Graduation 2019!

All of the graduates along with the TCS board members, the headmaster, the District Commissioner, and a few of the teachers. 

On October 26th, we had our very first graduation at Alpha Omega!  Four years ago, this group of students started out at a brand-new school.  It must have been a bit strange to be the only class on campus, but they stuck it out.  Each year since we've added a new form as they have progressed, so now we are graduating our first form 4 students.  

Graduations here in Tanzania are an event.  It turned out to be a combination graduation/science-fair/talent show/church service/dinner, and from what I've heard of other local graduations, ours was quite tame and sedate.  (There was a fashion show that was somehow part of another local high school's graduation last weekend; some of our students wanted to do something like that, but Lewis said ABSOLUTELY NOT.  Also, a couple of our students had signed up to salute the graduates with a break-dancing demonstration, but Tammy 'accidentally' edited the program to where it turned out to be a poetry reading).  Graduations are an all-day commitment, and since once people get food they tend to leave, 'lunch' is always the last thing.  It was scheduled for 3 pm, but I knew that we'd be lucky to see food until at least five.  (I was right.  I had a snack in my bag.) 

Graduation gowns and hats are more of a university graduation thing here in Tanzania, so all of the graduates dressed up in white shirts and black trousers or shimmery black skirts.  There was a lot of last-minute scrambling as some of the boys realized at the last minute that they didn't have any clean socks and some of the girls realized that white blouses tend to be rather see-through and need an undershirt.  I spent a while in the girls' dorm rushing people out so that we could start photos only an hour or so late. 

While the Form 4 students took got ready and took pictures, guests could walk around campus to see tables set up by the younger students showing various projects.  The once above was a demonstration of various settlement types and ways communities can be organized.  Quite a bit of my tape, staples, glue, etc. was 'borrowed' for this particular project. I did stop by to be a practice audience for Baraka's whole spiel.  Later, I got this picture of him going through the demonstration for Nancy Smelser, one of the founders of the school. 

There were other tables with physics, chemistry and biology demonstrations, as well.  I was supposed to go back and buy some homemade soap from the chemistry team, but I never made it back that way. 

   

Another major difference in just about any big even here in Tanzania from similar events in America is the dancing.  Graduates do not walk sedately in.  They dance up the aisle.  In unison.  They'd been practicing their routine all week.  Thankfully, it was fun and happy while still being in good taste. 

Once everyone was settled with the graduates in their seats at the front, the parents, guests, and teachers in their places, and the school board, administration, and speakers settled on stage, we got started with the ceremony.  My role for the day was as one of the photographers, so I was moving around quite a bit.  

   

The ceremony involved four speakers (one of the parents, Mr. Songoyo; Tammy's brother David, Dr. Smelser, the school founder, and the District Commissioner).  The speeches were interspersed with a few rather cheesy songs sung by some Form 2 students to the form 4 students, and from some Form 4 girls to the parents.  They had taken some songs and personalized them; my name even ended up in one of the Form 2 songs.  It was a song about how various groups of people were saying goodbye to the Form 4 students and wishing them well, including a rather long section with this teacher says goodbye and that teacher says goodbye.  There was also a really hilarious play somewhere in the middle, acted by a combination of Form 4 and Form 3 students.  

David Reese giving an encouraging speech to the graduates.

Dr. Smelser and Mr. Bernard Kulanga honored Lewis and Tammy for their five years of service, which was certainly deserved as they've dedicated so much time to these students over the last few years.  The students had all signed a big picture of an elephant for them. 

Finally, we go to the part in which the graduates walked across the stage to receive their School Leaving Certificates (Tanzanians tend to like extremely literal names for things...). I joined a small crowd of photographers on stage to capture the moment for each student.  After everyone received their certificate, they were then called up individually for awards for various accomplishments (school government positions, etc.) and academic awards for the top student in each subject.  The top two students, Regarn and Pamela, won all of those; we all rather got the giggles when Pamela ended up having to go in circles as she won award after award.  They don't really use the term 'valedictorian' here, but the top three were clearly recognized:  Pamela Innocent, Regard Richard, and Moureen Simon.  

The ceremony finally ended, and the celebrations began.  Food was served; it was the typical Tanzanian party menu of pilau (spiced rice), chicken, cabbage, kachumbari, and watermelon. I spent most of the rest of the evening taking photos of groups of students.  I've now made a google photos account for the school and I'm going to show the students how to access so they can download photos on their phone after leaving school if they want.  

Two of the boys, Aloyce and Joseph, their father Narda, and Lewis and Tammy

I didn't get in many pictures myself, but I did get this one with one of my students, Aloyce.  We all had new dresses made for the occasion.  I bought the fabric in Iringa back in August and I've been looking forward to having it sewn.  There are such great fabrics here that it's a constant temptation to buy way too much.  

Overall, the day was long but went very well.  It was a great celebration of the hard work the form 4 students have put in over the last four years and a nice event for the community.  The students aren't leaving quite yet, though; they still have their big national exams in a couple of weeks before they're completely done, but the tradition here is to have the graduation when they finish classes, so preparing for it is not a distraction from their exams.  

It's going to be strange for the school once these students leave; we've never had students not come back before.  I am wishing all of them the best as they go on to further their education or find jobs.