Grace Vidal of Coulibistrie is the 2020 Valedictorian of the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School(ITSS).
Vidal who is the last of three children says that she was elated when she heard that she was valedictorian because she dreamt of this moment from since she entered first form. That dream influenced her actions and thoughts. She hopes to become a lecturer/professor in the future and will be studying Economics and Business Administration at the Dominica State College.
“All the sleepless nights, tears, hours of studying…all my hard work paid off. I also felt a feeling of satisfaction, because I knew I made my parents proud, seeing that we went through many trials and difficulties”.
Vidal said, “Covid-19 did not really change my overall performance. I still maintained my grades. However, the switch to online school and the use of google classroom was quite overwhelming”.
Vidal thanked God, parents and her ITSS family for their role in her success.
“At ITSS, we are a family. Our teachers are like parents, and for many of us, our classmates are like siblings and best friends. Just like every family, we sometimes had conflicts, but even in the midst of our disagreements and occasional rivalries, our bond was never severed. 2020 has been a bizarre and unforgettable year, so it is unsurprising that this year’s fifth formers are a blend of unique individuals. Years from now, I am sure that we will remember each other.”
Vidal was privileged to share the top spots at the graduation with her best friend N’dalia Laudat who was Salutatorian and the two girls emerged Students of the Year.
The 2020 graduation ceremony was held on Wednesday 16, September, under the theme, “The attitude you cultivate will determine tomorrow’s harvest”. The featured speaker was Mr.Hezron Seraphin.
