GRADUATION TIME!!

The end of the school year is a very busy time at Mercy Wings, and it's all topped off with the graduation of the trainees. This is a picture of the Director of the Centre (front, centre, in light blue) and some of the staff seated around her, and the graduating trainees standing behind.

These trainees are trained in General Construction, Catering and Home Management, and Child Care and Care of the Elderly. Each graduating trainee has completed the course and has passed his/her practical exams. In addition, they prepare to showcase their talents from their arts and crafts classes, which include tye-dying, fabric painting, drumming, dancing, and (my personal favourite) DRAMA!

This year 10 trainees presented a skit about their hopes and dreams for graduation. We worked together to write the skit. We talked about the kinds of jobs they would like to have and the kinds of lifestyles they would like to live 10 years into the future. We also talked about their fears or what they anticipated would be difficult about being in that particular job or position. We discussed the values people would have to have to do that kind of work, and the advice a person in the student's chosen profession might give an aspiring nurse, artist, architect, or DJ. Then we incorporated their responses into scenes of students discussing their dreams on one side of the stage, and a scene about each student's future (10 years later) on the other. At the end of the skit one of the trainees explained to the audience things that the trainees wanted their teachers, parents, and any potential employers present to know about them: for example, that they are hardworking, trustworthy individuals who are learning and growing every day. It was a very powerful skit, and although the students were EXTREMELY nervous, they did a wonderful job with it. I was very proud of them.

And then it was on to the PROM! The biggest dance of the Mercy Wings' school year was fairly well-attended and was catered by Mr. Kirkpatrick, who, I overheard, had celebrated his 70th birthday just the day before! As you can see by this picture of the guys when it ended, everyone had a great time. What a great way to end the year! Thanks for the memories, everyone! I'll miss you, trainees, teachers and administrators alike!