Graduates of The Berkeley Institute were urged by a former finance minister to “dream boldly” as they embark on future career paths.

Curtis Dickinson, a government MP and alumnus, also told students at their graduation ceremony to continue investing in themselves, a process he said was started by their parents, teachers and loved ones.

The Class of 2026, which walked the stage at Flora Duffy Stadium today to cheers, featured 121 graduates this year — 47 boys and 74 girls.

Mr Dickinson told them: “Now, graduates, it is your time to continue investing in yourselves.

“Because your education is not a destination — it is the principle. The real return from investment comes from what you do next.

“Many people think success is determined by where you start. I’ve learnt that success is determined by how willing you are to keep learning.

“Your greatest asset is you, your mind, your character, your values, your ability to learn, your willingness to serve, your courage to lead.

“Class of 2026, your dream is just beginning. Dream boldly, work diligently, lead courageously, serve faithfully, and never forget: the greatest investment Bermuda can make is in its people.”

Mr Dickinson — a member of the Class of 1982 — said when he completed his education at the school, he had no idea what his future would hold, never envisioning working in international finance for two decades or being the island’s tenth finance minister.

He added: “I did not know that I would have had opportunities to help guide our country through one of our most challenging periods.

“What I do know now is this: education has opened many doors for me, and every opportunity that followed required continuous learning.”

Mr Dickinson told the students to “never believe your education ends today” and that the most successful people were “lifelong students”.

He said Bermuda needed measured leadership, telling graduates he remained optimistic because of them.

“Some of the young men and young women seated before me today will become the leaders who help shape Bermuda’s next chapter.”

Keisha Douglas, the school principal, congratulated graduates and said this year marked 128 years of academic excellence for the institution.

Among other highlights, she said this year’s class featured the first cohort of the Ministry of Education’s Signature Learning programme.

Ms Douglas said: “This year’s graduating class represents an important milestone in the evolution of teaching and learning at The Berkeley Institute.

“When the Signature Learning programme was introduced, the vision was clear — to provide students with meaningful pathways that connected their interests, talents and aspirations to future opportunities.”

She said of the 121 graduates, 90 had already secured acceptance into university or college programmes.

“Even more remarkable is how strongly these postsecondary choices align with our Signature Learning programme pathways.”

Ms Douglas said 66 per cent of the class would continue in fields directly related to their Signature Learning programme experiences.

The principal added: “This is more than a statistic. This is evidence of students discovering purpose. This is evidence of young people identifying their passions and pursuing them with confidence.

“This is evidence that education is most powerful when students can see a clear connection between what they learn today and who they aspire to be tomorrow.”

Ms Douglas said 38 graduates had been accepted into programmes related to finance and insurance, while 42 were joining studies connected to health and social care.

Attendees heard that 33 students will continue at the Bermuda College.

She said 44 graduates will pursue studies in the United States, 12 plan to study in Britain, 16 are headed to Canada and two graduates will continue in other global jurisdictions.

At a ceremony this month, a sum of $239,500 in scholarship funding was awarded to students.

In addition, the Class of 2026 has received $4.28 million from the private sector in scholarships.

Callahj Simons, the valedictorian, got emotional when she paid tribute to her mother’s “humility and sacrifice”.

She highlighted how her faith guided her, and hailed the direction offered by those she had lost over the years.

The head girl, who was crowned Teen of the Year for International Women’s Day in March, recalled compiling messages from fellow students on their time at the school, calling their experiences “rewarding and challenging”.

Ms Simons told the ceremony: “These words not only speak to ways that others can make it out of high school but reveal the mindset that we have developed.

“But there is one thing we know for sure — the experiences we created during high school form a critical part of who we are and how we will be remembered.”

She thanked teachers and staff for their support and added: “Frankly I won’t remember all of our wins … but I will remember times like these, when people poured into us.

“We have received the guidance and skills we need, so what we do from now on is up to us to decide.”

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