Bulletin

UHS to Host World-Renowned Choir

This June, Union High School will play host to the musical wonder that is the Drakensberg Boys Choir.

This esteemed choir, widely regarded as one of the best in the world, will dazzle a Graaff-Reinet audience with their angelic voices for one night only in the Union High School hall during their national tour

The choir has been captivating audiences for the past 50 years and will now be showcasing their abilities for the enjoyment of a local crowd with songs both old and new.

The choir embraces the versatility, stamina and raw talent of boys from across the country and abroad to create a choral spectacular, jam-packed with a variety of musical styles ranging from classical and contemporary choral gems to billboard pop hits, to authentic indigenous South African music.

The boys themselves are ecstatic to be visiting Graaff-Reinet and hope the show fully delivers on everyone’s expectations.  Lovers of good quality choral music should not miss this performance which will surely wow all who attend.

Tickets for the show on Wednesday evening, 26 June at 18:30, will be available at R120 each from Wednesday, 29 May, at the Union High School office (049 891 262).

Bulletin

Jnr Boys’ Bathroom Revamp

Colin Warner Plumbing is at it again!

This time it’s the junior boys’ bathroom at Union High School that’s being revamped.

We’re talking toilets, sinks and urinals – it’s all getting redone to give the learners a bathroom with a clean, modern look they can take pride in.The school is very excited about this project as the renovation, upkeep and general cleanliness of the school’s bathrooms always feature high on Union’s priority list.

It all comes down to setting the tone for learning by making sure all aspects of the school, physical and instructional, combine to create a good environment.

Academic, Bulletin, Eco-Schools

Grade 7 Technology

Union High School’s Grade 7 Technology learners were recently tasked with designing and building a model of a cell phone tower using their knowledge of structures.

The learners were allowed to choose whether or not they would be building a standard cell phone tower or one that would blend in with the environment in order to limit visual pollution.

Seen here are some of their brilliant designs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bulletin

Another Golden Key Recipient

It’s always great to get news on our past learners.

If you have any stories to share, please send an e-mail to uhsmarketing@unionschools.co.za – we’d love to share the news with the Union High School community.

Here’s an update on Anje Oelofsen who matriculated from UHS at the end of 2017:  Anje was awarded yet another accolade for her academic excellence in the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) School of Accounting’s BCom (Accounting Sciences) Programme by being invited to join the Golden Key International Honours Society.

Well done Anje, you make Union High School very proud!

 

Bulletin, Eco-Schools

Trash to Teaching Treasure

In an effort to promote an earth-friendly attitude, Union’s teachers are turning trash to teaching treasure in very interesting ways.

The learners in the Grade 8 Arts and Culture class, for instance, were recently tasked with creating outrageous hats from waste material, such as newspapers, bits of cardboard, foil and the like.

After the 1½ hour time limit, it was very interesting to note the learners’ individual interpretations of the theme.  Seen here are some of the learners showing off their one of kind, handmade hats.

 

Bulletin, Hostels

HAH Bathroom Revamp Completed

In February, Union High School commenced with the renovation of the upstairs bathrooms as well as the guest bathroom at the school’s senior girls hostel, the Herby Arnott House.

The bathrooms, which were then gutted and completely redone by Colin Warner Plumbing, has recently been completed and the girls, as well as guests visiting the hostel, are now able to enjoy the new modern face-lifted facilities.

 

 

 

Bulletin

Old Unionite Lands a Golden Key Award

Graaff-Reinet local Gerrit Brink, the son of Sanette and André Brink, was recently invited to become a member of the Stellenbosch University’s Chapter of the esteemed Golden Key International Honour Society.

Gerrit, now a second-year student at SU, matriculated at Union High School in 2017, third in his class, boasting an A-aggregate and six distinctions.  By also excelling in his studies towards a BEng degree in Mechatronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University, Gerrit has now earned himself a lifetime seat at the Golden Key Society table.

The award is in recognition of Gerrit’s academic excellence and leadership while studying towards his degree.

Golden Key membership is the highest university accolade awarded only to students in the top 15% per field of study in any undergraduate and post-graduate degree programme, and it’s strictly by invitation only, so yes, a lifetime membership is no trivial feat.

Gerrit will be presented with his award in October of this year.

• More about Gerrit’s field of study:

Mechatronic engineering is a new focus area in engineering that promises to become even more important in the future, both in South Africa as well as internationally. With automation as the current key to productivity, the need for mechatronics (which makes it possible to generate simpler, more economical, reliable and versatile systems) increases by the day.

Mechatronic engineering is a synergistic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronics and computer systems. A typical mechatronic system is characterised by close integration of the mechanical components, electronic sensors, mechanical and electrical actuators and computer controllers.

Mechatronic engineering is an interdisciplinary engineering field that specialises in the control of advanced hybrid systems.  These systems are found in numerous industry sectors where mechanical and electronic engineering are interfaced with computer systems, such as aerospace, automotive, chemical processing, computers, communications, electronics, healthcare, manufacturing and mining.

Bulletin

We Need You!

Union High School requires the assistance of a small crew of parent volunteers to help our food stalls run smoothly on the Saturday morning of Interschools weekend (10 August).

Volunteers are required from among the Grade 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 parents.

If you are willing to assist, even if it is just to work a 1-hour shift, please send your details to either Bronwen Langmead (071 875 8521) or Mariëtte Burger (061 310 8343).

Academic, Bulletin

Learners Excel in MinQuiz

On Thursday morning, 16 May, four of Union’s Grade 12 learners represented the school at the provincial round of the annual MinQuiz competition held at NMU in Port Elizabeth.

MinQuiz, organised by the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek), is regarded as South Africa’s premier national Maths and Science competition for Grade 12 learners.  During this competition, the Union team members, Peter Watermeyer, Ethan Gedult, Megan Doyle and Sanja du Plessis, were pitted against the top Grade 12 learners of schools from all over the Eastern Cape.

To start, the learners first had to write a preliminary multiple-choice question test individually.  The learners performed very well in this round and based on the aggregate score of their written tests, Union was announced as one of the top five schools in the Gold category that would be competing during the second round of the competition, a live, on-stage oral quiz.  That afternoon, the Union learners then competed as a team against the four other teams on the auditorium’s stage in front of an audience and a panel of judges.  After a nervous start, the team gained momentum and finished third overall, winning R550 for the school.

The school congratulates these learners on their stellar effort!

Bulletin

Spreading Joy with Toys

On Friday afternoon, 17 May, a group of Union learners paid a visit to the Sonstraal Educare Centre, an early childhood development centre located in Santaville, Graaff-Reinet.

The purpose of the visit was to hand over a mountain of toys collected through Union’s recent toy drive. …

Initiated by Mrs. Elaine Stanley, the project was launched earlier this year as one of the school’s Centenary projects and was aimed at alleviating the plight of this centre which cares for 45 children between the ages of 2 and 5, with minimal funding.

With the assistance of Ms. Jenny Street, this joint effort by the Union Prep School and Union High School’s Junior Department turned into a huge success with hundreds of toys being collected over the past couple of months.

Angeline Adams, who works at the centre, said the donation will go a long way in improving the lives of the children and that the kids cannot wait to play with their new toys.

The school would like to thank all the parents who donated so generously, the learners for all their efforts in collecting the toys and the community for assisting them in this endeavour.

• The Sonstraal Educare Centre is a non-profit organisation largely dependent on donations. Anyone wanting to assist or who would like to find out more about this centre can visit their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sonstraal-Education-Centre-1098366290216090/