President Bostic: Keep Focused On The Journey

Maintaining a focus on “the journey” rather than “the destination” was one of the key messages President of Barbados, His Excellency, Lieutenant Colonel, The Most Honourable, Jeffrey Bostic, shared as he met with students and teachers at Harrison College, last Wednesday.

Reflecting on his own life experiences, Mr. Bostic commented: “I did not suddenly arrive. I came from Chapman Lane, …and through hard work, dedication, commitment and everything else…I reached the top, in a sense, and so that for me has been a lesson.”

He praised the school for performing “exceedingly well in all spheres of endeavour”, including academia, culture, sports and its music programme.  He said he was “bowled over” by the high quality of the school’s annual fundraising concert “Mosaic”, two of which he attended. 

The President encouraged the students to always recognise the sacrifice and hard work of the teachers “who supported…nurtured…and contributed significantly” to their development.

He urged them to overcome their daily challenges to the benefit of their communities, families, country and themselves.

The President’s guest speaker, Davidson Griffith, of the Grantley Adams Memorial School, St. Joseph, delivered a motivational address to the students. 

Mr. Davidson, who was diagnosed with dyslexia, dreamt of attending Harrison College, but was unable to do so as his “educational journey” was “more difficult” than expected. 

He remarked: “I stand before you today, not to dwell on the difficulty of that journey, but to speak to the intellectual resilience it demanded. Dyslexia did not stop me, rather, it…taught me resilience, persistence and the importance of believing in yourself.”

He shared his life motto with the student body – “I can rise, I can serve and I can make a difference, no matter where I come from”.

In her welcome address, Principal Kaylene Kellman-Holder, said the school has over 30 clubs and societies, ranging from aeronautics to the Young Entrepreneurs Society.

She noted that the school’s mission is “to make all students academically prepared, self-reliant, curious, thoughtful of others and capable of using their learning towards their own success and for the good of others in our interdependent world”.

The President was presented with artwork and a fruit basket. During the visit, Mr. Bostic was treated to several musical performances by the school’s orchestra, including a solo by Oshea Stoute and a violin solo by Deputy Head Boy Tayte Waterman. (PR/GIS)