Iddy, you graduated from Light Academy in the middle of all the chaos of us packing up and making preparations to move to the US. You worked so hard and studied a lot for your IGCSE exams. You didn't always feel great about every test you took, but you worked really hard and gave it your best shot. When I look back at your education, I'm amazed at how well you have done. You went from school in Siaya, to school at RingRoad, to Jalaram, to Light Academy. Each time starting in a different grade than the one you left based on where we thought you needed to be. You missed big chunks of school when we traveled. I don't think you really started getting meaningful instruction at school until Light Academy, which you started at the end of your 8th year. Even there, your math teacher spoke with such a heavy Turkish accent that you couldn't always understand him. And yet, you persevered... and you got your education in spite of all these circumstances. I'm so proud of you!
Not only did you succeed academically, but you also succeeded as a public speaker on graduation day! You were selected to give the speech for your class, and you were nervous about it, but you did it anyway. You and Papa worked so hard putting your speech together, and you practiced a lot. When the time came, you did an awesome job, spoke with confidence, and made me and Papa so incredibly proud. I will never forget watching you throw that graduation cap up into the air at the end of the ceremony. It felt like such a long journey for you to get there. What is in store for you? How I wish I could see the future! But I'm so confident in the gifts that I see in you:compassion, empathy, resourcefulness, intelligence, and the ability to make everyone you meet love you almost instantly. No matter how many fans you gain in life, me and Papa will always be your biggest! We love you so!
