Page 20 - The Regent Digest Volume 13 Issue 34
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JOCHEBED PEACE
AIREDE
WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY
SPEECH
and your academic strengths and future to be
So, I don’t come to you today as someone who dictated by others and by what they think. I am
was perfect. Nor do I come to you as someone here to tell you that with God on your side, with
who would expect you to be perfect. I don’t the teachers here on your side – because many
know who you are or the pressures you have of them believed in me way before I ever be-
on your shoulders. My parents were civil ser- lieved in myself – that anything you want? Is, in
vants, are professors of medicine – so, excel- fact, possible. That it is up to you to take charge
lence was not an option; it was an expectation. of your learning experience, to ask all the “stu-
And I needed a scholarship if I wanted to go pid” questions, no matter what anyone says.
abroad for school. So, because I could not play To take those booster lessons, to stay behind
football like Declan Rice, and I cannot sing like on Fridays until 3 p.m. like I did for almost two
an angel, my grades were the way to do it. So, years with Mr. Noble, to do everything in your
I remember feeling like these were some of the power to excel and to succeed – not because
toughest years of my life. it’s what others expect of you, but because you
expect it of and you owe it to yourself.
But I do come to you, as the Proxime Accessit
of the Class of 2018, 8 A*s and 3 As later, with Because it isn’t just about getting the A*s and
an award for Best in IGCSE History in Nigeria, the As. It’s great, I can tell you, praise Master
and best in A-Level English Language and Lit- Jesus – but it’s about knowing that you gave
erature exams in Nigeria, as a summa cum it your best shot. That you tried even when no-
laude graduate from Rutgers University with body expected it of you. That you put your best
a triple major in English, French and Gender foot forward. Even when you were scared, even
Studies, glory be to God, that there is hope on when you were tired, even when you wanted to
the other side. give up, you kept showing up.
That, it doesn’t matter what anyone has told Now, some of you might be thinking, “School is
you. Maybe people have said, as they did to a scam” and “Grades fade” and maybe they
me, that you aren’t smart because you don’t do. But the sense of satisfaction you gain from
like Maths. Maybe someone has told you that learning how to become the best version of
you’ll never be able to understand Chinua yourself will not. The study skills you pick up
Achebe or Shakespeare. Maybe you think that here – from learning how to use SparkNotes
there’s too little time for you to turn your grade to understand Shakespeare; from using Tay-
around. lor Swift to memorise the first 20 elements of
the Periodic Table; to learning how to man-
I’m here to tell you that it is never too late. age your time so you can study and still take
care of yourself even when it’s Mock season –
That you have too much ahead of you, and those skills will never fade. Learn how you study
that your parents are paying way too much best - with music or without music? How can
for you to be here, for your opinion of yourself you make Chemistry more interesting? When
THE REGENT SECONDARY SCHOOL 20
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