My Brother’s Workshop honored its 2025 graduating class with a ceremony Saturday, recognizing achievements in academics, trades, and personal growth.
The ceremony, held at the My Brother’s Workshop complex in Estate Donoe, brought together graduates, families, staff, volunteers, and community partners to celebrate trainees who earned certifications in culinary arts, carpentry, hospitality, and first aid — and to mark the awarding of seven high school diplomas.
Awards presented included the Outstanding Academic Award, Achievement Award, and the Love Thy Neighbor Award, the latter, in partnership with the St. Thomas Reformed Church.
The Honorable Judge Deborah A. Watlington delivered the keynote address, commending the graduates for their perseverance. “I applaud each of you for your dedication, your tenacity, your courage, your resilience, your perseverance,” Watlington said. “Today is your time. It is your time to celebrate and be celebrated. You have earned it.”
Watlington applauded the work of MBW, stating, “My Brother’s Workshop has created a culture of hope and opportunity. Its programs and initiatives are provided in a caring, nurturing, and supportive environment that demands respect, discipline, and accountability.”
Watlington acknowledged the hard work behind the graduates’ success. “What you have accomplished has not come easy, and I hope that you realize by now that nothing worth having comes easy. If it comes easy, it goes easier.”
Watlington encouraged the graduates to use their new skills to benefit themselves and the community. “You have a personal responsibility to use your accomplishments, your high school diploma, your certifications, all that knowledge and the skills that you have acquired… to propel your stance in life, to earn an honest living, to build a career, to help others.”
Watlington left the graduates with a final challenge: “Plan, prepare, and prosper. I challenge each of you to make good choices, to continue to grow, and do good. This is your time. Take the best of it and move forward with love and peace.”
Graduate speaker Isheilla Richards shared her journey, crediting the program’s support. “To those who are still in the program, don’t give up. This is a great program. The staff are helpful and supportive,” Richards said. “Life is a journey, and sometimes the journey is not what you planned, or maybe you didn’t know that a plan was needed.”
Christy Payne, program and development director, recognized the graduates’ growth and resilience. “Each of you has grown in confidence, skill, and determination, and the growth from all of you is what makes this all so important,” Payne said. “It’s been an honor to witness your hard work and growth, and I could not be more excited to see the incredible things that are in your future, because this is just the beginning, and the sky’s the limit for each of you.”
Congresswoman Stacy E. Plaskett, in a printed message included in the event program, praised the graduates’ determination. “Today we celebrate not just your academic and vocational achievements, but your courage, determination, and commitment to building a brighter future for yourselves and the Virgin Islands community,” Plaskett wrote.
She continued, “Your success today validates this investment in our community’s future and sends a powerful message to every young person in the Virgin Islands: your circumstances do not define your destiny.”
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. also extended congratulations, recognizing the graduates’ academic and vocational accomplishments. “You built a future for yourselves and hope for everyone who believes in your potential,” Bryan wrote. “You have proven that when you dedicate yourself, embrace new ideas, and rely on your mentors and each other, you can rise above any barrier.”
He added, “The Virgin Islands need your vision, your drive, and your kindness. We celebrate everything you have learned and every challenge you have overcome. You make us all so proud, not just for graduating, but for who you are becoming.”
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