Celebration Evening for Year 13

PUBLISHED 19 May 2023

We were delighted to welcome Emilio Arciniega (KEQMS alumnus from 2013) back to AKS to give the keynote speech at our Year 13 Celebration Evening last week. He shared his personal story, having moved from Lytham St Annes High School in Year 9 to take a rugby scholarship at our school – a life-changing moment he credits his subsequent success to.  

He shared fond memories of teachers, friends and how he developed his work ethic, as well as sharing his ‘secrets of a successful and happy life’ with the class of 2023. 

His guidance and insights included: 

1. you make your own luck; 
2. grades may get you through the door, but they won’t keep you there; 
3. only one out of his eighteen friends from school now do a job directly related to their degree subject; 
4. do what you love; and 
5. don’t put off what you could do today to do tomorrow. 

Head Student, Ben B thanked Emilio for his sage words and inspirational advice regarding the need for resilience and adaptability, before Mollie M took to the stage to share a poem she had penned for the evening.

After hearing from both Louis (piano) and Miranda (voice), the students were then presented with leavers’ gifts, before enjoying Mr Maund’s irreverent and affectionate reminiscence of their time at school, before the evening concluded with a drinks reception on the front lawn.