The valedictorian of The Berkeley Institute’s 2025 graduating class urged his colleagues today to follow their paths with confidence.

Jaden-Alex Walrond spoke in front of a packed audience of wellwishers that included parents and teachers at the Flora Duffy Stadium.

This year, the class featured 123 graduates — 78 females and 45 males.

In an address to his classmates, Mr Walrond, a dual enrolment student who graduated with a 4.32 grade point average, said: “Graduates, I cannot stress this enough — be confident in your path.

“No one can be better being you than you, so learn to be OK with being you.”

He added: “Never compare your path or destination in life to anybody else’s.

“No two people are exactly alike; you are uniquely you and what you accomplish and how you accomplish it will be unique.”

Mr Walrond urged parents and teachers to be careful with what they say to children.

He explained: “Comparing them to others or telling them to aim to be like someone else can inadvertently plant seeds of doubts in their abilities and their journey.”

With cheers from the audience, he said nothing is wrong with one person being inspired by another. However, Mr Walrond added: “Do not try to copy them or let what they do dictate your actions.”

The student urged graduates to be prepared for new experiences and told them: “You will have joyful moments and moments that make you feel like the world is coming to an end.”

He added: “You must see past the difficulty of the hard times and even the excitement of the grand times.

“We must grasp all that is there to learn at each stage of life because we will need to pull on it when we go to the next stage.”

Keisha Douglas, the principal of The Berkeley Institute, congratulated the graduates and heaped praise on supporters of the school as well as the its faculty and staff.

She added: “Graduation is an exciting time; it is a reminder of all the moments, challenges and successes that have brought us to this point.”

Ms Douglas said the graduates’ journey began in an “unusual way” during the pandemic.

She said she first met the students on a computer screen via Zoom during an orientation exercise four years ago.

The principal added: “We were still all learning to navigate new terrain, and yet from the very first moments your enthusiastic participation and promise was very clear.”

Ms Douglas said 2025 marks 127 years of academic excellence for The Berkeley Institute and that the school was excited by the academic achievements of the graduating class.

Among the highlights, she said, some graduates will head overseas to further their studies.

She said 47 students will study in the United States, 13 will go to Britain and 36 will study in Canada.

Ms Douglas added that two students will further their education at other international schools, 11 have plans to attend the Bermuda College and one will enter the island’s workforce. Others are undecided on their next move.

She hailed the achievements of Mr Walrond, who graduated from the Bermuda College in May with distinction.

He was named the overall most outstanding science and art student, majoring in actuarial science.

Ms Douglas said: “This is an incredible academic accomplishment and a shining example of Berkeley’s excellence in action.”

She noted that last weekend 35 students received scholarships and awards at an annual ceremony and the principal thanked sponsors and community partners for supporting the school.

Ms Douglas said that the 2025 graduating class has received the highest financial support for scholarships at the school to date, with $5.43 million in funding.

She said Camaya Matthew, a summa cum laude honouree, has received $232,000 in scholarship support, which included funding from Howard University, Appleby and the Ministry of Education.

Nevaeh Barclay — who plans to pursue science studies — has received $394,000 in scholarship support, which included funding from the Ministry of Education and the private sector.

Teneika Eve, a former student of The Berkeley Institute and a senior lecturer at the Bermuda College, told students that they are in a position to be “agents of change”.

She said: “You will develop the knowledge and knowhow and not to just help Bermuda but the world at large.

“With large strides in artificial intelligence, the possibilities are endless.

“Today, I charge you with the responsibility of building your communities.”

Dr Eve, of the Class of 1993, also advised the students to become lifelong learners and said they will never know all there is to know.

She added: “Select a career that is purposeful and meaningful to you, not to your parents, but to you.”

At today’s event, Hewitt Taylor received the KPMG Teacher of the Year award for dedicated service to The Berkeley Institute community.

Mr Taylor told the students that they have many paths to follow and advised them to always try their best.

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