Valedictory Speech – Michael Oak Waldorf Class 13:  17 October 2025 by Mohamed Bray (Parent of Eesa Bray – Class 13)

“Good morning everyone — teachers, parents, and most importantly, our Class 13s, who stand here today on the threshold of something both exciting and unknown.

It’s hard to believe that this day has come. For many of us, this journey began what feels like a lifetime ago — when our children were still small enough to fit on our laps, with beeswax crayons in their hands and crowns on their heads. Some of us have been at Michael Oak since playgroup, sixteen years ago. Sixteen years of morning verses, eurythmy, and festivals that somehow always made us shed a tear.

I still remember those early kindergarten years, the smell of freshly baked bread, the soft rhythm of songs, the storytelling, and of course… the “treasures.” How many “golden” leaves did we keep, stored in shoe boxes and tucked into car doors? How many precious pieces of bark were handed to us like holy relics, to be carried home with utmost care? I think I still have a few somewhere crumbling slightly now, but reminders of that tender time when the world was full of magic and wonder.

Back then, we didn’t quite realise how those small rituals – the walks, the crafts, the simple joys would shape how our children see the world.

Then came the primary years and for many of our children, that meant being guided by the steady and loving hand of Mrs Whitesman, who journeyed with them from Class 1 all the way to Class 7. What an incredible gift that was to have a teacher who didn’t just teach subjects, but truly knew each child. Who saw them through every tooth lost, every new friendship, every hesitant line of cursive, every festival, and every play. Mrs Whitesman, your patience, your kindness, and your deep understanding of each child’s unfolding spirit will always be remembered with enormous gratitude.

As they grew older, the crayons gave way to fountain pens, and the big questions began “Why?” “Who decides?” “What’s real?” and, of course, the perennial Waldorf favourite: “Do we really have to do eurythmy again?”

Through it all, the teachers didn’t just teach, they walked alongside our children. They guided them through triumphs and heartbreaks, through plays that made us laugh and art that gave us goosebumps. They held the class community with care, humour and humanity.

Now, here we are – Class 13. The culmination of so many rhythms, so many mornings of verse and music and creating. And we look at these young adults and see something extraordinary. They think deeply. They question bravely. They speak from the heart. They create with courage. And they care about people, about the community, about truth.

These are not just students leaving school. They are whole human beings and that is, I think, the greatest achievement of a Waldorf education.

For us parents, this journey has shaped us too. We’ve learned patience — and perhaps a little trust. Trust in the process, even when it looked nothing like the education we knew. Trust that learning by hand and heart was just as important as by head. Trust that all those “golden leaves” and “pieces of bark” were part of something deeper a reverence for the world and its quiet beauty.

And somewhere along the way, we also learned to let go, little by little.

So today, on behalf of all the parents, I want to say thank you to every single teacher, guardian, admin staff member and facilities team member who has guided, inspired, and cared for our children. Thank you for your patience, your devotion, your long hours, your humour, and your love. You have done far more than educate – you have helped shape who our children are.

And to the whole Michael Oak community, thank you for being a community. For holding space for the festivals, the fairs, the tears, the laughter, the growing pains, and the celebrations.

And finally to our incredible Class 13s. You carry with you the colours, the rhythms, the values, and the stories of your Waldorf journey. The world you are stepping into needs people like you, people who can think independently, create beauty, and bring kindness wherever they go.

As Rudolf Steiner said: “Receive the children with reverence, educate them with love, and let them go forth in freedom.”

Today, we let you go forth — with reverence, with love, and with a deep sense of pride.

Thank you.”