Bulletin, Student Life

Matrics 2020 – Jerusalema Dance Challenge

Union High School’s Grade 12s recently participated in the trending Jerusalema Dance Challenge.
The aim of the challenge, which has taken SA by storm, is to spread much-needed positivity amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“As young people in this difficult time, we are faced with many challenges, and the aim was to boost morale and get active in a fun way,” said Union High School’s Headgirl, Sakhe Booi.
She explained that the dance challenge can take place even with participants observing social distancing and wearing masks.
“The aim was to remind our fellow learners that although we have to keep each other at a distance, we are closer than we have ever been as a school family,” Sakhe said.
“We would like to challenge all businesses, institutions and schools in Graaff-Reinet to take up the Jerusalema Dance Challenge,” said Sakhe.
Bulletin, Student Life

“𝐍𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲.”

“𝐍𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲.” ― 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞

A Grade 6 learner at Union High School deserves to be praised for her honesty after she made sure that a plastic bank bag, containing a substantial amount of money, was returned to its rightful owner.

On Monday afternoon, 10 February, Lisakhanya Menos noticed a small package on the ground while busy with her extracurriculars on the Union High School campus.

This little package turned out to be a small bank bag, filled with money.

While some would have called it their lucky day, pocketed the cash and not thought twice about it, Lisakhanya rescued the little package and then dutifully turned the money over to Mrs Yvette Cloete.

The money soon made its way back to its owner – one of the school’s teachers, who reported having lost it earlier.

Lisakhanya set a great example of doing the right thing even when no one is watching. It is acts of honesty and civic duty like this that replenishes faith in the good-hearted nature of our learners.

Well done, Lisakhanya!

Bulletin, Student Life

Valentine’s Day @ UHS

Oh, we’re definitely feeling the love today 😍

Union High School’s MF committee members worked tirelessly this Valentine’s Day to raise funds for the 2020 Matric Farewell.

We’re thrilled to report that the school’s learners really supported their Valentine’s Day efforts, with children from every grade buying roses and cupcakes for the ones they admire.

Bulletin, Student Life

Gr 8 Learners Receive Bibles

Grade 8 learners at Union High School had the privilege today of becoming recipients of Gideons Bibles.

The learners were honoured with the Bibles early this morning, Tuesday, 11 February, when Mr Johan Botha and his wife, René, representatives of The Gideons International in South Africa visited the school.

Mr Johan Botha had the privilege of being able to present a Bible to his eldest grandson, Hugo, currently a Grade 8 learner at the school.
Bulletin, Student Life

Prefects Treated In Nieu-Bethesda

Since their induction as prefects, Union’s new learner leaders have been great ambassadors for the school, showing tremendous commitment to UHS and to their respective duties as prefects.

As the year starts to take hold in earnest, the prefects were treated to a laid-back 24-hours in Nieu-Bethesda, during which they relaxed in each other’s company, played some fierce Monopoly, relished in the sound of rain on a tin roof, engaged in 1-bounce and relay tennis, enjoyed delicious pizza at a local restaurant and generally got to know each other better on an informal basis.

We hope the prefects are feeling energised and ready for all that lies ahead in 2020 and wish them all the best in exercising their duties this year.

Onwards and upwards!

Bulletin, Student Life

Encantado De Conocerte, Sofia!

Last week, Union High School had a very special visitor.

Sofia Savage, the daughter of Old Unionite Gary Savage (Class of ’96) who currently resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was given the opportunity to attend lessons at Union during their visit to South Africa.

Although the original idea was for Sofia to visit the school for a day, she enjoyed herself so much, that she decided to spend the entire week at the school.

Sofia used the opportunity to immerse herself in the Union culture and to experience the world from a different viewpoint.

It was a pleasure having you here Sofia! We hope you’ll remember your time at Union fondly!

• Sofia (left) is seen here with one of her Union Grade 9 classmates, Caitrin Spence.

Bulletin, Student Life

Gr 8 Orientation Camp

A great way to start the year!

Union High School’s Grade 8s started their year with a fantastic orientation camp.

The aim of this camp is not only to promote positive interaction among the Grade 8 group but also to establish a relationship of mutual respect and collaboration between the Grade 8s and the school’s prefects.

So, on Wednesday morning, 22 January, the excited Grade 8s – accompanied by the guides from the Camdeboo National Park, Union staff members and school prefects – set off on a fun hike in wonderful weather through the scenic Camdeboo National Park, all the way to the park’s Environmental Education Centre.

Here, the Grade 8s enjoyed lunch after which they engaged in activities with the park’s educational team and then tackled a series of specially designed tasks that facilitated them working together as a grade and co-operating with the senior mentoring system in the school.

This was an excellent opportunity for the senior leaders of the school to get to know their younger charges.

The learners seemed to have a lot of fun while creating a lot of happy memories of this exciting phase of their schooling.

Although completely exhausted, the Grade 8s arrived back on campus on Thursday, 23 January, prepped, excited and ready to embark on the journey of being a senior at Union High School.

Academic, Bulletin, Student Life

Gr 9s Learn About Contours

In Social Sciences yesterday (Tuesday, 21 January), Union’s Grade 9s discovered for themselves how the concept of contours is applied.

After drawing the contour lines onto their ‘butternut mountains’ using increasing water levels for accuracy, it became clear to them how contours are an ingenious tool to describe the physical landscape on maps.

The butternuts were made into a hearty soup afterwards!

 

Bulletin, Student Life

Last Matric To Finish

Union’s 2019 Headgirl Jenna Mcnaughton, who wrote Music P1 and Music P2 on Wednesday, 27 November, is officially the last Union matric to finish this year’s Grade 12 NSC examination.

Not to be outdone, Jenna also kicked off her shoes at the Bruce Maree Gates, adding to the heap of shoes already donated by the rest of her matriculating classmates yesterday.

Read more here: http://www.unionschools.co.za/2019/11/27/matrics-donate-shoes/