For the ten students graduating from the Sixth Form this summer, Saturday 18th June was a special day. For the first time at ISVA, there was to be a graduation ceremony with parents, teachers and friends present to applaud their achievements in the school and wish them well for the future. The ceremony began with a short speech from the Head Teacher, Mrs Susanne Ak, who welcomed and thanked staff and parents for coming to support their sons and daughters. She mentioned the fact that, due to the graduation being brought forward one week, some students still had exams to complete. She then introduced the guest speaker, Mr. Peter Zühlsdorff and asked him to speak to the graduates.
Mr. Zühlsdorff congratulated the students on their achievements, but also drew attention to their teachers, who similarly deserved congratulation on their continuous efforts throughout the school year. He spoke of his own experiences, from which he wished to pass on a few thoughts.
Thorough knowledge of the material of their chosen profession would be a key to success. To acquire this, there would be no substitute for hard work, which they would have to carry on throughout their career. These 2 requirements he saw as the hardware of one’s profession. But they also would require the software. They would need to be totally focused on the job in hand, consequent in seeing the task through and flexible – we now lived in an era of change, demanding new methods and a flexible mind. They would need social competence, that is the ability to assess other people’s competence, character and potential, to be at ease in anyone’s company and have the ability to bring out the best in every individual. He wished all graduates success and good luck in life and invited them to stay in touch and return to ISVA at some future date to pass on their experiences.
There followed a musical interlude with Polly (harp) and Henrietta (violin) Mathias and the presentation of the awards. Certain teachers then recited poems or sayings which they felt were relevant to the occasion. Head Prefect Siobhan Davis and Deputy Head Prefect Isabella Beck then spoke briefly, before Mrs. Ak concluded the ceremony by sharing her thoughts with the graduates on their future careers and their paths ahead and wishing them success and fulfilment in their lives.
