At St. Mary’s International School, there has been a long-standing tradition of hosting major events and celebrating many occasions: Christmas, our quarterly Holy Mass, the annual bingo, the musical, and especially our huge May carnival. But the school also holds a heartfelt commemoration for those who will be leaving and graduating—specifically the Seniors of the Class of ’25. To celebrate this milestone, on April 3rd, the SMPA (St. Mary’s Parent Association) prepared a potluck. Many parents brought in a variety of home-cooked meals, takeout food, drinks, and desserts. During lunch, many seniors lined up for the food and sat together, cherishing their final moments with friends and taking photos together. After the potluck, the seniors had their graduation photos taken, wearing their bright blue graduation gowns and caps. Parents who didn’t donate food had gave money donations to the SMPA.
On Wednesday, the SMPA organized the annual “Ice Cream Bash,” where parents served ice cream to all high school students from Grade 9 to Grade 12. There were a variety of flavors and toppings available for students to enjoy. The Ice Cream Bash is a long-standing tradition at St. Mary’s that goes back many years. Seniors went first, followed by juniors, sophomores, and finally the freshmen. The event took place from 3:25 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. after school. There were many big smiles and laughter as everyone took a break to enjoy ice cream—especially the seniors, who will begin their IB exams next week in early May. The exams will run until May 21st, and finally, the seniors will graduate on May 24th.
According to the calendar, April 25th is our last official day as seniors—but really, it’s only the beginning of our lives. Today is technically the last day of school. Sure, we’ll see each other again, stressed in the exam room and reunited at graduation, but this is the last time we’ll all be together in class, hearing the bell ring one final time. Seeing the underclassmen in the hallways, eating in the cafeteria with friends, sitting in classrooms—these daily routines are all coming to an end. Our hard work over the past 12 years has finally led us to this point.
As a small message I want to leave as my final article for The Diplomat:
Don’t live your life with regrets. Stay close to the people who believed in you and supported you from the start. I truly enjoyed my time at St Mary’s International School and will always treasure the memories I’ve made with my friends, teachers, and the people here.
Aeymann Anwar, signing out!
