160 students graduated from Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) on June 26, 2025. Photo: Facebook

The graduates received an inspiring message from the Virgin Islands Education Minister, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL), at their graduation ceremony at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Tortola on Thursday, June 26, 2025. Photo: Facebook

Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL), told the graduates to nurture their dreams. Photo: Facebook

The Keynote Speaker at the graduation ceremony, attorney Andrea A. Walters, reminded the graduates that the journey to achieving dreams is often challenging. Photo: Facebook

The territory's top student, Amani Brown, was named the Valedictorian of the 2025 graduating class of Elmore Stoutt High School. Photo: Facebook

The graduates received this inspiring message from the Virgin Islands Education Minister, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL), at their graduation ceremony at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Tortola on Thursday, June 26, 2025.

The theme of the ceremony was “The Future Belongs to Those Who Believe in the Beauty of Their Dreams.”

Val & Sal

The territory's top student, Amani Brown, was named the Valedictorian of the 2025 class, while Jordan Hinds was the Salutatorian.

Out of the graduating class, one hundred students graduated with Honors, and six students graduated with high Honors, ranking among the top ten students in the territory. Additionally, 57 graduates who enrolled at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College successfully earned college credits during their final year.

'Dreams are like a fire'- Hon de Castro

Honourable de Castro encouraged the graduates to show up despite challenges. “I want to talk to you about showing up because dreams are like a fire. You each carry a spark, a fire inside of you. That fire might be small right now; it may flicker and be hard to see, but it is yours, and it is powerful. That fire represents your passion, your calling, your purpose—your dream; it is your 'why.'”

She emphasised the importance of nurturing that fire: “Here’s the thing about fire: If you don’t feed it, it dies. If you don’t protect it, the wind of life will try to blow it out. If you don’t show up for it every single day, it fades. That’s why showing up matters—not just when it's easy but also when it's hard; when no one else sees the fire, when people doubt you, or the world tries to extinguish your passion with disappointment or discouragement. That’s when you must protect it the most.”

'Chasing a dream is not always pretty'

The Keynote Speaker at the graduation ceremony, attorney Andrea A. Walters, reminded the graduates that the journey to achieving dreams is often challenging. “Chasing a dream is not always pretty; it’s hard, messy, and sometimes painful. It involves sacrifice, long nights, rejections, and doors being slammed in your face. It means watching others succeed while you are still waiting. Yes, there will be tears—the kind that falls late at night when no one is watching, the kind that comes when the door you hoped for doesn’t open, and the kind that appears when your dream feels delayed or even denied.”

She urged them to surround themselves with people who not only cheer them on but also challenge them to do what’s right. “If you truly want to reach your dream, you have to earn it because there’s no glory without the grind.”

Valedictorian Amani Brown addressed the graduates, stating, “Today marks more than just the end of our academic journey; it is the beginning of everything that comes next. Each of us here today has a dream of some magnitude that reflects our values, hopes, and the kind of world we want to create.”

'You made it despite obstacles'- Premier Wheatley

The Virgin Islands Premier, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) urged the graduates to remain determined. “You made it despite obstacles. You succeeded when no one else believed in you, when you didn’t feel supported, loved, appreciated, or noticed.

"You are the ones who refused to quit; you are the resilient ones who made it through hurricanes, pandemics, virtual classes, and changes in school buildings or administrations.”

Another notable highlight of the ceremony was the recognition of Jayron Gibson, a member of the first-ever robotics team from the Virgin Islands that attended the first robotics championship in Singapore. He received a fully funded scholarship from Exness, a multi-asset brokerage regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC), to support his pursuit of an Associate's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science.

Additionally, Amani Brown and Denae Scatliffe-Chalwell, who ranked first and third in the graduating class, respectively, received a $1,500 gift certificate to access technology and tools to help them move forward in their educational pursuits.