Ridley IB Class of 2027: EE Upload Party

By Yelen Pognon ‘26, Staff Writer; Edited by Mia van Beuningen, Staff Writer

Though February 4th may have seemed like just another Wednesday for some students and teachers, for IB2s, it symbolized liberation and delight. After the long road of writing and editing their Extended Essay, the IB2s were finally able to submit it after a year of work, bringing them one step closer to the end of their IB requirements. They celebrated by coming together in the Ross Morrow Theater to congratulate and to revel in their success.

Yolanda Bu stated: “Little do they know, there’s some people who did their reflections yesterday!” which, although being true, did not matter anymore after submission.

To celebrate this accomplishment, Ms. Covent, along with our group of IB executives, organized a fun, exclusive party with food and drinks provided to mark this huge accomplishment that required not simply resilience, but discipline and patience.

The collective relief reflected the countless late nights spent questioning the entire point of their essays and re-reading feedback, whether it was a few words or long, descriptive paragraphs.

Elina Wang made sure to emphasize this feeling of relief after she was done writing her EE, exclaiming: “I’m so happy it’s over!”

While the essays differed in topics, from the sciences to the humanities, the relief felt by clicking that submit button was felt by all. Laughter replaced stress, and conversations shifted from word count and citations to celebration and fun. A surprisingly competitive (and slightly violent) game of musical chairs was the highlight of the afternoon, while others played blackjack or sang their hearts out with karaoke, or even played a game of makeshift baseball, using a random umbrella and a bouncy ball. Plates were constantly being filled with comforting foods like fried chicken and ice cream cake. The room buzzed with a sense of community and positivity; not looking ahead to what we had left, but instead, to what we had accomplished.

A jolly Huda Al’abri rejoiced: “I can finally move on with my life!”

Near the stage, there was a photobooth, complete with colorful sunglasses, flower chains and other wonderful decorations to mark the occasion. There were even silly speech bubbles that referenced numerous IB classes, terms and platforms. Notably, one read “I see the light.” Another speech bubble referred to an iconic Theory of Knowledge question: “To what extent am I free?”

This party, however, could have never been possible if not for our EE supervisors, who guided us through every draft.

Although, I admit, it was frustrating to have to start everything from scratch because a thesis didn’t make any sense whatsoever (an experience that was more common than you would think. Still, our supervisors were always there to provide us with insightful and helpful responses to every single one of our panicked emails. They always provided us with patience when we had not finished our reflections on time. Behind every student was a mentor whose only goal was for students to succeed.

We, as IB2 students, would also like to extend our gratitude to Ms. Covent, our Head of the IB Programme. Her constant support and leadership continues to guide IB students to the finish line, despite the journey being long, demanding, and sometimes straining. Her non-stop dedication reminds us that every milestone, academic or other, must be celebrated.

A special thanks must also be given to the IB executive team, whose planning transformed an ordinary Wednesday afternoon into a fun celebration. From coordinating the food to setting up games and the photobooth, their efforts ensured that this accomplishment did not simply pass by; but instead was to be celebrated loudly and proudly. While the IB journey continues, this milestone served as a reminder that we are all capable of far more than 4,000 words could ever express.