That’s How Confident I am

毕业典礼主讲人，新华学院董事长王显新先生，董事们，2021届毕业生，老师，家长，女士先生们！

今年的高中毕业生是最特殊的一届，他们在母校的最后一年不是跟老师和同学们一起度过的，而是在家里单独一个人整天面对着电脑度过的，每天只在网上虚拟地跟老师和同学们见几个小时面。这一年对她们来说应该是难忘的一段经历。

莫怪两个月前，他们就通过他们的父母和其他老师向我打听今年举行不举行毕业典礼。由于疫情的缘故，我也不便轻易向他们保证。我知道他们为这件事心里一直很不痛快。对此我是很理解的。不管是中六还是小六的毕业生，一方面很想有属于自己的毕业典礼，但更重要的是，他们想通过拍毕业照的机会而跟一年都没见过面的同学聚一聚，哪怕只待几分钟也行。同窗情谊贵如金，我们做大人的何尝不能理解？

在你们即将离开中小学之前，我想告诉你们，我和你们的老师都为你们二感到骄傲。希望你们在今后的岁月里，继续刻苦用功，学好本领，充实自己，取得更为骄人的成绩。

Distinguished Commencement Speaker, ISA President Mr. Venido Pena, ISA Board Directors, Batch 2021 Graduates, ISA Facilitators, Parents, ladies and gentlemen!

I believe the graduates of this year’s senior high school must have found themselves quite distinct, if not unique, unlike all their predecessors, they spent their last year not inside the campus, instead they spent the whole year studying at home alone. Instead of grasping every chance to hang around with their peers and mentors, considering they will part ways very soon, they met only virtually for few hours a day. This should make their last year in ISA even more unforgettable.

A couple of months ago, through their parents and other facilitators these ISAers started to ask if there would be a graduation ceremony for their batch. Because the pandemic did not show any hint of letting itself up, I was not ready to give any assurance. I know many of them were quite upset about it. I understand that very well. Whether it is the grade 6 or the grade 12 graduates, aside from wanting to have their own graduation ceremony, one thing is sure, they wanted to take advantage of the graduation photo opportunity to have a get together with their peers whom they missed so much. Even if only to stay together for a few minutes. That bond between friends, who wouldn’t have understood their sentiments? 

Well, dear graduates, do I need to mention what you have missed? The pleasure of playing basketball together in the gym, the endless chats you would have in the canteen, out there along the corridor, the thrill in preparing for the Buwan ng Wika, ISA Day, the delighting feeling during the 3-day camping, and the enjoyment of watching the entertaining Battle of the Bands, to name a few. For the seniors specially, these are all deplorably gone.  

Before you leave behind this episode in your life, i want to tell you that we are proud of your batch. To the younger ones, your batch is reinforcing again the Philippine Science High School (Main Campus) by helping it recruit 2 of your best minds, and several others to the regional campus of Phil Sci. That we are not happy to send you off whom our facilitators have painstakingly nurtured throughout the past long years is quite obvious. 

My greatest regret however was in the cancellation of this year’s entrance tests by De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines whose entrance tests our grade 12 learners are mandated to take. I was doubly aching with disappointment upon knowing the frustrations felt by almost all of our grade 12 when they heard of the bad news. Most of them, if not all, were so confident that they can beat the records set by the two preceding batches in terms of the percentage of passing in our country’s top 3 universities. When Ateneo and La Salle announced the cancellation, one Grade 12 ISAer even threatened to jump from second floor if UP will follow suit. UP eventually did, fortunately that ISAer didn’t turn her words into action. But don’t get me wrong, should her name be not posted in the admission list of UP, i will personally appear in the UP registrar’s office and demand for the inclusion of her name. That’s how confident I am in the capability and qualification of this ISAer. That’s how capable and qualified this batch of Senior High School ISAers to enter the best universities of our country.

Godspeed graduates. Before i close, i want to express my sincerest thanks to the hard working men and women who prepared this virtual commencement exercises. Yes, this virtual graduation ceremony did not come so easily. Special thanks to the Head Facilitators and facilitators who compose the committee, the technical personnel, and to Mrs. Villanueva for generously lending us the decors. 

Thank you and please always stay safe.