Aim high, like Madam President

Sharon Rowley, wife of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, yesterday praised retired judge Paula Mae Weekes, who will be elevated in March as this country’s first ever female President and head of state.

Speaking at the awards ceremony for her alma mater, Bishop Anstey High School, at Queen’s Hall, Rowley called on students to let President-elect Weekes be their role model, as she was an example of what anyone can achieve with vision, purpose and hard work.

In congratulating the graduating class of 2016-2017, Rowley said Bishop Anstey High is the nursery where little girls are transformed academically and spiritually into tomorrow’s leaders.

Rowley said, “There will be people who may try to bury you but always remember you are the seeds. You will always reach the surface and with proper nurturing, you will be on your way to a perfect harvest.” She told the students they needed to accept blame for mistakes made and to learn from them. They need to accept failure, since this at times would be an inevitable outcome, but to learn from their failure.

She called on them to be loyal to their faith, their family, their friends and to this nation. Rowley also told the students to be dependable and set achievable goals.

“You must take pride in your work. Set high standards and set the proper values for yourself. Above all else, remember to have an unshakeable faith in the Almighty. By being you own role model, you will become accountable to yourself. Don’t let yourself down.”

She warned them about social media, saying conduct online could be used by universities and potential employers to measure the users’ maturity and credibility.

“Your posts and your pictures can be your downfall and prevent you from reaping that well deserved harvest.

“As Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘The future depends on what you do today’,” she said. Rowley used Weekes, a former Hilarian, as the perfect example of a transition of a seed being nurtured at Bishop Anstey reaching full maturity and harvest.