Grade 5 visit to the
Water Purification Plant

An LO excursion was planned to the Camdeboo Municipality's water purification plant.  We learnt about all the steps of getting damwater clean enough for us to drink.  Since our visit to the water purification plant, we now uncerstand the process much better.  Thank you to Mr Berrington for showing us around.  Fortunately no one fell into a tank!

Union High School Athletes selected for Camdeboo High Schools’ Team

Back: T. Rooyen, K. Ansah, S. koeberg, M. Groenewald, B. Nobula 
Middle:  A. Kwehla, K. Blekiwe, N. Mdlokovana, V. Maxegwana 
Front:  L. Bam, J. Merwe, J. Abels, N. Cona

Naledo Cona achieved an outstanding 1^st place and a time of 10,72 seconds in the Boys u17 100m during the Grt Zonal Athletics Meeting.

UNION HIGH SCHOOL: SPORTS DAY

The Union High Inter-house Athletics meeting took place in sweltering heat on Monday, 30 January.

The following trophies were awarded:
Victor Ludorum (Boys)
u11 – Smirz Peffer
u13 – Ross Stanley
u15 – Kwesi Ansah (Wendy Albertyn Trophy)
u17 – Jason Vers
Open – Sibu Bolosha (Radium Cleaners Trophy
Victric Ludorum (Girls)
u11 – Kia Hoffman
u13 – Sage Strydom
u15 – Jessica Charles (Trevor Albertyn Trophy)
u17 – Christine Offerman (André Paris Cup)
Open – Donnaé Broeksma
Open Age Group:
Girls’ Throwing Events – Michaela Davids (Cheryl Geard Trophy)
Boys’ Throwing Events – Sean Koeberg & Mihlali Mali (Willem Theron Trophy)
Girls’ Field Events – Christie Pütter
Boys’ Field Events – James Moore (Reg Moore Cup)
Girls’ Long Distance – Kirsten Charles (Evan van Zyl Trophy)
Boys’ Long Distance – Bongo Nobula (Ross Garner Trophy)
Girls’ Sprints – Donnaé Broeksma (Zeta Marais Shield)
Boys’ Sprints – Vuyo Maxegwana (Minnaar Cup)
Girls’ Jumping Events – Aphelele Mtati
Boys’ Jumping Events – Sibu Bolosha
Most creditable performance of the day:            Kwesi Ansah – Boys u15 100m (11,65 sec; 900 points)
Inter-house Relay winners – Riebeeck (Alex Murray Cup)
Winning House – Botha;  2^nd – Riebeeck;  3^rd – Rhodes 

ATHLETIC TROPHY  WINNERS

Back (LtoR):     S. Bolosha, S. Koeberg, K.Ansah B. Nobula, J. Vers, J.Moore,
V. Maxegwana

Middle (LtoR): C. Pütter, K.Charles,
C. Offerman, D. Broeksma,  M. Davids

Front (LtoR):    S. Peffer, K. Hoffman,
R. Stanley,  J. Charles, S. Strydom

Kwesi Ansah was the pick of the boy athletes with a time of 11,65 seconds in the u15 100m, which also earned him 900 ABSA TABLE points and the award for best overall performance of the day. 

Sage Strydom excelled in breaking the girls’ u13 1200m record set in 1992 in a time of 4:22,00. 

PROVINCIAL TENNIS

Jessica Charles has been selected to represent the Eastern Province U/15 tennis team.  She will be participating in the 2012 S.A. High Schools tennis tournament in Pretoria at the end of March.  We are extremely proud of her and wish her well for the tournament.

Jessica Charles

Old Unionite, Gareth Light, 1st XV rugby player (2004-2006) and captain in 2006 scored the winning try for the FNB Maties 1st XV in the 79th minute of their Varsity Cup rugby clash against NWU-Pukke in Potchefstroom on Monday night, pulling off something of a miracle victory, 14-12.  Gareth came on as a substitute hooker and made an immediate impact.  From a lineout, the Maties caught the ball, formed a maul and raced the ball over the Pukke line in an unstoppable juggernaut. Gareth, the replacement hooker was the one credited with the try.

Gareth is remembered as a tenacious fiery tight-forward who gave his all on the field and was a leader of men.  According to long-serving 1st XV Coach, Mr Rory Sullivan, the 2006 team achieved the best results in his thirty years of coaching at the school. After matriculating, he attended the Sharks Academy and played for the Sharks U19 in 2007 and Sharks U21 in 2008.  He has been at the University of Stellenbosch since 2009 and has represented Maties in the Varsity Cup in 2010, 2011 and 2012. 

Well done Gareth!

After his performances in the Varsity Cup and Universities Week in 2011 ,Gareth was selected to represent the South African Universities XV.  He is currently doing his Honours Degree in Logistics at the University of Stellenbosch

The Headmaster and staff of the school are very proud of Gareth and his achievements on the sportsfield.

FOUNDERS DAY - 27 - 28 January 2012

Union High celebrated its 93^rd birthday in style and  the Founders' Weekend was a wonderful success. The Founder’s Assembly, a combined effort with the Preparatory School set the tone for the events to follow. The annual Triathlon, held on Friday afternoon, was great success. Despite the heat the competitors managed some noteworthy times. Stegman van Zyl won the Iron Man in a new record time and Bronwen Jacobs won the ladies' event. Our thanks are extended to Mr Nel of the Graaff-Reinet Traffic Department for his assistance during the triathlon.

Saturday saw the dads and Old Boys challenging the Union cricket teams. The Old Boys 1^st team won a closely contested and exciting match. The 2nd Team also went down to the Old Boys, while the U15 boys gave their dads a lesson in how the game is played.  Two U11 matches were played against the dads and a spirit of friendly competition prevailed.

We also watched about 110 keen hockey players enjoying mini-matches on the Union High Astroturf, many of whom were playing on this surface for the very first time. 

Dean Marais received the trophy for the Best Bowler Overall. Shaede Rudman was the Man of the Match for the second team match and Jonathan Crankshaw was Man of the Match for the U/15 match.

There was also tennis, for those who were keen to participate. It was a very successful day for all who participated in the sporting events. The Moms and Daughters' Tea, held on the beautiful lawns in front of the school, was well attended and enjoyed by the ladies while their men were playing cricket.  This event proved such a welcome addition to the programme that it will no doubt become an annual event.

Lance Hobson received the Man of the match award for the 1st XI, Best Batsman award as well as the Leslie Norman Light Trophy for the Most Valuable Player for the 1st XI in their match against the Old Boys.

Congatulations to Nathan Naude for scoring 82 runs against Pearson High School.

Congratulations to the following learners who have been selected to EP Country Districts tennis team.

U18:  Dean Hobson, Donnae Broeksma
U16:  Charlotte Rubidge, Michaela Harris, Mignue Smith
U14:  Kayla Hobson

On Saturday Jessica Charles competed in a biathlon in Port Elizabeth. She did extremely well by coming 3^rd overall in the U15 age group. As a result of this Jessica has been chosen for the EP A team to compete for the inter pro in February. A fantastic achievement!

Ed Lunnon Fun Run

On Saturday, 14 January 20 runners represented UHS at the Ed Lunnon Fun Run in Port Elizabeth.  The race was in aid of raising funds to do research on a degenerative neurological disease.  Ed Lunnon was diagnosed with this disease, corticalbasal degeneration and was told that this disease would progressively melt down his body to the extent where he is severely incapacitated.  He has since started a private blog site and a weekly radio programme on Wednesday mornings on Radio Algoa where he encourages people to live life to the full!  Ed is a huge inspiration to thousands of people! 

All the Union participants did us very proud.  Their behaviour was top notch!

Class of 2011 results:  UHS DID IT AGAIN!

After weeks of anxious anticipation the matric results were released on 5 January.  The 2011 Matric class of Union High School achieved excellent results, with 44 subject A’s and a 100% pass rate.  Stuart Welman and Andrew Fischer achieved A-aggregates.

Stuart Welman was the top matric pupil in the Graaff-Reinet District with 8 subject A’s and one B.  He attended the Provincial Prizegiving in East London and was rewarded for his outstanding achievement by being awarded a bursary for further studies.  Stuart also received the prestigious Rupert-Achievement Award, bestowed annually on the top matric learner in the Graaff-Reinet District. 

The Headmaster, staff, fellow learners and parents are justifiably proud of Stuart’s achievements.  He intents studying B.Com Account at Rhodes University.

UHS welcomes new staff