Vilnius ”mickiewiczówka” has already got 4020 graduates

In the heart of Vilnius- at the City Hall- yesterday in the evening, this year’s graduates of the Adam Mickiewicz Junior High School in Vilnius celebrated the reception of the matura exam report cards.
Documents confirming graduating from school were given to 72 people. In general the school has now got 4020 graduates.

” It is already the 58^th age-group of our school. It has served as a high school for over fifty years and this year, the 4020^th graduate has received the matura exam report card”- said Czesław Dawidowicz, the headmaster of the Adam Mickiewicz Junior High School. The headmaster of the Polish school at the Krupnicza street this year says goodbye to the 35^th age-group.

The celebration of giving the matura exam report cards was held in the Vilnius City Hall, not only with the participation of this year’s graduates but also teachers, parents, grandparents and friends.

”Fortunately, all the graduates will receive their report cards today, since frequently someone hands in an appeal or is absent at the celebration and comes for his report card later”- states the elated headmaster emphasising that this year’s matura exam has been passed by all students.

Asked about this year’s age-group, the headmaster said each group is special and memorable in some way. ”This year’s graduates has undeniably remarkably engaged in various musical and vocal contests. Our girls’- orchestra has even played at this year’s pre-graduate ball. Little did I know we have got so many musically gifted people”-said Dawidowicz.

Also students  who have been characterised with outstanding activeness, involvement, and satisfactory artistic, musical or scientific were awarded during the celebration.

”Rankings show that our school is among the top ones. Although it makes us elated, it is not of utmost imortance. Apart from the results, there is something else, unable to be shown by any test. This is what our graduates are like”- proudly said the junior high school’s headmaster while distributing the report cards. As he emphasised, he took pride in his students’ conduct after phone calls from people either pleased by the young people’s cultural behaviour or thankful for being helped by the former students on the road.

When addressing the graduates, the headmaster wished them not to cease their education at the current level.” Several people told me they would first work a little and maybe, afterwards, they would enter universities. Do not make such a break. I know that in England one can earn a lot, but it may be worthwhile to make this one step further. I would really like all of you to continue your education”- the headmaster was saying.

The commemorative photo taken in front of the City Hall was the last celebratory activity of  the ”mickiewiczówka” graduates. Afterwards, accompanied by their teachers and parents, the students went to the last mutual celebration- the post-graduate ball. Some would also go and officially place the flowers at the monument of Adam Mickiewicz.

”I am glad that there is something like post-graduate ball, not the solitary report cards distribution.
Polish people have no such thing, so they slightly unfortunate in this matter. In Poland, the last mutual celebration of all student is actually the pre-graduate ball”- Dawidowicz said.

According to him, each post-graduate ball is different from the previous one. Report cards distribution has taken place in the City Hall already for the 2^nd time ( this year due to the school being renovated).” Once we tried to organised the celebration by the Adam Mickiewicz’s monument but the weather unabled us to do so.Yet, we had had the police permit, the lights turned on, the amplifiers ready to use”- Dawidowicz was telling. While recalling his own post-graduate ball(the headmaster is also this school’s graduate), he said that the celebration of  report cards distribution was held in the old school building. In a room, serving both as an autidorium and as a sports hall, where there was a stage and several mattresses lied on the floor. ”I remember that the only beautiful item was actually  the portrait of Adam Mickiewicz hanging at school until today. This portrait is a sort of continuity for me, since it successfully combines the past and the present”- Dawidowicz said.

Iwona Klimaszewska