Freedom fighters have struggle stories, philanthropists have inspiring stories and billionaires have success stories.
But us Josephities, we have a transformational story.
Greetings of this beautiful day to one and all present here today!
We started out as naïve children who couldn’t bear to part with their parents and we seem to have ended up in a similar situation today, the only difference being that today, we cannot bear to part with this place that became our home and solace.
We grew up within walls that told history and classrooms that taught life lessons, the grounds that taught us to strive and win and the halls that sparked creativity in us.
“It is not what is poured into a student that counts, but what is planted.”
At St. Joseph High School, Pashan, we were gifted with immense compassion that continually nurtured our passions. We found friends or in other words, ‘people who would blindly jump in the well’ with us and most important of all, we were ever lucky to get amazing teachers and principals who became the beacons in the middle of the night, guiding our lifeboats right up to the golden shore of possibilities.
Sailing through every class in our educational journey, not only did we learn to laugh and cry, we learnt values like respect, empathy, compassion, care, kindness and faith in the Almighty that make us the proud and humble Josephites that we are today.
To my dear classmates,
Our time here in the school will with never be forgotten by either of us.
The cries of joy after the bell that have filled with the hallways, the surgical strike to canteen on Fridays, [not to mention the intense moments to get the last living vada pav], the sleepy periods that followed the wild breaks, the free periods that drove off the sleep that even caffeine couldn’t , to finally the Music, PT and Karate classes that we could never be more excited about.
The true testament of our friendship lies in those moments when our batch stood as team, ready for anything and everything. We the best of our selves when we were on stage and behind, and every contribution was a valuable one!
This year was an adventure that led to many happy moments and beautiful outcomes. It started off in the excitement and admiration for the magnificent new building and a sense of belonging the old one still standing. Soon we geared up for Annual Day and before we knew it, we were on that stage singing our war cry.
September dawned with Teachers Day, filling our hearts with immense gratitude and admiration for those who have held our hands and taught us to walk on the path to success.
Enroute to Goa, we were in pure bliss! We were finally away from tuition teachers making us write tests and neighborhood aunties reminding us that we were in 10th. For four days, we were in a heavenly peace of the architecture, scenery, monuments of pride and heritage, historic and state of the art churches and stretches of water seeking the horizon.
We were welcomed back on planet Earth by terminal exams and then The Count down Began. Boards were just around the corner and day seemed to pass by faster than Delhi metro!
Then came sports day. It was a revolutionary one! We marched and played on that field like there was no tomorrow. As we did so, we were reminded that it would the very last time we would stand on the ground in the pt uniform have the honour of representing our school and house with pride and integrity.
And we were finally back to school in the new year, with high stress levels and 3 hours of sleep, giving our prelims and facing our fears.
This academic year has been full of ups and downs and there’s no denying the unintentional pressure of boards from our surroundings. Despite everything, we have finally made it to 2025 with loads of fun and a bounty of memories to last a life time.
I hope that as we begin a new journey from now onwards, let us remember, we are not moving away, we are moving on. Moving on to new heights with an unshakable foundation and unforgettable friendships.
We were, are and will always be proud to be a part of St. Joseph High School Pashan, so when you go out there and greet the world
Let them know,
You are a Josephite and there is nothing more important to you than that, as you are who you are because of the remarkable people who have shaped you life here.
Dear Juniors, you have been the most understanding, supportive and talented individuals and I am sure you will continue to spread your positivity, wherever you go. When you are out in the future, working your way to success, remember that your mission should be greater than your ambition, Don’t let your goals and aspirations be driven by power or money, instead, let them always strive to work for the broader cause in any and every aspect of life.
I would like to conclude by saying a few lines that will always be etched in the fabric of time and space.
12 good years, we’ve kept our stay,
Countless friends, we’ve made in our way.
Some days were pink, while some were beige,
And we grew up making memories, that would never age.
With every new classroom, came warm smiles for us to claim
And in them we found, Mothers that paved our way and a family that we would always hail…
Thank you and have a wonderful day ahead!