Biathlon, Student Life

Learners Add Colour to Middle Street

On Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, 3 and 4 March, a few of Union’s learners enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime experience of working alongside renowned artist, Michรจlle Nigrini, while creating a massive work of art in Middle Street.
Their eye-catching mural was created to celebrate the unique immersion of colour, collaboration and creative interaction of two simultaneous art exhibitions in Graaff-Reinet, which opened to the public on Friday, 5 March.
The first exhibition, ‘In Conversation with Colour Symphony’, is being housed at the Jan Rupert Art Centre in Middle Street and is a group exhibition comprised of over 40 artworks.
The second exhibition, ‘Outside In’, is a solo exhibition by Nigrini, and is being housed in Church Street, at the Imibala Gallery.
Both exhibitions are centred around Nigrini’s extraordinary installation, ‘Colour Symphony’, which was moved from the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch to the Jan Rupert Art Centre in Graaff-Reinet for this event.
Union High School extends its thanks to the Jan Rupert Art Centre and to artist Michรจlle Nigrini for involving the learners in this project and invite the public to view their finished mural in Middle Street.
Bulletin, Student Life

Prefects Get Together

On Thursday evening, 18 February, Union High School’s 2021 prefect body enjoyed an informal get-together at the Tony Burrell Union.
They spent their evening discussing their duties and responsibilities as prefects, having fun together during the various team-building activities and enjoying a delicious build-a-burger dinner.
The evening brought all of the prefects closer together and helped them to focus on a shared vision for this year.
The team of prefects look forward to working together with staff and learners in 2021!
Bulletin, Student Life

Special Welcome To Grade 5s

On Monday and Tuesday morning, the first days of school for our Group A and Group B learners respectively, Union High School’s head prefects made the extra effort to personally welcome Union’s new Grade 5s to the school.
The learners were introduced to the prefects, after which they were all presented with a little card. The purpose of the activity was to help the new learners feel welcome and part of the school community.
Bulletin, Student Life

Welcome Back!

๐—ช๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฒ ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ธ!
Our head prefects for 2021, Hannah Watermeyer and Kyle-Luke du Preez, have put together a short video to welcome their fellow learners back to school for the 2021 academic year.
We invite you to watch the clip by clicking on the accompanying link.
Union High School thanks them for this special gesture and wish them well as they embark on the final stretch of their high school journey!
Bulletin, Student Life

Valedictory 2021

“๐˜ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฃ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฌ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ง๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ. ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜บ.” – ๐—ž๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฟ
This has not been an easy year for the Class of 2020.ย  It was, therefore, especially heartwarming to witness our matrics carry out some of the traditions of school leavers at Union High School after their exam session this morning, Friday, 11 December.
Valedictory is a very special event for our matrics – in particular the ringing of the Centenary Bell which signifies the end of their high school careers.
Grade 12s, your journey at Union may be coming to an end, but know this: you will forever be part of the Union family!
We wish you, our Matric Class, all the best as you embark on the next exciting chapter of your lives.
Take responsibility for your own life, determine your priorities and persevere when life is difficult. Go forward with pride and courage, knowing that your time at Union High School has prepared you well for wherever your lives may take you.
Follow the link to view more photographs:
Bulletin, Student Life

AWSUM Couch with UHS Head Girl

Union High Schoolโ€™s Head Girl for 2021, Hannah Watermeyer, was invited to the AWSUM Couch to talk about what it means to be a leader at our school.

Follow the link to read her interview:

https://www.awsumnews.co.za/regions/eastern-cape/eastern-cape-towns/union-high-school/on-the-awsum-couch-with-union-high-school-graaff-reinettes-head-girl-for-2021/?fbclid=IwAR1mse6az48cDAO75OMvKW1pNZZ9mCOqRQjJv_8o75RAIva9_1pvrVj82tU

 

Bulletin, Student Life

AWSUM Couch with UHS Head Boy

Union High School’s Head Boy for 2021, Kyle-Luke du Preez, was invited to the AWSUM Couch to talk about what it means to be a leader at our school.
Follow the link to read his interview:

https://www.awsumnews.co.za/regions/eastern-cape/eastern-cape-towns/union-high-school/on-the-awsum-couch-with-union-high-school-graaff-reinetts-head-boy-for-2021/?fbclid=IwAR3K_WGkWYQP-wX6F49bJdawkrZrkHKdHqdsmBYMAKDhC1b-iXxCyodM8Ww

 

Bulletin, Student Life

Head Prefects 2021 Announced

Union High School is delighted to announce our head prefects for 2020/21.
They are Kyle-Luke du Preez (Head Boy), Hannah Watermeyer (Head Girl), James Pienaar (Deputy Head Boy) and Amzolele Relu (Deputy Head Girl).
We wish them all the best for their year of leadership and servitude and know that they will do their school proud!
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our 2019/20 prefects, who have done a wonderful job as ambassadors of the school this year, and in particular, have continued to raise spirits during a most unusual time in our schoolโ€™s history. They are Somila Batala, Jaden Brotherton, Matthew Hesselink, Katherine Imrie, William Kayster, Sara Kingwill, Lauren Rose-Innes, Mack Rubidge, Jade Shires, Buchule Siloti, Benito Vers, Deger Williams, Laetitia Theron (Deputy Head Girl), Bowen Langmead (Head Boy), Sakhe Booi (Head Girl), Brett Amsterdam (Deputy Head Boy).
Bulletin, Student Life

A – 10 Dinner 2020

When the bell rang on their first day of school back in 2009, they could never have imagined what would take place over the next 12 years.
As the Winnie The Pooh quote goes, “We didnโ€™t realise we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun”.
In a year where our matric learners experienced disenfranchised grief, a loss of so much that they should have experienced, Union Preparatory School was privileged to uphold the tradition of hosting the annual A to 10 Dinner, albeit a bit differently, this year.
What would traditionally have been a formal sit-down dinner for the learners who have been at Union since Grade 1, some even as long as their pre-primary years, was this year turned into a special โ€˜drive-throughโ€™ on Monday evening, 9 November, to ensure that all safety concerns regarding Covid-19 were adhered to.
This didnโ€™t mean that it was any less special. Dressed to the nines, the Grade 12 learners received a warm welcome at the gates to the school, were a special personalised number plate featuring the matric learnerโ€™s name was affixed to every car.
The learners and their parents could then stop to take

UPS principal Ms Belinda Botha with Mr Johnny Swartz.

photos at any of the many photo corners lining the schoolโ€™s drive, after which they received an envelope filled with messages and drawings made especially for them by Union Prep Schoolโ€™s little learners.

They then received a beautifully-prepared three-course meal to enjoy at home with their parents.
โ€œThis event is a very special occasion for those learners and their parents alike who have been on the entirety of their Union journey together. Union Preparatory, as a school, is thankful that we were still able to find a way to celebrate this special milestone,โ€ said the schoolโ€™s principal, Ms Belinda Botha.
โ€œWe applaud our matrics for pushing through their loss and for applying themselves to their studies this year. It is hard to believe that in a few short weeks, they will be leaving Union. We wish them well as they head into their matric final examinations.โ€
Bulletin, Student Life

UHS Leaders 2021

“๐˜Ž๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ด ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ต ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ต ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ. ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜บ ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ต ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ง๐˜ง๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ. ๐˜๐˜ตโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ โ€“ ๐˜๐˜ตโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜บ๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ข๐˜ญ.” – ๐—Ÿ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฎ ๐—›๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ต๐—ฎ
Earlier today, Thursday, 8 October, Union High School had the privilege of announcing the school’s prefect body for 2020/21. They are (in alphabetical order):
Catelyn Anthony, Kyle-Luke du Preez, Petra Japhta, Thando Matotie, Soyama Mbetshu, Primrose Mutapati, Lungile Netnou, Rogan Odendaal, James Pienaar, James Pringle, Amzolele Relu, Kaydn Retief, James Rose-Innes, Melissa Swart, Mihlali Tyanase, Martin van den Berg and Hannah Watermeyer.
May you serve the school with pride and dignity.
BOYS
Back: Kyle-Luke du Preez, James Pringle, James Rose-Innes and Rogan Odendaal. Front: Martin van den Berg, Thando Matotie, James Pienaar and Mihlali Tyanase
GIRLS
Back: Amzolele Relu, Hannah Watermeyer, Kaydn Retief and Melissa Swart. Front: Catelyn Anthony, Petra Japhta, Lungile Netnou and Soyama Mbetshu. Absent (inset): Primrose Mutapati.
Boarding House Prefects
Union High School also announced the school’s boarding house prefects for 2020/21 earlier today (Thursday, 8 October).
These learners were elected by their fellow boarders to provide them with leadership and guidance during the upcoming year.
They are (in alphabetical order): Thando Matotie, Soyama Mbetshu (Deputy Head Girl), Litha Mngoma, Primrose Mutapati (Head Girl),ย Jarrod Naude, Michael-Joe Newton, James Pienaar (Deputy Head Boy), Kaydn Retief, Kelly-Page Scott, Martin van den Berg (Head Boy) and Hannah Watermeyer.

 

AKH PREFECTS

Back: Jarrod Naude, Thando Matotie and Michael-Joe Newton. Front: Martin van den Berg (Head Boy) and James Pienaar (Deputy Head Boy).

 

HAH PREFECTS

Back:ย  Hannah Watermeyerย and Kaydn Retief.ย  Middle:ย  Litha Mngoma.ย  Front:ย  Kelly-Page Scott and Soyama Mbetshu (Deputy Head Girl). Absent (inset):ย  Primrose Mutapati (Head Girl)