Jessica completed all four terms in 2017. This is her graduation speech:
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I would like to start by thanking everyone who has come to this exciting evening. A few special people to thank are, my parents for enrolling me in the Shine program, my grandparents for bringing me each week, my fellow students for being there when I needed them and lastly, Miss Anderson, our teacher and mentor, for teaching me so many amazing things. Some of the things we have learnt include how to hold a teacup correctly, how to use small talk and what to ask in conversation and much, much more. One thing I will never forget is when Miss Anderson showed us a video of a mouse getting cheese from a mousetrap. He got trapped underneath the bar and showed courage to push up the bar and escape with the cheese. I learnt from this that we need to use our brain and problem solve rather than giving up. A quote that sticks in my mind is that ‘You become like the 5 people you send the most time with’. I think we all need to choose these people carefully. Finally, the lessons learnt in Shine have inspired me to read more about amazing, strong and courageous women in history. Good evening and best wishes to my fellow graduates. Thank you all for listening.