Hillview College's Graduation (2011)

 Date for Entry: (Thursday 10th November, 2011)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Thursday 10th June, 2021)

Dear Diary,

    Today was my Graduation from Hillview College. It was said to be a big ceremony because of great accomplishments achieved by students in the elder part of the school. I loved the way how the hall was decorated and the excessive long speeches. There were quite a several people to speak around the head table and there were several others from the outer parts.

    Mrs. Zalaya Hassanali was there also. I played with the Steel Ensemble and we had five songs to play on that day. We played the National Anthem, the School's college song, Pathetique Sonata which was an arrangement done by Ms. Saunders’ father, Besame Mucho and Hero.

    There was a lot of students along with their parents and other people stretching way to the end of the sliding glassed entrance doors of the hall. I wondered how come such a small Auditorium could hold so many people. This was a nice joke shared amongst myself and some of the other ensemble members. 

    Several times we'd hear a teacher telling some of them to watch their volumes. It would have been boring after some time for them I'm sure. It was not so boring for me. I felt proud to be in my formalwear again and to be sitting amongst the others and having the opportunity to perform music and be a part of the service.

    The best part for me was that the Programme wasn’t a regular sheet of paper they would hand out and it would be crumpled easily by the end of the event. It was in fact a beautifully crafted booklet. And the better part of that was that I was getting to keep a copy of one so that one day it could have been added to this journal. (I hope if possible that it could be inserted in a clear pocket inside this same journal = original paper-based journal.)

    The Steel Ensemble was only Form 2s. Most of them were from my class as the West class had dominated it. Two other students from the other two Form 2 Classes. They made their name with laughter and chatting as they sat behind the six Bass Pan and talk. 

    Another part I enjoyed of this day was the red and gold chairs. They really did their job of having to sit so long. My tail bone would have been "yelling" in pain after all those hours of the ceremony. This was a very good experience. Hopefully, there will be another graduation where I will get to perform again for the school.

Links:

1. Graduation Programme.**
2. "Pathetique Sonata" (Steelband Score - Nervin Saunders).

Daryl Zion M. Ali