Author: L. Crankshaw

This morning we have the privilege of recognising a group of learners who have accepted one of the greatest responsibilities in school sport – 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀.

Each year, our first team captains are presented with their captain’s badges, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘺𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭.

As we look ahead to Interschools, these captains will carry not only the hopes of their teams, but also the values of Union High School, Graaff-Reinet onto every field, court and turf where they compete.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀:

Yaaseen Kazi (1st XV Rugby)
Leigh-Ann Murray (1st Hockey)
Tristan Hope (1st Boys’ Tennis)
Misha Newton (1st Girls’ Tennis)
Nina Japhta (1st Senior Chess)

While the 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 and 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 seasons have already concluded, we would also like to acknowledge the learners who fulfilled these important leadership roles earlier in the year.

Yaaseen Kazi served as Cricket Captain, while Mecoli Vorster led the swimming team with distinction.

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 must be made of Mecoli’s willingness to go above and beyond, assisting staff throughout the season with administration and the many arrangements required behind the scenes. Her dependable support and servant-hearted leadership did not go unnoticed.

𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸.

There was a wonderful atmosphere in the school hall on Monday evening as Union High School, Graaff-Reinet‘s Senior Music Department presented its annual music evening, this year themed, 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲.

Families, friends and staff gathered to enjoy 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, with a programme that moved comfortably between classical pieces and more modern favourites.

The audience was treated to a lovely mix of piano solos, vocal performances, choir items, marimba ensemble pieces and piano duets.

From Beethoven and Chopin to Coldplay, Billie Eilish and Hans Zimmer, 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. It was clear that a great deal of time and care had gone into preparing for the concert and every learner who stepped onto the stage could be proud of what they achieved.

A special 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦 goes to Ms Zelda Oosthuizen, whose dedication and love for music continue to create opportunities for our learners to grow in both confidence and ability.

𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥.

Thank you as well to the parents, staff, accompanists, sound and lighting team and everyone who helped behind the scenes. Events like these are always a team effort and the support shown to our young musicians is something they will remember.

𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘳𝘢.