福州西湖国际学校于本周举行了盛大的结业与毕业典礼。每到这一天，我们庆祝的不仅仅是学子某一学业阶段的结束，更是一个崭新的开始：大班孩子即将步入一年级，五年级生正式迈入MYP阶段，MYP5结业生升入高中，而高中毕业生作为FLIS学子的大哥哥、大姐姐们，就此走向更广阔的舞台，率先享受这个世界。

Fuzhou Lakeside International School held its grand Graduation Ceremony and Milestone of Achievement Ceremony this week. Every year on this day, we celebrate not only the end of a certain academic stage, but also a brand new beginning: the kindergarten kids will soon enter the first grade, the fifth graders will officially enter the MYP stage, the MYP5 graduates will enter the high school, and the high school graduates, as the big brothers and sisters of all FLIS students, will go to a wider stage and be the first to enjoy the world.

庆典的意义 

看小学生一个个登台领取毕业证书，听主持人讲述幼儿园孩子稚嫩而真挚的梦想，见证学部校长为结业生、毕业生们拨穗……一幕幕稍纵即逝，观众难免与学子共感，体会到了心弦的颤动，一种融合了激动、惆怅而充满希冀的复杂情绪。不论是在短暂的学生时代还是漫长的人生中，谁没有笑过、哭过、煎熬困顿又奋力拼搏过？毕业生代表Kerim在演讲中打趣道：“还有，谁能忘记高中时代拼命平衡作业、课外活动与社交生活的那种挣扎？简直就像骑独轮车的同时还要抛接火炬。”

Watching primary students receive their certificates on stage one by one, listening to the host talking about the dreams of kindergarten kids, witnessing the Academic Principal tossing the tassels for the graduates: as these scenes flew by one by one, the audience couldn’t help but share the feelings of the students and experience the trembling of the heartstrings and a complexity of emotions which were a blend of excitement, bittersweet and hopefulness. Who has not laughed, cried, and struggled, whether in the short student years or in the whole life? Graduate representative Kerim joked in his speech, “And who could forget the classic high school struggle of trying to balance homework, extracurricular, and a social life? It's like trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle."

唯有希望在这辉煌盛大典礼的某一刻，我们也能松一口气，全身心享受某个瞬间——或许这正是庆典的意义：

One can only hope that at some point during this glorious ceremony, we too can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy a moment wholeheartedly - perhaps that is the point of the celebration:

发自内心为「你」与「我」所取得的成就，倍感快乐与自豪。

a moment of heartfelt joy and pride in what "you" and "I" have accomplished.

倾听、支持 

牡蛎与珍珠的祝福 

当天数位教师、主管、学生与家长代表真诚同大家分享了一路走来的感悟与祝福，为典礼增色不少。大班班主任Rhiannon老师表示，“对老师们而言，开学第一天和学期最后一天是最难的。”的确，起步难、放手更难，而五年级班主任Erika老师则细数了执教多年，过程中工作与人生种种变故的重叠。她不忘提及，这不仅是对自己而言难忘的几年，同时，对经历疫情又复学的全球学子而言，也是充满挑战与成长的几年。Erika老师希望大家珍惜生命中最重要的东西，记得要时时倾听自己的心声——面对人生的隘口，沉浸在某些情绪当中无法自拔时，我们应当停下来问一问自己，“此刻我能控制什么？你唯一能控制的是什么？（你自己）”

Several teachers, directors, students, and parent representatives shared their insights and blessings on the educational journey, adding a layer of golden light to the ceremony. Ms. Rhiannon, the kindergarten homeroom teacher, said, “The first and last day of school are the hardest for a teacher." Indeed, it's hard to start and even harder to let go, while Ms. Erika, the fifth-grade homeroom teacher, detailed the years of teaching and the overlap of all the changes in work and life in the process. She also mentioned that it has been an unforgettable few years not only for herself, but also for the students around the world who have been through the pandemic and back to school, and that it has been a time of challenge and growth. Ms. Erika hopes that we all cherish what is most important in life, and that we remember to listen to ourselves - when we face life's plight, and get caught up in the depths of emotion, we should stop and ask ourselves, "What can I control in this moment?” What’s the only thing you have control over? (yourself)!"

即使最坚强的人也需要他人的支持，最后，Erika老师肯定了学子的坚韧，也提醒大家不要忘记寻求帮助。“无论我身在何处，我都会永远倾听你们的心声，永远支持你们。”

Even the strongest among us need support, and in closing, Ms. Erika recognized the resilience of the students and reminded them not to forget to ask for help. “I will always listen to you and I will always support you no matter where I am."

「你」与「我」构成了人际交往的最小单位，而在相互支持之外，每个人同时也是社群的一份子，良好环境的后盾力量同样不可小觑。家长代表Jeanne女士曾于FLIS担任要职，她的儿子马修是今年的优秀毕业生之一。典礼当天，Jeanne女士不仅回顾了儿子多文化背景下的成长经历，也肯定了多方支持的重要性：“最后我想说的是，我们儿子在中国的旅程就仿佛一场见证，见证了坚韧的力量，见证了文化理解的重要性，更见证了一个给予支持、真心育人的教育环境的价值。”

"You" and "I" constitute the smallest unit of interpersonal interaction. In addition to supporting each other, everyone is a member of the community, and the power of a good environment is also not to be underestimated. Ms. Jeanne, a parent representative, used to work as the Academic Principal at FLIS and her son Matthew is one of this year's outstanding graduates. On the day of the ceremony, Ms. Jeanne not only reflected on her son's multicultural upbringing, but also affirmed the importance of support: “I would like to say that our son's journey in China has been a testament to the power of resilience, the importance of cultural understanding, and the value of a supportive and nurturing educational environment."

诚如学部校长Travis先生所述，就像家庭一样，唯有所有成员齐心协力，FLIS大家庭才能取得最大成功。因此，这一日不仅是对学子所取得的里程碑式的成就的庆祝，也是对FLIS大家庭全体成员，包括学子、家长、教职员工们无私奉献的感谢！此外，FLIS也感谢诸位到场与大家共襄盛举，就用Jeanne女士美妙的比喻为这一日庆典画下句号、为每个人送上祝福：

As Mr. Travis, the FLIS Academic Principal, said, “As with the core family, the FLIS Family is most successful when all the members come together in a united effort.” Therefore, this day was not only a celebration of the milestones achieved by the students, but also a thank you to all members of the FLIS family, including students, parents, faculty, and staff, for their dedication and commitment! FLIS would like to thank all of you for coming and joining us, and to end the day with Ms. Jeanne's beautiful analogy:

“想象自己身处如牡蛎般的世界之中。走出去，追逐你的梦想，相信自己，做你想做的事、成为你想成为的人——创造属于你的美妙人生。谁知道呢？看看摆在面前的各种机会，或许，你会发现牡蛎里的珍珠其实离你并不遥远。”

"The world is your oyster. Go out, chase your dreams, believe in yourselves, and make this the best life full of what you aspire to do and be.  Who knows?  With the many opportunities ahead, you may just find those oyster pearls much closer than you think."

暑期快乐，FLIS家人们！

我们下学年再见。

Happy summer vacation, FLIS family! 

We'll see you next school year.