospect of what lay before them  broke upon their minds. The day had dawned, the day  when  their own children  would see the culmination of their study  and sacrifice rewarded and acknowledged before one and all. Parents proud of their children, children  proud of themselves, with teachers and staff willing on-lookers as they  released their charges back into  the waiting arms of loved ones. The staff had fulfilled their commission, and now, with  a sense of achievement and fulfilment could lay down  the mantle of responsibility for them  and simply savour the moment. This was as much  a moment of joy for them  as it was for the parents and students. As they  looked out over the sea of graduating students, they were able to see before them ,no longer individuals with deadlines to meet, and with homework assignments to  complete, but now human  beings  in their own  right, full of potential and life’s victories. Among the crowded ranks amassed in the auditorium could be seen those that had made their mark  through  sheer determination and hard work. Next to them, jostling for attention,  were those who were noticed, noticed for their wit, their laughter,  their excuses, their vitality, their sleepiness, their tears and so it could continue. Every expression of the various facets of human  character was on view. All drawn together in this one moment to share a common experience. They were all  part of the EF Academy  Torbay family. It had often been said that EF Academy Torbay was a family that did education rather than an educational institution that tried to be a family, and here in this arena, the proof of it was plain to see. And yet what was it? This feeling of family was something real, but wholly intangible, solid, and yet ethereal; present but at the same time invisible. Of course, as we all know, this was the sort of thing that anything worthwhile was made of. It was the sort of thing that made some cruelly understand that they were on the outside and made them realize that their currency  of professionalism and  distance, was not legal  tender in this setting. What was on display in this context was the beating heart of EF Academy  Torbay, a beating heart clothed in the pursuit of academic excellence but the beating heart of a family nevertheless.

This was a true celebration of the family, a family united in this special  moment, the expression of the goal of student life. It was the consummation of the contract to  study and the willingness to  learn. As the students paraded onto  the stage, each one different, yet each one the same, they  communicated their pride in being part of this school. For some this pride was tinged with  sadness as they  realised that it was all  coming to  an  end, for some it was touched by joy, as they  looked forward to  even more successes. Outstanding students, Sportsman and woman of the year, team prizes, subject prizes. All joined together in a glorious coming together of the schools focus. Today it was a community of togetherness. Today  the awards were inward looking, what the students had contributed to the school, tomorrow, with  the results of their exams, they  would be more individualised as each  student discovered their own particular reward.

As the ceremony drew to  a close, so  rightfully, the class of 2017 took  centre stage, both  figuratively and physically. Their moment had come. Proud parents beamed appreciatively as their own  child walked onto  the stage. For one moment alone, for them ,there was no one else in the room. It was an intimate moment where the only players involved were the student and the parents. Those members of staff who happened to be present were nothing more than masters of ceremony, facilitators of this most tender of moments. The culmination  came via the Valedictorian address offered by one who, by the acknowledgement of all,  was a student without comparison, one who in every realm, appeared to be judged to be the best. The most loving, kind, thoughtful, hardworking, helpful and studious, and one, who  on top of this, had the voice of an  angel. Her address was inspiring, her delivery astounding, her presence impressive. She dominated the arena, and communicated all  that EF Academy  Torbay means. EF Academy Torbay: A family, an education, a place to  grow, a place where the individual is welded into  a community and from that place goes on to  influence the world. This was the graduation of the class of 2017. We all of us await excitedly for all  that the class of 2018  will bring.

Written by Neil Abbott, Guidance Counselor at EF Academy Torbay