FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Mr. Chairman, Royal Fathers here present, Special Guests of Honor, the Proprietor and the
Director of our great Academy, respected Parents, Teachers and Students of Andal Science
Academy, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Welcome to this year’s Graduation and Prize-giving Day.

Today, we are graduating our first set of students, who for six years, have been under our
tutelage. We hope that not only have you have passed through the school but that the school has
passed through you.

Today, we also give recognition to the well deserving students of the lower classes who, for their
excellent performance, will be given awards. I use this opportunity to congratulate everyone,
firstly the graduating students, since today marks another milestone in your life, the end of your
secondary education and the beginning of a new page in your life which hopefully will be a
brighter one.

I also congratulate the teachers and other staff of the school who, so far, have been the
instruments of the school in implementing our educational philosophy. Last but not the least; I
congratulate the parents who have, against all odds, perseveringly shared in our belief that the
task of educating and upbringing of your children is your utmost priority while the school is only
playing a complimentary role.

In the past six years, you must have experienced both the good and the not-so-pleasant aspects
of the school. Your stay in the school is more than just learning Mathematics, English and
Science. The school curriculum, the atmosphere, the rules and regulations, and all our operations
and processes have been designed to give you the opportunity to develop your power of
discernment: that is, to recognize the difference between good and evil, between truth and
falsehood, and between beauty and sordid. We also tried to develop in you the historical and
analytical mind: to see that your present actions are tied to the past causes and for future
implications. You will agree with me that you were brought up in the school in an atmosphere of
freedom. I now encourage you to maintain that habit of self- reflection on your actions and free
decision making especially on the consequences of those actions to the lives of other people.
Simply put, always look back and think ahead before launching into actions. Let your conscience
rule your actions. Form the habit of self-judgment in matters of moral choice; always ask
yourself, “How does this choice comply with God's commandments and my duties to society?”
Remember, it is part and parcel of our school mission to raise each one of you up to be a
responsible, competent and morally upright gentleman. If you manage to do that, then the time
you spent here would not be in vain.

Today is a day of mixed feelings, a day of joy for the success achieved by friends, mixed with
the sadness of seeing them go, and the reality of not seeing them daily any longer. I have built
good friendship by seeing you grow and matured and I release you into the world of greater
challenges. I will miss you so much.

Countless blessings and the grace of Almighty Allah have continued to escalate and have
literally given me, sincerely speaking, a million reasons to be thankful. I have reasons upon
innumerable reasons to be thankful for the students, the staff, the proprietor, the parents, our state
and our world for these numerous blessings.

It still seems like just yesterday when we first opened our door at Andal Science Academy in
2008, and from then I have witnessed daily, blessings and grace of Allah on this school. I have a
tonne of reasons to be thankful for the steady growth in student enrolment and the alignment of
our vision for not just running school but molding lives, showing the path, adding life- long
values and being exemplary. I once again appreciate Allah. Oh Allah, you have protected and
kept safe all of us and the children you have kept with us as custodians. I thank you for the health
that you have guaranteed us and for making our portion of your grace a huge one.

To all our graduating students, I say congratulations to you. You have labored so well through
rigorous but fruitful teaching, practical, presentations, science exhibitions, quiz, and debating
exercises to achieve all your academic goals. Remember as you are now going to your various
universities or other institutions of higher learning all over the world that you are saddled with
the responsibility of being good ambassadors of your families and of Andal Science Academy,
and indeed of our great country, Nigeria. Be wise like the ants who, though have no guide, know
how to gather enough in the store against the raining day.
It is very obvious that you have great task ahead. You are future leaders and nation builders, and
so you should make tremendous impact that would change the world positively in your own
generation. What we have impacted in you at Andal Science Academy, no doubt, is enough to
catapult you to higher level in every aspect of life, and you should henceforth think and act like
achievers.

Finally, I would like to remind you again with this cliché: “The road to success is not straight.
There is a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends, red light
called enemies, caution light called family. You will have flat tires called jobs. But, if you have a
spare wheel called determination, an engine called perseverance, insurance called faith; you will
make it to a place called success”.

THANK YOU AND MAY ALMIGHTY ALLAH BLESS YOU.

The 7 Things Successful People Never Say.

You want to be successful. Everyone does. But your actual words might be undermining your
chances of success. The things you say in the office, no matter how innocuous they seem to you,
might be knocking you down the career ladder and putting the top position you dream about out
of reach.

Your career is too important to be tanked by a few negative phrases. Here are the seven things
you should strike from your workplace vocabulary if you want to achieve the success you richly
deserve:

1. “That’s not in my job description.”

When you accepted your current position, you had a good idea of what the responsibilities and
workload of the role would entail. Throughout the months or years since you settled into your
job, however, your role has expanded and changed shape. Some of these changes have probably
been good, while others have made you wish for simpler times. When a boss or manager piles
another responsibility on your already sore shoulders, it might be tempting to pull out this classic
gem of work avoidance.

The better option, however, is to schedule a time to talk to your boss about your role. A specific
conversation about your place in the organization is a good time to bring up the particulars of
your job description, not when you’re asked to get something accomplished. No matter how
stressed you are or how valid the complaint, dropping this phrase only makes you look lazy and
unmotivated.

2. “It can’t be done.”

Throwing in the towel makes you look like a quitter -- and quitters don’t get promoted. Instead
of giving up on a project entirely, frame your response in terms of alternative ways to get the
work accomplished. Very little is truly impossible, and most managers and executives want
forward-thinking problem solvers to climb the corporate ladder. If you offer solutions instead of
giving up, you’ll be seen as a valuable member of the team.

3. “It’s not my fault.”

No one wants to work with a blame shifter. After all, it’s just a matter of time before this person
eventually shifts the blame onto you. Take ownership of your mistakes instead of pointing out
where others have fallen short. Admitting to a mistake shows character and the ability to learn
and grow from problems. Pointing the finger at someone else strongly implies you’ll never truly
learn from your errors.

4. “This will just take a minute.”

Unless something will literally take only 60 seconds, don’t overpromise and under delivered.
Saying something will only take “a minute” also have the side effect of undermining your
efforts. Most likely the reason the particular task won’t take long is due to the benefit of your
professional experience and acumen. By saying it will “just” take a minute, you're shortchanging
what you bring to the table.

5. “I don’t need any help.”

The rugged lone wolf type might be the hero of most action movies, but they’re unlikely to
become the hero at your company. You might think you can do it alone on a project or in your
career, but teamwork is essential. Being able to work with others is the hallmark of a good
leader; you’re unlikely to climb your career ladder always flying solo.

6. “It’s not fair.”

Life isn’t fair, and often your career won’t be as well. Instead of complaining, you should look
for specific and actionable workarounds to the problems you encounter. Is it unfair a coworker
got to run point on the project you wanted? Maybe, but instead of complaining, work harder and
go the extra mile. Finding a solution will always be preferable in your professional life to
whining about a problem.

7. “This is the way it’s always been done.”

Doing things the way they’ve always been done is no way to run a business. Just ask some of the
companies which toed the line, accepted the status quo, and went under. Adapting to an ever-
changing marketplace is really the only way to survive in an economy constantly being disrupted
by the next big thing.

You don’t have to be a slave to the trends, but you also can’t stick your head in the sand and
hope things go back to normal. Instead, come up with creative solutions to new problems and
innovate, and you’ll soon be in the driver’s seat taking your organization into the future.

Everyone wants to be successful, so make sure your words aren’t holding you back. These seven
phrases are career kryptonite -- by avoiding them, you can fly into your future and become a
successful superstar.

PRINCIPAL.

Want to Move Up? 12 Phrases to Kick

Saying the right things matters, especially when it comes to your career. No matter if you’re a
business founder or an entry-level employee, there are probably words and phrases you’ve been
using that are hindering you at work.

As the founder and CEO of Open Me, an online greeting card company, I understand the
importance of being more thoughtful in both your professional and personal lives. Honing in on
what you’re saying in professional conversations, jotting down on your resume, and sharing in
interviews may turn your career in a new direction.

Remove these phrases from your everyday professional conversations:

1. “That’s not my job.” This type of self-serving phrase won’t just anger your coworkers or
manager, it could also cost your your job. While a task may not fit directly within your original
job description, it’s for the greater good of the company that you lend a hand wherever and
whenever possible.

2. “I’ll try.” If you want to inspire doubt in whomever you’re speaking to, try this phrase out.
Not only will you eliminate the trust of coworkers, you’ll also place doubt in the minds of your
customers and clients. Replace “try” with “will” for better results.

3. “I dislike...” If you’re constantly sharing your distaste for things, your coworkers are quickly
going to tune you out. Avoid constant negativity and filter in more positivity. For instance,
instead of saying you dislike meetings because they run too long, figure out a way to energize
them or keep them short.

4. “I’m too busy.” It’s time to face the music: Everyone’s really busy. Replace this phrase with
something like, “Once I tackle this task, I’ll be happy to take a look at that.”

Avoid these phrases during an interview:

1. “I think...” This statement only shows self-doubt -- something you can’t risk in an interview.
Drop this phrase and replace it with something more confident like “In my experience..”

2. “To be honest...” Stating this before you answer a question may lead the interviewer to
believe you weren’t being honest during the rest of your interview. Avoid this phrase altogether
and never lie during an interview.

3. “Me, me, me.” If your entire thought process during your interview is in regard to yourself,
it’s going to come through in how you answer questions. The company wants to know what
you’re going to bring to the position. Don’t ask if you can work from home or what the
compensation package looks like unless they bring it up.

4. “My previous employer was awful...” Badmouthing is never a good idea -- it shows you’re
untrustworthy or disloyal. If you don’t have something nice to say about your current or previous
employer, then it’s best not to say it at all. Any kind of negativity toward a company or manager
might label you as a bad hire.
Remove these words from your resume:

1. “Highly qualified.” Show, don’t tell. Simply writing this, rather than listing the experiences
that make you highly qualified, may peg you as lazy or dishonest.

2. “Familiar with...” Once again, it’s essential to show an employer exactly how you’ve used
technical programs or specific skills. Simply listing your familiarity isn’t going to do you any
favors.

3. “Team player.” How were you a team player? Avoid lip service and share concrete
experiences and accomplishments you achieved through teamwork instead.

4. “Problem solver.” Break down your resume to represent your abilities as a problem solver.
For instance, share a problem-solving achievement that benefited your previous employer or
client.

Don’t let what you say hold your career back! Evaluate your vernacular to ensure you exude
positivity and confidence.

PRINCIPAL

[Source: www.linkedin.com.]