This year marks a major milestone for Tumaini Evangelistic Pre & Primary School. At the beginning of this year we added the final Primary grade-Standard 7-to our school. We held the graduation ceremony for that class on August 30 even thought the class does not take their government exit exams until September 11 and 12. Most Tanzanian schools hold their graduation before the exams are held and before the results are known right around the beginning of the new school year. While I am confident that all 8 students will pass their exit exam and be eligible for Secondary school next year, how well they will do could help determine their ability to get into certain schools.

Originally we planned to hold two graduation ceremonies this year. One for the Standard 7 students and one for the kids moving up from our preschool. Unfortunately, our Tanzanian leadership thought it would be better to do both at the same time. I actually felt the need to apologize to our Standard 7 students since they were not going to get a day dedicated to recognizing their achievement, especially as the first class at our new school.

I also knew how disorganized previous preschool graduations had been and worried about this one being that way and how long it would take. A worry that was correct. The teacher who was supposed to be getting each student talent group ready to go out and perform spent way too much of her time trying to steal the spotlight from the student talent groups, so they had to spend about 10 to 20 minutes after each group looking for the next one to perform. The event was supposed to start at 10 am. If you have been to Tanzania you know that means it really does not start until noon. At noon we had maybe 15 parents when they started things. By about 230 we had 100 parents and the event went until almost 6 PM and three of my camera batteries.

This blog is going to feature mostly the pictures of the Standard 7 graduating class and the Preschool graduating class and videos of the various talents displayed. I will be following up with a blog about the Graduation I attended at Mwika Integrity Orphanage and School where I was the guest speaker and another blog with just photos I took throughout the day at our graduation since I have 600 pictures of our students and their families.

above is our preschool graduating students and below are our standard 7 graduating students

above is the video of what you do when an event starts two hours later than you tell everyone. You have to entertain small children.

The standard “dance your way in” for Standard 7 students

The preschool graduates dance in

Standard 7 singing with Grace on microphone

slideshow of our standard 7 students receiving their certificate

Slideshow of our preschool kids getting their certificates

Preschool graduates singing I have a dream of what I can become

The fashion show with a whole lot of makeup

Maasai students singing and dancing traditional