Yesterday saw proud parents and family members join us in the ranks of the Catz auditorium to celebrate the graduation of our Session 4 students. It was a joyous affair, with Programme Director Dennis delivering a rousing valedictory speech, in which he ran through a few of the fortnight’s highlights and wished students well in what are sure to be very bright futures. Each student had their moment to shine, as they were called up to the front to receive a handshake and graduation scroll from Dennis. It has been truly heartening to see the exuberant tone set on arrivals day carry through unwaveringly to this (almost) final celebratory moment.

Then, bedecked in their finest vintage fashions, students made their way to the Catz marquee, where all the best bits of the 1950s were waiting for their approval and delectation. Students rocked, rolled and twisted to the sounds of Elvis, Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole, admiring the vinyl adornments and funky portraits of ‘50s stars of stage and screen on the walls of the marquee. Getting into the liberating post-war groove, students enjoyed clouds of candy floss as they jived, jitterbugged, bopped and boogie-woogied on the dancefloor. They also enjoyed the company of the folks studying in Queen’s, who had also joined them for the mid-session party at Kingston Bagpuize House.

And that was the final celebratory moment of Session 4―all are to be congratulated for taking on the challenges of these past two weeks and conducting themselves with such concerted effort and infectious joy.