With a tribute to the centenary of the birth of Fidel Castro Ruz, the Cándido González Morales Vocational Pre-University Institute of Exact Sciences (IPVCE) celebrated the graduation of its thirty-ninth cohort at the Raúl Corrales Pedagogical School theatre.

The ceremony, which brought together students, teachers, families and educational authorities, became a sea of effort, talent and commitment, precisely in the year when Cuba commemorates the man who championed the creation of these institutions conceived to forge future men and women of science.

The event, presided over by Edián García Mursulí, coordinator of the Provincial Government; Doctor of Sciences Luis Enrique Calderón Piñeiro, Provincial Director of Education; and Doctor of Sciences Lázaro Padrón Pereira, Director of Upper Secondary Education, opened with the certainty that in every classroom, in every laboratory and in every student who graduated, the legacy of that thinking that always bet on youth as a transformative force lives on.

The opening remarks recalled that Fidel dreamed of a Cuba where talent, effort and knowledge were pillars of the Revolution.

The Pyramid distinction, awarded to students who maintained attendance and consistency throughout the three years of study, went to Daily Hatiz Naceira, Yosvany Sánchez Granado and Inaudy Emilio Batista García.

The teaching staff then experienced one of the most emotional moments: the presentation of the Gold Chalks, the highest recognition for teaching work. León Jorge Alfonzo López, affectionately known as «Mis Conocimientos», was recognised for turning every stroke of chalk in physics teaching into a bridge to knowledge.

Fidel G. Méndez Delgado, «El Fifi», received his award for transforming chemical formulas into life lessons and igniting the spark of curiosity. Other teachers who left an indelible mark also received public thanks: Maciel Cepero Yero, Yoneidy Pérez Heredia, Larry Martínez Barreto, Rafael Amado Recio Jiménez and Ricardo Mosquera Lazo.

The talent cultivated in provincial, national and inter-vocational competitions was celebrated with the joint distinction of the IPVCE and the Provincial Talent Development Centre (CPDT) awarded to Ronaldo Ramírez Alfaro, Ernesto Manuel Espinosa Valdés, Carlos Alejandro Duque Murciego, Alejandro David Sarduy López, Gregory Israel Gómez Roura and Dilber Leonel Hernández Benítez.

The status of Comprehensive Student was awarded to Melanie Claudia Peña Monteagudo and Ronaldo Ramírez Alfaro, while the Best Graduate award went to Amanda Ruiz Rodríguez, who also, together with Carlos Alejandro Duque Murciego and Melanie Claudia Peña Monteagudo, won Gold Titles for their outstanding academic results.

The speeches gave voice to the resilience of a generation that went through pre-university education amid daily adversities. Pablo Alejandro Rodríguez, president of the FEEM at the centre, spoke directly to his peers:

«It has been long, hard years, days without light, nights of study, mornings that dawned with a heavy heart, but with the backpack on the shoulder because we had to carry on. (…) Look at where you are today, standing tall, with your heads held high. Be proud of yourselves.»

Visibly moved, he added a personal message: «This graduation gave me the best friends I have ever had. I want to tell you that I love you with all my soul, and I will always support you in every step and decision you make. This is not an end; it is the beginning of everything.»

MSc. Tania Pajar Rodríguez, director of the IPVCE, stressed in her central remarks that the graduates have made history by upholding the name of their school, being protagonists of that wonderful feat.

She highlighted the superior results in competitions and international events, and the most significant fact: the vast majority obtained their first and second university choices.» Her advice resonated as a roadmap: «Remember, that is achieved with hard work, with rigour and a great deal of study.»

The day, which featured the voice of Avilanian artist Oristela Pérez Betanzos, culminated when all the graduates went up on stage in their cohort sweatshirts and sang the song that identifies them as IPVCE, while parents and teachers merged in an eternal embrace, proud to see them become graduates.