Siparia West Secondary School held its graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026 last Tuesday, with former FIFA vice-president Dr Jack Warner making a surprise appearance.
Warner attended the ceremony to witness the graduation of his 16-year-old goddaughter, Vaishali Rampersad. He recalled meeting Vaishali’s mother, Ria, at a UNC public meeting in Fyzabad 16 years ago. At the time, Ria was expecting her first child, and Warner told her that he wanted to be the godfather of her unborn daughter. From that moment, a close bond developed between the families.
The graduation ceremony was held on the school’s compound and was chaired by Ms Bullock. School principal Ms Kissoonlal then invited Warner to address the audience.
In his remarks, Warner told the graduating class:
“Today is not really about certificates. It is about transition. Today marks the moment when society begins to expect a little more of you. Until yesterday, many people looked at you and saw children. Tomorrow they will increasingly look at you and see young adults. That is both exciting, and it is serious.
“Because adulthood does not arrive with fireworks. It arrives quietly.
“One decision at a time. One habit at a time. One choice at a time.
“Those small decisions eventually shape the person you become. Wherever I went, one lesson remained constant with me: talent may open the first door, but character determines how long you remain in the room. Success is rarely determined by who had the highest examination score. It is far more often determined by who developed the strongest character.
“Character has a way of opening doors that qualifications alone cannot. Therefore, in everything you do, do what is right, not what is necessarily popular. And if what is right is popular, so be it.”
Warner also pledged to assist the school in addressing some of its challenges.
Following his brief address, Principal Kissoonlal updated parents, graduates, staff members, and invited guests on the school’s achievements and activities over the past academic year.
The feature address was delivered by Ms Alicia James of 99.5 FM, who encouraged the graduates to pursue their dreams, persevere through challenges, and never give up.
