In August, 20 students in the Jane Adeny Memorial School Class of 2015 were honored in a graduation ceremony. Kim Ochieng, a member of the Board of Directors of Friends of JAMS, was able to attend and she gave us this report.

In August, my husband and I had the privilege of attending the 2015 graduation at JAMS. It was a beautiful day on the top of the hill where the school is located in Muhoroni.

The day began with a tour of the school campus. Though we have witnessed the growth of the school over the years, there is something new to see every time we go. This time we saw the four new dairy cows and Nick, a calf who was recently born. We also took a look inside the chicken coop and helped collect a few eggs.

The parents and other guests trickled onto the campus, most of them traveling by bus, piki-piki (on the back of the motorcycle), and on foot. One mom traveled for more than two days from northern Kenya to see her daughter graduate. One of the highlights for us was to meet the parents and see the delight in their eyes and on their faces as they toured the school and saw how happy their daughters are attending JAMS. Many of the parents were seeing the school for the first time.

All the girls, not just those who were graduating, were filled with excitement. Each class had worked hard to prepare a song, a recitation, or dance. After the entertainment, we received inspiring words from a local pastor, a newspaper editor, a graduating student, and staff members. Finally, the Form 4 students came forward to receive their diplomas. It was a proud moment for each of them. They looked beautiful in their bright red caps and gowns.

Graduation at JAMS is not to be taken for granted. Schools in Kenya do not celebrate the completion of high school. Andrew and Teresa have chosen to provide their girls with a special memory and recognition of the four years they spend at JAMS. The 2015 graduation did exactly that.