Deeply rooted in Union High School’s history, is a culture of caring and a sense of social responsibility.
It is therefore only fitting that the end of a Union High learner’s journey is marked by a final act of service.
Continuing a tradition that has been practised for several years now, many learners of the Class of 2019, after having completed their final exam today, left their school shoes behind to be donated to those less fortunate.
At the end of the third term, Union High School launched a Trolley Dash fundraiser in partnership with the local Pick n Pay.
Hundreds of raffle tickets were sold over the following months and on Friday afternoon, November 15, the three lucky winners were announced.
This afternoon (Sunday, 17 November) at 17:00, the three winners, Zaré Grobler (3-minute dash), Phillida Kingwill (2-minute dash) and James Rose-Innes (1-minute dash) gathered at Pick n Pay to take part in the trolley dash.
The winners were joined by Mrs Lou-Anne Gerber’s very excited Grade 6G class and their parents. The Grade 6G class sold the most raffle tickets and were therefore invited to join in the fun!
With the encouragement of the Grade 6 class, winners were running through the aisles of Pick n Pay, filling their trolleys with whatever their heart desired.
After checkout, the winners made off with an array of goodies including giant boxes of Lindt chocolates, specialty coffees and meat.
Cheryl Waddelow from Pick n Pay then also allowed Mrs Gerber, class teacher of the Grade 6Gs, with the very excited encouragement of her class, to have a 30-second dash for an end-of-year class party.
Eats and drinks were also offered to all who attended.
Union High School wishes to thank Pick n Pay for their generosity in sponsoring this fundraiser.
It was great fun for all involved!
As Graaff-Reinet finds itself facing a crippling water crisis, Union High School is another step closer to achieving water security for the school and its boarding houses.
The regular water interruptions that the town has been subjected to lately, meant that the school often found itself without water.
With hundreds of learners in its care, the situation proved to be unacceptable.
With the support of the Union High School Development Trust, plans were made to develop and secure alternative water sources to augment the supply to the school and its boarding houses.
After a viable groundwater source was confirmed at the back of Herby Arnott House, a borehole was commissioned, and after R&D Drilling successfully sank a borehole, water was struck on Monday afternoon, 11 November, at 60m which is delivering a good blow yield of 15 000l/hour.
The yield from this borehole should be sufficient to supply the school and its boarding houses with water, putting a stop to water shortages at the school.
Union is also in the process of cleaning and fitting PVC sleeves to the existing borehole at Arthur Kingwill House.
Union is very pleased to be in a position which will soon see us break the school’s dependency on the municipal water supply.
An added benefit of the borehole, is that the water usage of the school and its boarding houses will now be much more cost-effective, making it more affordable for the school, and in the end, the school’s parents.
Union extends its thanks to the Union High School Development Trust, with Mr Derek Light at the helm, as well as to Danie Verwey of R&D Drilling.
Our sincere gratitude is also extended to Mr Kallie Venter and Mr Mark Hudson for their support, assistance and enormous efforts in this regard.
https://www.facebook.com/unionhighschool/videos/447090689279714/
Mr Floris Steenkamp, Union’s Junior Sports Administrator, has been selected to serve as the coach of the u/12 Karoo cricket team.
He will be accompanying the team when they participate in the annual u/12 Rural Cricket Festival in Port Elizabeth from 29 November to 1 December.
As announced last month, nine Union cricketers were selected for the team. They are Shaakir Kazi, Makukhanye de Beer, Matthew Paxton, Xavier Barlow, Kananelo Kometsi, Yaseen Kazi, Neelon Fourie, Daniel Marais and Yonela Wana.
We extend our best wishes to Mr Steenkamp who we know will leave no stone unturned in ensuring his team is well prepared.
Almost 101 years ago, at 11 am on 11 November 1918, an armistice was signed to bring World War I to an end.
Every year, as this date nears, Union High School commemorates the lives lost in “the Great War”, and the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, by observing Remembrance Day.
This year was no exception with the learners, staff and special guests gathering in the quad on Friday, 1 November, for a special Remembrance Day Service.
The Ven. Dr Mark Marais led the devotions, after which the Headmaster, Mr William Pringle, spoke about the significance of the day, highlighting the importance of Remembrance Day in “showing respect for those who were willing to serve their country and, if need be, to make the ultimate sacrifice so that we who are here now can have the life that we know”.
Two bugle calls, the ‘Last Post’ and ‘The Reveille’ were then played by Mr Charles Maasdorp, Union’s Head Boy of 1951, while Mr Hanno Sparrius lowered and raised the national flag.
The Last Post is a bugle call that has been incorporated into military funerals where it is played as a final farewell, symbolising the fact that the duty of the dead soldier is over and that they can rest in peace, while ‘The Reveille’, is a call that marks the beginning of each day to wake up soldiers. The two tunes symbolise sunset and sunrise respectively, and in the context of this occasion, they symbolise death, but more importantly a promise of resurrection.
The Union High School Roll of Honour was then read aloud by Mr Sparrius, to remember the Old Unionites who perished in valiant struggles “for hearth and home”.
Other traditions that were observed included a minute of silence for reflection and the laying of wreaths by the school’s Head Prefects, Sakhe Booi and Bowen Langmead, as well as by Mr John Crankshaw, on behalf of the Old Unionite Association.
Congratulations to Mr Sean Koeberg (left) who has been tasked with managing the EP Midlands u/17 cricket team that will participate in Cricket South Africa’s National Rural Week 2019.
In addition to this, we also extend our congratulations to Union’s Senior Sports Administrator, Mr Raymond Hamilton (right), who has been asked to serve as the team’s assistant coach.
Union wishes them everything of the best in preparing the team for its campaign. We trust that they will do a sterling job and that the team will go from strength to strength under their guidance.
The National Week will take place from 10 to 14 December 2019 at Kearnsney College, Durban.
Fifty Union High School Grade 5s recently enjoyed a great reward outing to the farm Slingersfontein, as well as to the biggest inland water mass in the country, the Gariep Dam.
After departing from school early Monday morning, 28 October, the group first made a pitstop at the home of Barry and Suzette Norval, where the children played on the zipline, jumping castle, trampoline, swings and various other play equipment.
After all their pent-up energy had been spent, they journeyed forth to Slingersfontein. Upon arrival at the farm, the group were first taught how a windmill works and is maintained, after which Mr Anthony Murray spoke to the learners about the Boer War as well as the Slingersfontein farm’s pivotal role in it and then proceeded to show the children where the British had made camp during that time.
The group then hiked to the area where New Zealand soldiers had laid down their lives and viewed the monument erected in their honour. Mr Murray then shared his collection of war artefacts, explaining to the children in detail what each item was. Yaseen Kazi was then given the exciting opportunity to ignite a small quantity of gunpowder.
The learners loved hearing about the war and found it most interesting. They also perused the farm’s collection of animal skulls and tried to identify which animals they’d been.
The ladies of the farm prepared a tasty lunch of mince and vetkoek and juice for all the hungry youths, after which the group continued their journey to the Gariep Dam’s Forever Resort. Upon arrival at the campsite, gale force winds made the pitching of the tents quite difficult, but, with the help of kind and caring parents, the job got done with all the kids being taught a valuable lesson about perseverance!
When camp was established, all the kids enjoyed free play time of their choice. The night was cold and windy, but in the morning everyone experienced a genuine appreciation for their warm and comfortable beds and homes. Having survived the harsh conditions, the learners are definitely stronger for the experience.
A tour where the learners got to explore some of the13km of passages and halls within the Gariep Dam’s wall, was very interesting and informative. The children were amazed to learn that it took six years, from 1966 and 1972, to construct the dam.
The excursion concluded with lunch at the Colesberg Wimpy. Needless to say, the busses were much quieter on the return trip, as most children used the time to catch up on lost sleep.
Union extends its thanks to Zanel and Anthony Murray, as well as Barry and Suzette Norval, for their wonderful hospitality and assistance. The school also extends its thanks to the Forever Resort as well as to the officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation for their excellent service while touring the wall.
On Friday, 25 October, a caring group of Union Eco Clubbers visited the Graaff-Reinet SPCA.
Here, the learners were given a tour of the property, where they not only got to feed the animals but were also able to give them much-needed love and attention.
The visit proved to be a very enriching experience for the learners and Union extends its thanks to SPCA field worker Jean-Heinrich Pieterse whose love for animals is evident in his caring ways.
This past Saturday morning (26 October), some of Union’s Arthur Kingwill House boarders, joined the hostel’s superintendent, Mr Donald Kingwill, his wife Alet, and daughter Ingrid, in participating in the local Assembly Church’s ‘Dam Day’ initiative.
The boarders were just some of the many members of the Union community who were among the 612 locals who supported this venture which sought to clear the Nqweba Dam of dead fish and litter.
At the end of the day’s efforts, a total of 36 625 fish were picked up!
Union congratulates the Assembly Church on this very successful community project and extends its thanks to all those from the Union community who rolled up their sleeves to support them!
Yesterday afternoon (Thursday, 24 October) Union High School’s Art Club travelled to Aberdeen for their final outing of the year. Once there, they visited the studio of local artists Marguerite Benecke. Mrs Benecke is a contemporary warm glass artist, who creates paintings and textures in glass.
The group was treated to a tour of her gallery and her studio where she showed them some of the many techniques she has mastered over the years. She graciously answered all of their questions, of which there were many, leaving the learners in awe of what she can produce using glass, enamel paint and a massive kiln!
Union extends its thanks to Mrs Benecke for her time, as well as her generosity!
Learner Babalwa Lewis was the lucky recipient of a beautiful piece of art signed by the artist.