Craig's Speech Good afternoon, parents, staff and students of Emerald Sixth Form. It is my great pleasure to speak to you this afternoon on the occasion of our Graduation for 2023. Today we celebrate the achievements and hard work of our Year 11 and 13 students as they begin the final stage of their journey – the exams! Students: for the past two years you have been pushed, cajoled and sometimes dragged kicking and screaming into working hard, but only because we, as staff, have had your success very much at heart and know you needed a good shove in the right direction in order to do your best. And do your best you have, laying the foundations you need on which to build your futures, whether that future lies in A Levels, University or the workplace. Under our guidance you have reached this stage in your lives with honour and integrity. Your teachers are proud of what you have achieved over the years, the way you have related to us, to each other and to the goals we have set for you. We know you have gained many of the skills you will need to make a success of the next stage in your lives. We know you will face many challenges in the years ahead, and we will not be there for you to fall back on. You have learned independence, self-reliance and how to care for each other too. As you leave here and go out into the big, wide world, take your memories and experiences with you, be grateful for the opportunities you have been given and be good ambassadors, not just of Emerald Sixth Form, but of your generation. Think big, aim high and strive to be the very best you can be at whatever you choose to do. Be kind, thoughtful, caring and generous of spirit. Look after yourselves, your family and friends and strangers too and above all care for your environment. This world is the only one you’ve got. Go out into it with confidence and make it yours.