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Tributes from the Students of the Cayman Islands
The Importance of The Queen to the Cayman Islands
Life Lessons from the Queen
From the time she ascended the throne to the time of her death on Thursday, 8th September 2022, an admirable reign came to close. I’m referring to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11. Her legacy has left many life’s lessons to be learnt. Even though she ascended the throne at a very young age, she displayed maturity, character, determination and commitment. From what I’ve heard from my parents, I now share with you some of those lessons.
VISION- Vision and a clear purpose make a strong leader. She was no different. When she addressed the nation on her 21st birthday she said, “I declare before you that my whole life, whether long or short shall be devoted to your service.”
LEAD BY EXAMPLE- Instead of passing orders from behind the desk as most other leaders do, she led by example. She truly represented servant- leadership much in the mold of Jesus’ declaration, “I came to serve and not to be served.”
HARD WORK- She would put in 40 hours a week of work like anyone else. She was always punctual and worked diligently to get things accomplished. She made time to do gardening, ride horses in the midst of her daily tasks.
NEVER GIVE UP- In 2020 in her tribute to the war time generation she declared “NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER DESPAIR”. She had her fair share of difficult times in her lifetime. In every instance she never accepted defeat but stood tall and navigated all struggles. Even in the death of her late husband, she showed courage and pressed on.
ATTITUDE MATTERS- Success in any endeavor requires the right attitude. She lived out this daily even when she was criticized or something unkind was said about her. She was not one to complain but always ensured the better welfare of others. According to Danny Boyle, “She is, after all, on the stage all the time.” Her keen sense of curiosity allowed her to mingle amongst doctors, engineers and even coal miners.
FAITH IN GOD- In her first Christmas Broadcast in 1952, she said to the nation “Pray for me that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out my solemn promises and that I may serve him faithfully all the days of my life.” She read the Bible, prayed regularly and truly lived by faith in Jesus Christ. She was inspired by the life of Jesus Christ who declared, “I came to serve but not be served.” It is this faith in God that compelled her to work for peace internationally and in her own family.
There you have it. A legacy truly remarkable and unending. My desire, as should be ours is to emulate these powerful life’s lessons from an exceptional monarch. May She rest in peace.
-Malachi Khan, Layman E. Scott Snr. High School
Oh, Dear Queen, how I miss you. I have read and listened to many stories about you and the impact that you have had on millions of people worldwide. They are many beautiful facilities named after you here in the Cayman Islands.
You have opened many places here on the island, such as the Ed Bush Sports Complex in West Bay and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park on North Side. Indeed you have left your mark here on these Islands.
My teacher told me of when you visited the Cayman Islands in 1994 and how excited she was as a year 6 student. They were all flown over from Cayman Brac to see you in Grand Cayman.
I could see the sparkle in her eyes when she reflected about that memorable day. She even demonstrated your royal wave to us. Oh, how I wish I could go back in time to be there with her to see you, especially when she told me that that is a day she will never forget. She told us about their fanfare and excitement on that day. Even though she said they stood in the sun all day, now she can say it’s all worth it.
Hearing all these stories and seeing your beautiful pictures, I wanted to meet you in person. Sorry, you are not with us anymore, so I look forward to seeing you in the future.
“God save our Queen” Sleep well, my Queen, and May your soul rest in peace.
- Shared writing by the Year 6 students of Creek & Spot Bay Primary School
Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth lI reigned for the longest in Britain, she was crowned Queen on June 2nd, 1953, until her death on September 8th 2022. Queen Elizabeth II lived a very fulfilling life and did her duties as a queen to the best of her abilities.
She learnt many life lessons after reigning for over 70 years and has taught many people lessons that would change how they view their life. Some of the few that stood out to me were keeping the faith, stepping up and facing your problems and lastly never stop learning and keep your brain active. These are the lessons I will be explaining in my paragraphs.
Firstly, Her Late Majesty showed that keeping faith is not something that even the powerful can do without. Have you ever faced a time where you felt like giving up? I know I have, sometimes it feels like you just want to give up and not try anymore. I know it may be hard sometimes to believe and trust but we must put our all into everything we do and keep trying. Queen Elizabeth ll is a strong believer in God and attended church regularly throughout her life. The Queen was a powerful woman of dedication, she kept her role as for over 70 years which shows her loyalty, dedication, and faith. We live in a world where God is thought about less and when a great figure reminds us of Him it gives we learn that we are all in need of faith.
Secondly, The Queen taught us to step up and face your problems. This statement implies that you must be courageous in your actions. Queen Elizabeth was a brave woman. She used it during her worst years, the 1990s, when she had so many problems with her children and their spouses, and when the monarchy was under attack by republicans, she kept her head up and faced her problems with a strong mindset while carrying out her duties as Queen. Stepping up and facing our problems can be difficult at times, many of us just avoid problems. The Queen said, "When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future." This shows that even when times are tough, you should still push through and face your problems.
Finally, Queen Elizabeth II was an example of never stop learning and keeping your brain active. Many of us in school cannot wait to stop learning, we view it as a burden. Her Late Majesty viewed learning as a joy and opportunity to better serve her people. Queen Elizabeth II was always working, most people work an 8-hour day by their mid-60s, but not The Queen. Her work never stopped. Every day, she received large red box full of paperwork, including parliamentary reports, intelligence documents, and other documents. She always learnt about the new developments in the world. Keeping your brain active through work or educational projects is important at any age. It is through making ourselves better that we can in turn help ourselves and others. Her Late Majesty said “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service,” it was through her constant learning and work that she fulfilled this promise.
In conclusion, The Queen has taught us many life lessons and has lived her life to the fullest. Overall, she was a great queen and served her duties as queen as best as she could by being faithful, loyal, and dedicated. The life lessons I've just mentioned are just a few of the many she taught others. Keeping faith, facing your problems, and never stopping learning and keeping your brain active. These life lessons have taught me more about why I should continue to try new things and do everything bravely.
A statement Queen Elizabeth said was “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service,” Elizabeth said this statement a few years before being crowned queen. This shows how dedicated and loyal she was. An example of when she used faith was in 2021 where her family was shaken by an interview of prince henry and his wife Meghan, she responded to this situation with saying ‘Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.’
-Sahaara Ramsammy, Layman E. Scott Snr. High School
Queen Elizabeth II
- Dennis, Year 4, Sir John A. Cumber Primary School
Why The Queen Was Important to the Cayman Islands
During her 70-year reign, the longest reign of a queen, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II served the people of the Cayman Islands and dedicated her life to public service.
She provided a good example for all of us to follow and made us all feel proud to be British.
-Jasmine Lopez Nixon, Sir John A. Cumber Primary School
