The IGCSE/ICE Graduation Ceremony - 2023 class

Families and Teachers: Supporting Columns 

A key element of this day was the presence of family members and teachers. Their support has been essential in the students' journey so far and will be even more valuable in their journey to IBDP. The presence of these figures underscored the importance of community in the educational journey. 

Student speech

Here is the speech that the students Pietro Milanesio, Silvia De Carlo, Marta Gianoglio, Vittoria Cassardo, Giula Gilardi and Giulia Imbastaro read at the ceremony:

Good evening everyone, thank you for coming here today.

We are here today to celebrate together the conclusion of two intense years of high school and the awarding of our well-deserved IGCSE diplomas.

We would like to thank each classmate for the friendship, mutual support and shared moments that make these years unforgettable. We have grown as individuals and as a group, overcoming obstacles together.

Special thanks to our teachers, who inspired us, guided us and shared their knowledge. Without you, our academic and personal journey would not have been so rich and stimulating.

To our parents, thank you for the unconditional support and love you have given us over these years and for every sacrifice you have made on our behalf.

Having said this we can start to be honest.

Dear comrades and above all dear teachers (who perhaps will hate us a little after this speech), it is an honor and, let's face it, a considerable surprise to find us here today for the awarding of the IGCSE diplomas. Yes, precisely us, those who tested the teachers' patience, the resistance of the chairs and the robbed machines

Let's start by saying that our journey through IGCSE was a bit of a rollercoaster, with peaks of enthusiasm when we passed an exam and valleys of despair when we realized that maths isn't exactly our strong point. But we're here, so we did something right!

We would like to express our eternal gratitude to the teachers who challenged our logic, especially Roasio who resisted our ironic comments and who tried to make us passionate about trigonometry (unsuccessfully, but she tried). The Genoese who continued to believe in us despite our difficulties in the logic tests. Fioretti with a patience to be envied, Benzi with her great passion for chemistry (not always reciprocated by us students), Zubak who, in order to make us finish the Duke of Edinburgh, threatened us with not letting us pass the year, Murray for his competence and sense of humor, Poli who was our class psychologist, Torricini who was always sweet and understanding (even when we didn't deserve it), Pazzi who we always adored for his irony, the two language teachers Gonzalez and Pascal who always took it upon themselves to take us on trips (something absolutely not to be underestimated) and last but certainly not least our beloved Mamini who tried in every possible way to make the story a little 'less boring and has always succeeded. Thank you for your patience and for not making us feel too guilty when we forgot our homework... for the umpteenth time.

And now, let's talk about us, the students. We've faced the dreaded enemy of procrastination, navigated the stormy seas of teenage relationships, and proven that sleep is overrated. But, as they say, all's well that ends well, and today we can boast about our survival skills in a world of exams, projects and presentations. But, above all, we can say that we are equipped with a strong survival and adaptation instinct. Thanks Duke, you weren't so terrible after all.

Yes, it's amazing how much time has flown and how much we have experienced during these two years. Between Roasio's references, Torricini's unforgettable books and the affinities born thanks to Poli's seating plans, we can truly say that we have tackled this journey magnificently. Special thanks go to Principal Bodo and our coordinator Gutowitz who, with their patience and dedication, accompanied us on this very challenging journey. These first two years have been an extraordinary journey, but we know it is only the beginning of our journey towards the future. Each of us has started to chart our own path, but it's fantastic to do it together, accompanied by the friends we've met along the way. So, full speed ahead, because the first two chapters of our adventure are already written! We continue to improve, learn and grow, as this is only the beginning of our extraordinary story. We look ahead with enthusiasm and determination, ready to face everything the future holds for us. We are an incredible team, and we are sure that the best is yet to come for each of us. Go 1 IB!