Clifton Hunter High School celebrated the achievements of its graduating class on 15 October, under the theme “Rising with the Tides: Anchored to Cayman, Bound for the World.”
Of the 169 students in the cohort, 152 fully qualified to participate in the graduation ceremony, with a further 12 students achieving the academic criteria of Level 1 and above. Drawing on the graduation’s theme, Hon. Rolston Anglin, Minister for Education and Training, encouraged graduates to take initiative in shaping their futures. “Don’t wait for the tide to come and lift you; chart your own course and create your own rising tide.
If you follow your dreams with passion and vigour, each of you has the potential to make a meaningful difference and achieve success,” he said.
Sixty students graduated with honours, having achieved a minimum of seven Level 2 passes, while 35 achieved high honours having passed at least nine subjects with grades of II/B or higher.
The cohort also achieved a 90% pass rate for English Language and a 100% pass rate for nine other subjects. Principal Dr. Villence Buchanan congratulated the graduating class on its academic achievements, emphasising that the results reflected the perseverance of the students and the encouragement and support provided by parents, teachers and the wider school community.
The keynote address was delivered by Lacee Riley, a Clifton Hunter High School alumna, attorney, and former national athlete, who emphasised the importance of resilience, intentional planning and learning from failure. Encouraging graduates to approach their futures with purpose, she said, “Every experience has something to teach you, and every challenge has something to prepare you for. Be resilient when life doesn’t go according to plan, be intentional about the future you want to create, and learn to find value at every stage of the journey.”
In the graduates’ address, Wilmer Gonzalez Challenger and Zorel Prendergast reflected on how growing up in the Cayman Islands has shaped their outlook and encouraged their peers to embrace the possibilities that lie beyond familiar horizons.
“Living here has taught us to think bigger than our surroundings. We’ve grown up surrounded by the sea; however, the sea doesn’t care how far away the horizon looks.
It simply reminds us that there is always something beyond it.” The evening also featured the presentation of several awards recognising excellence in academics, leadership, character, and service.
Among the top awardees, Lawson-James Charles was named Student of the Year and received the Award for Academic Excellence.
Amya Spence received the Deputy Governor’s Achievement Award, while Travis Green was presented with the Governor’s Achievement Award.
The Ministry of Education and Training and the Department of Education Services extend their congratulations to the Clifton Hunter High School Class of 2026.