A former student of CedarBridge Academy urged this year’s graduating class to make meaningful change.

Maya Palacio, an independent journalist, spoke yesterday in front of a packed audience of well-wishers that included parents and teachers at the National Sports Centre.

Ms Palacio told attendees in the Flora Duffy Stadium that when she attended CedarBridge, a teacher told her she should be “multifaceted” and pursue her passions.

She told the Class of 2025 that they should go after their dreams, adding that they are “brilliant, outstanding and excellent”.

Ms Palacio, who graduated from CedarBridge Academy ten years ago, said brilliance comes in many forms and told the students they can be outstanding “not just in the things you say but how you make others feel”.

She added: “Excellence should be measured by your heart.

“If you don’t like who you are, change …

“Find new passions, find better friends, let go of the friends that don’t make you feel good.”

Ms Palacio told the graduates that at times “life is going to shock you”.

She became emotional when telling graduates there may be loved ones who would not be around to see such changes in them materialise.

However, through the tears, she said they should not be discouraged but rather press on.

This year, the class featured 98 students — 46 females and 52 males including, uniquely, four sets of twins.

According to Kenneth Caesar, the principal of CedarBridge, the theme of this year’s graduation event was “Do something extraordinary”.

He said the Class of 2025 represented the core values of CedarBridge Academy and that the students achieved all the goals the institution hoped they would.

He added: “We wanted our students to get out there and do something extraordinary.

“For the Class of 2025, this was a fitting theme that represented the final year of their journey at CedarBridge Academy.”

Mr Caesar said after interacting with the graduates recently that he was confident they would make a positive impact on the Bermuda’s future and the wider world.

Highlighting individual achievements, Mr Caesar said five students of the graduating class — Shia Bean, Jenna Caines, Keoni Fishenden, Taziyah Kelly and Jelani Simons — took advantage of the dual enrolment programme offered by Bermuda College.

In addition, he said graduates who were nominated for this year’s Outstanding Teen Awards did “extraordinary things” for the entirety of their time at CedarBridge.

He said they participated in business ventures, excelled in sports and completed community service.

At an awards ceremony in May, Aleigha Trott and Kameron McNeil picked up the Most Progress Award while Ms Bean and Michael Scott received the Entrepreneurship Award.

Michael Darrell received the Technical/Vocational Award while Canasia Wolffe won the Hospitality Award.

The principal said the graduates completed more than 150 college applications and have so far received more than $1 million in scholarship funding.

Lindsay Simmons, the Junior Minister of Home Affairs, encouraged the graduates to “go and make your mark”.

She said: “Today is more than a ceremony, it is a declaration.

“A declaration that you have made it this far and you are just getting started.

“A reminder that the world is not waiting for you to fit in, it is waiting for you to stand out.”

Ms Simmons urged the graduates to be bold and fearless, adding: “Don’t be afraid to try again, even after you fail, and don’t be afraid to shine so brightly that it makes others uncomfortable because that’s how light spreads.”

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