Munwarunissa Nazneen Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Al Waha International School recently celebrated the graduation ceremonies of its eleventh batch of Grade 10 students and its seventh batch of Grade 12 students.
The graduation ceremonies were attended by mothers of the graduates in the girls' section and fathers in the boys' section in the school's auditoriums.
Rubab Azad, director of the school, addressed the gathering and highlighted the progress of the school. The ceremonies in both sections kicked off with invocations. Girls of grade nine presented a nostalgic video about their journey in school and the boys delivered a poem on the same. The valedictorians — Hania Habib, Uzma Anam Riaz, Osama Sadiq Ali, and Amanullah — appreciated the efforts of the school and acknowledged the teachers for bringing out the best in them. Chief guest at the girls' section Tehmina Kidwai, a teacher at the American International School, urged the young graduates to be positive thinkers, to vent to their creativity, and follow their dreams. Her speech was inspirational and her sharp wit drew thunderous applause from the audience. In the boys' section, keynote speaker Manzurul Amin, a great scholar and a prolific writer, shared with young graduates the benefits of imbibing in their personalities the 3D's – determination, dedication and devotion. He also spoke on how humble we should be and how being a Muslim is synonymous to being a good human being. Diplomas, mementos and subject proficiency prizes for outstanding performances were presented to the graduates. However, the winners of the most prestigious award of the night, the Dr. Abdullah Abbas Nadwi Award for Scholastic Achievement, were kept as a closely-guarded surprise for the graduates till the last moment. Candidates for the “Strive for Excellence” award go through an intensive selection process comprising three levels of testing: academic proficiency, holistic attributes like pro-active approach, positive attitude, good manners, leadership qualities etc; a written test based on general knowledge of current affairs, sports, aptitude, Islamic values and scientific developments; and a panel interview that tests their ability to speak off the cuff on a range of topics. This year Uzma Anam Riaz from Grade 12G, Hibbah Irfan from Grade 10G and Faizan Khalid from Grade 10B received their awards amid thunderous applause. The ceremony concluded with graduates individually paying tribute to their mothers and fathers.
