On Saturday 4 June 2016, a total of 91 students from the International School Luxembourg (ISL) graduated in a ceremony held at the Grand Theatre in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg, the same venue as last year.
In the presence of school administrators, academic staff, family and friends, ISL Director Nicki Crush addressed the graduates before a number of them addressed the full theatre, with some also performing on stage, including Adrien Wald performing Mozart's Violin Sonata No.32 and some talented graduates performed songs by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
She stated "Life is a journey and you’ve just completed the first 18 years of it – my advice is simple, plan the very best possible journey you can. There is an old Zulu proverb, which talks about Ubuntu, the idea that a person is that person because of others, throughout our lives we are all connected".
She urged the graduates to "be generous, be humble, be empathetic, be compassionate, make a difference - you are global citizens – as a group you are 25 different nationalities; Believe in yourself, your journey is beginning, go for it, don’t be afraid of change, change is healthy, take a risk; Find your passion, it may take a while, follow your dreams; Take control of your life, listen to your head and heart (as Nelson Mandela said, a good head and a good heart are a formidable combination); Create opportunities – don’t wait to be asked, take action; Be a team player, connect with others, consider the ‘Wisdom of Crowds’; Be relentless, be provocative, make the most of every day, don’t wait until tomorrow; Take responsibility for your successes and your failures, be resilient; Keep learning, be thoughtful, be curious, learn something new every day; Be grateful, say thank you – to your parents, your teachers, your friends – they have helped you on your journey and are your biggest supporters; And finally, be happy and have fun, enjoy every day".
A number of awards were also presented during the graduation ceremony to the Grade 12 students.
