Corona Secondary School celebrates outstanding students, workers

AT the 2021 Speech and Prize-giving Day of Corona Secondary School, Agbara (CSS), Ogun State, not only students received awards for academic and moral excellence; teaching, pastoral, administrative, kitchen, security, maintenance and medical staff also received awards.

Usually held on the school’s premises in Agbara Estate, Ogun State, the Speech and Prize-giving Day is a day set aside to recognise and appreciate the brilliant efforts of students in academics and co-curricular activities.

The last edition was held in November 2019 while the 2020 edition was stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s edition, tagged: ‘Stand Up! Stand Out for Excellence – No One Left Behind,’ was held on Sunday, November 14, 2021.

In her opening remarks, the principal, Mrs Chinedum Oluwadamilola, said: “As the theme for this year is, ‘Stand Up! Stand Out for Excellence – No One Left Behind,’ today we will be celebrating our students and staff’s successes, with no one left behind, for all that happened in the 2020/2021 academic session.”

The event was graced by the deputy governor of Ogun State, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, and several alumni of the school, including the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, who had also worked in the school and retired as a director in 2014 before getting a government appointment.

The keynote speaker, Oyinda Egbeyemi, also an alumnus of the school, said it was necessary for students to believe in themselves, have a good support system, take on challenges and develop a sense of excellence.

She noted: “In life, there are always going to be challenges, and whenever you overcome one, there is another waiting at the next door. It is important that you go through the next door with a sense of excellence, and a mindset of strength.”

The highpoint of the event was the giving out of awards to outstanding students and non-teaching staff of the school.

Tobechukwu Okolo, Adekunfola Olowodola, and Kaido Obikili emerged as the first, second and third overall best students of Year 7 respectively, with an overall percentage ratings of 92.92 per cent, 92.72 per cent, and 89.70 per cent.

Abdullah Sule, Peace Odunuga and Gbemisola Marquis emerged as the first, second and third overall best students of Year 8, with an overall percentage ratings of 89.13 per cent, 88.13 per cent, and 87.28 per cent respectively.

In the external examination awards for the (Cambridge Checkpoint) 2020/2021 academic year, Oyintariere Akika, Munachiso Onyekwere and Abiodun Marqis in Year 9 emerged as the first, second, and third overall best students with average grades of 5.8, 5.5, and 5.4 respectively.

The trio, alongside Oluwamurewa Fadare, Chisom Ike, Mofesola Olusola-Falodun, Blessing Obed, Roqeebat Koleosho, and Ifeoluwa Demechi were equally recognised for having a perfect score of 6.0 in the Cambridge Checkpoint examination.

Folashade Adefisayo cash award for the best student in Checkpoint went to Oyintariere Akika.

Also, Oyindoubra Akika, Ogechukwu Alloh, and Mardiat-Iman Ibrahim-Iman, were rated as the first, second and third overall best students in Year 10, with their overall percentage ratings put at 94.85 per cent, 89.36 per cent and 89.30 per cent respectively.

For Year 11, Somtochukwu Ike, Toluwanimi Sonuga, and George Nnona, emerged as the first, second and third overall best, with a percentage difference of 89.79 per cent, 85.66 per cent, and 85.51 per cent respectively.

Another highpoint of the event was the emergence of a Year 11 student, Khaleel Abiru, as the recipient of the ‘Principal’s Special Recognition award.’

The principal of the school, Mrs Oluwadamilola, described Abiru as a student with a heart of gold, saying Abiru has a very selfless, humble, and caring personality despite his wide achievements in sports and academics.

Also at the event, a medical staff member in the school, Mr Rasheed Musa; school driver, Mr Emeka Nwaguru; security man, Anthony Obi; gardener, Moses Akapo, and others who had spent over 30 years working for the school received the ‘Most Dedicated Staff’ award.

Other award recipients were Blessing Ezeala, Mfonobong Umoh, Gbenga Oshilaja, Mercy Onwunta, Ovaisam Urom, Bose Josiah, and Moses Akapo, who were recognised as the ‘Most Dedicated’ teaching staff, administrative staff, pastoral staff, class/form teacher (senior), class/form teacher (junior), house coordinator, maintenance staff, ground staff and gardener respectively.

Other recipients include, Anthony Obi, Richard Maduka, Hassan Deba, David Kolawole, Blessing Ezeala, and Grace Adesina, who were named as the most dedicated staff at the Security Unit; most dedicated secretary, kitchen staff, Head of Department, and Best Library User, among others.