Samoan graduation is called prizegiving. Here at Tuasivi College we had our ceremony on Friday. The Director of Education for all Congregational Christian schools, the head of the Education Committee, students, teachers, and parents all came, as well as our most honored guest, Reverend Oka Fauolo, the leader of all the churches in Samoa.
The top student in each subject for each year (Years 9-13) get a prize, as well as the best overall student in each year, the most improved, sportsman and sportswoman of the year, and so on and so on. For computer studies the best students in each year got a 2 GB flash drive, a book on Microsoft Word, some new notebooks, and a few pens. I got the flash drives when I was in America for $10 each and I think the kids were really happy with them because in Samoa they are really expensive, the equivalent of about $60 or $70 US dollars.
After each winning student’s name was called they walked up to the stage and got their prize. Then members of the families came and put necklaces made of candy and other snacks around their necks. I think it was one of my favorite parts of this whole year, seeing parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers so proud of their students.
Tuasivi being a church school and all, we had a minister say a prayer, sang some hymns, and then our guests gave speeches. The principal also gave a report on the whole school year, including how many students enrolled every semester, and other strange facts I don’t think anyone wanted to know. Then the Year 13 students who were graduating sang a farewell/thank you song, followed by the Year 9-12 students singing Christmas songs and ending with a remixed We Are The World by Michael Jackson. After the ceremony, the teachers got together and ate a meal provided by the students’ families. All in all pretty awesome. I’m already looking forward to next year’s.
The top student in each subject for each year (Years 9-13) get a prize, as well as the best overall student in each year, the most improved, sportsman and sportswoman of the year, and so on and so on. For computer studies the best students in each year got a 2 GB flash drive, a book on Microsoft Word, some new notebooks, and a few pens. I got the flash drives when I was in America for $10 each and I think the kids were really happy with them because in Samoa they are really expensive, the equivalent of about $60 or $70 US dollars.
After each winning student’s name was called they walked up to the stage and got their prize. Then members of the families came and put necklaces made of candy and other snacks around their necks. I think it was one of my favorite parts of this whole year, seeing parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers so proud of their students.
Tuasivi being a church school and all, we had a minister say a prayer, sang some hymns, and then our guests gave speeches. The principal also gave a report on the whole school year, including how many students enrolled every semester, and other strange facts I don’t think anyone wanted to know. Then the Year 13 students who were graduating sang a farewell/thank you song, followed by the Year 9-12 students singing Christmas songs and ending with a remixed We Are The World by Michael Jackson. After the ceremony, the teachers got together and ate a meal provided by the students’ families. All in all pretty awesome. I’m already looking forward to next year’s.
I had some free time before things started so I took picture of some of the teachers. Here's Koveli Peseta, math teacher, on piano.
Kirisimasi (Christmas) Fiti, history teacher.
Numia, Samoan language teacher, and Kirisimasi (it's a popular one) Sani, physics.
Papu, biology and Olita, english.
I call this one the rookie card. (Note our matching shirts.)
Students sitting in front, with parents in the back. It was a full house.
Year 13 students got upgraded to chairs. The students always sit on the floor so this was a big upgrade I thought. It's nice to be graduating!
Year 12 student Christina, demonstrating the candy necklace idea. She won best overall in Year 12, best in Computer Studies, English, and a few other categories as well.
Year 13 computer student Ieti, counting out cooked pigs donated for our lunch. There were eight!
Each one got cut up in to 5 parts (it's the Samoan way) and handed out.
Half of the Year 13 graduating computer students. From the left, Noruwa, Ieti, Faatafa in front, Vaimoli, and Lagi.
Mugging for the camera with Vaimoli.
Faatafa felt the fence was a better background for our photo.
Year 13 2009 students. Congratulations guys!
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