BIGGEST IB GRADUATION CEREMONY IN ETIS HISTORY!

At the end of August graduates assembled in Sellosali in front of a proud audience of their families, teachers and fellow DP students, for the crowning achievement of the entire IB experience. 45 students succeeded in gaining the prestigious diploma, a new record for Etis. Cecilia Barnes and Firat Böke were the neatly turned-out hosts.  Aleksandra Petrakova provided a suitably upbeat start with Maple Leaf Rag.  Aleksandra Petrakova played a hauntingly beautiful piece on the flute to the accompaniment of Matti Piri, our music teacher, on the piano. Lidia Ganeva sang a breathtaking version of Winner Takes It All. So, we were both well hosted and richly entertained. 

The graduates rightly took centre stage, filing into the chamber to the tune of Andante Festivo before being presented with their diplomas and white caps by the Principal Anni Virnes, aided by the homeroom tutors Lauri Rantanen and Mohammed Matooq. Cameras flashed and surely there were wet eyes in the audience as graduates donned their caps to rapturous applause. Several students were singled out to receive special awards, such as the Community Service Award, the CAS medal and the Learner Profile Award. A message from the Director General of IB Olli-Pekka Heinonen was read out to the effect that graduates achieved far more than a set of grades or a diploma; they “share a mindset shaped by enquiry, reflection, international mindedness and a desire to make a meaningful difference”. 

No such ceremony would be complete without speeches. And what speeches! Alumnus Nicolas Koivisto, a graduate from 2022, reminded graduates to devote this moment to proud reflection on what has been achieved rather than start stressing about what comes next. Graduate speaker Sasha Meyke drew a parallel between the IB journey and a roller-coaster ride with the safety bar down. Now graduates continue the ride without the bar but with a new-found confidence to keep firmly in their seats. Flowers. Gifts. Handshakes. Hugs. And many more photos.  In this way we marked the end of the event as graduates headed off to join their parties and everyone began the weekend on an upbeat note. 

David Crawford   

DP Coordinator