The following Cultural and Winter Sport awards were presented during the Awards Assembly held on Monday morning, 19 August 2024:
Earlier today, on Monday, 19 August, Union High School, Graaff-Reinet proudly announced its 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗕𝗢𝗗𝗬 for the upcoming academic year of 2024/25.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆, 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳: Muhammad Ahmed, Xavier Barlow, Farronique Booysen, Tara Ferreira, Erin Gedult, Trystan Hulleman, Sarah Jacobs, Shaakir Kazi, Kyle Liebenberg, Daniel Marais, Kenza Neill, Milano Pongoma, Ndodana Speelman, Aaminah Steele and Uyintando Ziswana.
As these young leaders step into their roles, we remind them of the words of John Quincy Adams: “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳.” This quote encapsulates the essence of leadership – the ability to inspire and uplift those around you.
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With this new responsibility, the prefects are encouraged to serve the school with pride and dignity. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹, 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦 is more than just an annual event; it’s a tapestry woven with deep emotions, fierce competition and unforgettable memories. Every year, this special occasion seems to draw out the very best and, at times, the worst in us. But this duality is not something to be feared or resented – it’s reflection of our deep passion and unwavering commitment to our children. We cheer with all our might when they excel and we feel every stumble as if it were our own.
The intensity of our emotions during Interschools stems from a place of love, pride and an earnest desire to see our children succeed. It’s in these moments that our true selves are revealed, for better or for worse. We find ourselves in the joyous highs of victory, but also in the quiet moments of reflection after a loss.
This ebb and flow of emotions is not new. Interschools has always been this way – 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙.
INTERSCHOOLS REULTS
Senior Rugby
While Volkskool’s 1st XV may have taken home the win (22-12), it was the Union team that truly captured our hearts! You fought valiantly, showing strength and determination that exceeded all expectations. We couldn’t be more proud of you! Your passion and spirit shone brightly today!
More Results
U/13B: 17 – 17
U/13A: 5 – 5
U/14: 0 – 53
U/15: 7 – 5
U/16: 8 – 25
3rd Team: 0 – 39
2nd Team: 6 – 24
Hockey
In a thrilling chapter of Union’s storied history, the 1st team hockey girls clinched a narrow yet glorious victory over Volkskool with a score of 1 – 0 during the 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 encounter.
𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 to our champions!
More Results
U/13B: 2 – 0
U/13A: 0 – 1
U/14A: 9 – 0
U/16A: 1 – 1
2nd Team: 8 – 0
Senior Tennis
Union’s 1st girls’ team showcased their talent by winning decisively with a score of 8 – 1. The 2nd girls also performed admirably, clinching a narrow victory with a score of 5 – 4. However, the 1st boys faced a tough challenge, ending the match with a score of 1 – 8 in favour of Volkskool.
The 2nd boys and 3rd teams fought valiantly, but ultimately fell short, with scores of 2 – 7 and 2 – 7 for the 3rd girls and 3 – 6 for the 3rd boys, respectively.
Junior Tennis
The first team girls fought valiantly, narrowly losing with a score of 4-5.
The second team girls, however, shone brightly as they clinched victory with a solid 6-3 win. Kudos to them on a stellar effort!
𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝘀’ 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲. The first team boys faced a formidable challenge and, despite their best efforts, fell to their Volkskool counterparts with a score of 0-9.
The second team boys also put forth a commendable effort but ended with a score of 1-8. Both teams demonstrated great sportsmanship and tenacity and their commitment to the game is something to be proud of.
Quiz
Our quiz team put forth a stellar effort, narrowly missing out on victory in a nail-biting finale, finishing just one point shy with a score of 37-38 in the dying moments of the quiz.
Speeches
Our junior and senior speech learners also took centre stage, displaying eloquence and grace that left a lasting impression on everyone present. 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗕𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗺𝗸𝗲, 𝗝𝗼𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 (1st place) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗲 comported themselves with remarkable poise, embodying the very essence of what it means to be wonderful representatives of our school.
Chess
The high school teams (Grades 8 to 12), saw the Union 1st team lose 5-9, with the 2nd team making a clean sweep with a point tally of 14-0 in their favour, to claim an overall victory of 19-9 in the division.
Meanwhile, the Primary School teams (Grades 5 to 7) dominated the board, with the 1st team winning 10-4 and the 2nd team winning 13-1, to claim an overall win of 23-5.
Not to be outdone, the Union Preparatory School, Graaff-Reinet team (Grades 1 to 4) fought valiantly to secure an 11-9 victory, contributing to Team Union’s overall triumph.
𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝟱𝟯 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝟮𝟯 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀.
The 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗦 engaged in a fun match that showcased the lighter side of competition, facing off against the Volkskool side. In a spirited encounter, the Matric players lost 7-13, but the camaraderie shared during the games proved that 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀’ 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱!
Wishing all competitors from the Union Schools and Hoër and Laer Volkskool the best of luck.
As we engage in friendly competition, let us remember the words of John Wooden: “𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦.”
𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽!
MEET OUR 1ST TEAMS
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L to R: Joy Merifield, Charlize Vorster, Katelyn Trollip, Amy Waddelow, Sarah Jacobs, Mia Botha, Leigh-Ann Murray, Caytah-Leigh Koeberg, Sadé May (captain), Aaminah Steele, Kenza Neill, Mecoli Vorster, Amber Slater, Misha Newton, Tyra Binney and Tara Ferreira
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L to R: Trystan Hulleman, Uyanda Tele, Bulela Zonke, Ababalwe Matutu, Joshua Swartland, Peter Michaels, Makukhanye de Beer, Asemahle Sakati, Na’eem Mahomed (captain), Shaakir Kazi, Xavier Barlow, Muhammed Ahmed, Kyle Liebenberg, Christopher Nqumashe, Jayden Odendaal and Nangawethu Macanda
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Vincent Clarke, Joshua Neill, Peter-Daniel Clegg, Sobuhle Nyambali, Trystan Hope and Richard Murray
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Nadine Murray, Cayla Newton, Tara Ferreira, Caytah-Leigh Koeberg, Misha Newton, Mia Botha
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Lina Tadesse, Ben Kroon, Jasmine Abercrombie, Gerda Clarke, Stephan Vorster, Nina Japhta, Josh Arends and Kwakhanya Ntlonti. Absent: Neelon Fourie
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Na’eem Mohamed, Shaakir Khazi, Trystan Hulleman, Tara Ferreira and Erin Gedult
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Joy Merifield and Asive Dwane (seniors), as well as Amber Bezuidenhout and Zusange Phehlukwayo (juniors) will proudly represent Union in the annual Speech Competition during this year’s 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦’ week.
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BACK: Murray Hope, Midange Nazo(VC), Jordan Maritz(C), Joubert Vorster, Lukhona Bulembu, Dante Mills, Mbuso Tini and Lwandle Dali
FRONT: Khwezi Molonga, Avethandwa Jack, Natneal Wakoyo, Khazimla Jantjies, Caleb Reid, Aidan Ferreira and Ryonn Naude
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Miley Burger (Captain), Amelia King, (middle back) Klara van Jaarsveld, Kungawo Lisa, Maribel April, Hermon Wolde, Kari Stern, (middle front) Haley Krige, Chanté Bezuidenhout, Abonani Matushe, Rachel Wenham, Logan Marais, Emma Burger and Taylor Jacobs.
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Aidan Ferreira, Dante Mills, Jordan Maritz, Murray Hope, Ryonn Naudé and Joshua Kingwill
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Emily Marais, Taylor Jacobs, Miley Burger, Amelia King, Emma Burger and Lisa McEwan
Earlier this morning, Union High School, Graaff-Reinet’s primary department held its much-anticipated annual speech competition for learners in Grades 5 to 7.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 22 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴.
• In the 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘 𝟱 category, congratulations are in order for Taylor Jacobs, who triumphed with the topic “Tennis.” Joint runners-up Layla Ott, who spoke about “My Life at School,” and Kate Scott, whose topic was “Piano,” also delivered outstanding performances.
• Moving on to 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘 𝟲, Kungawo Nako emerged as the winner with a heartfelt speech on “My Mother,” while Lilly Hunter impressed the judges with her presentation on “My Favourite Sport,” earning her the runner-up position.
• The 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘 𝟳 category saw Clea Clark take the top spot with her insightful discussion on “Art,” while Chanté Bezuidenhout secured the runner-up title with her engaging speech on “Music.”
𝘼 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨, as well as to the adjudicators: Mrs Louise Vorster, Mrs Christine Nell and Mrs Tracy-Lee Chutu, who played a crucial role in evaluating the participants.
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Well done to all participants for their hard work and dedication!
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We are thrilled to announce that Mr André Human has joined Union High School, Graaff-Reinet as our new Director of Rugby.
𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘔𝘳 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘣𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦.
Mr Human has dedicated the past 17 years to the sport of rugby, working as a professional full-time coach at various levels, both nationally and internationally.
His coaching journey has taken him across South Africa, Ireland and even Uzbekistan, where he served as the National Coaching Consultant for their Rugby Federation. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺.
Beyond his coaching prowess, Mr Human also holds a qualification as a maths educator. This educational background allows him to prioritise the holistic development of our young rugby players, maintaining a healthy balance between academics, rugby and personal growth. 𝙃𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙢𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.
Notably, Mr Human’s own rugby career adds to his depth of understanding and knowledge.
He played for Stellenbosch University while pursuing his B. Comm. (Maths) degree and later competed in club rugby in Italy and France. He went on to represent the Stormers and Border Bulldogs professionally, as well as the SA Defense and SA Central Union Team.
Mr Human’s coaching journey began at high school level, where he honed his skills at Stirling High, Grens High and Dale College. He then progressed to coaching professional rugby, leading the Border Bulldogs in the Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup for five years.
His expertise also extended to coaching international sides, including Galway Corinthians RFC and Old Crescent RFC in Ireland. Most recently, he made significant contributions as the National Coaching Consultant for the Uzbekistan Rugby Federation, mentoring both men’s and women’s rugby teams in 7s and 15-a-side formats.
With an impressive rugby CV, Mr Human’s experience spans coaching schools, premier club rugby in South Africa and Ireland, as well as the Currie Cup and Super 15 Rugby. His strong understanding of schools’ rugby further enhances our programme, as he brings valuable insights and strategies to elevate our team’s performance.
𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿é 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗯𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲.
His passion, expertise and commitment to the holistic development of our young rugby players align perfectly with our school’s values.
𝘛𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥.
“𝘈 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭.” – Nelson Mandela
On Thursday, 17 July, the Union High School, Graaff-Reinet Representative Council for Learners (RCL) embodied Mandela’s wisdom by hosting an impactful event at their school hall. This gathering included guests from Hoër Volkskool, Spandau Secondary School, Nqweba Secondary School and Karel du Toit Hoërskool.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵, 𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀.
The theme for this year’s 67-minute programme was “Drug Abuse and Its Impact on Education.”
The insightful and empowering presentations aimed to equip those present with the knowledge and tools to combat drug abuse, thereby enhancing educational programmes in their schools.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨:
– 𝗗𝗿 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗛𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, an Old-Unionite, captivated the audience with a speech on the physiological impacts of drug abuse. She urged students to treat their bodies like Ferraris, emphasizing the importance of self-care.
– 𝗠𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵 offered a deeply personal perspective on the social consequences of drug abuse and the importance of making good choices. Her presentation resonated strongly with the learners, providing valuable insights.
– 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗟𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱 addressed the legal ramifications of drug abuse, highlighting its effects on families and communities, as well as the links to domestic and gender-based violence.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.
Special thanks are due to Mr Elrich Jantjies for organising this significant event and to the event’s sponsors, Karoo Meats and Deli, as well as the school’s Governing Body (SGB), for their generous support.
This week at 𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕, a wave of fun and creativity swept through as members delved into the fascinating realm of continuous line portraits. The unique twist? Swapping out the ‘sitter’ every 5 minutes added an unpredictable element to the artistic process.
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘭𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦.
One of the most enchanting aspects of the experience was observing how each artist approached the task before them. Some started with bold strokes, capturing the essence of their subject in a few swift movements. Others took a more gradual approach, allowing the portrait to emerge organically with each connected line.
Despite the fast-paced nature of the exercise, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 as participants honed their observation skills and delved deeper into the intricacies of the human form.
On Friday afternoon and evening, the Union Schools’ dedicated chess teachers organised an engaging 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗣 in the Tony Burrell Union.
The event brought together the junior and senior chess players of Union, providing them with 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚.
Throughout the bootcamp, participants delved into various chess strategies and endgame techniques, guided by experienced instructors who shared their insights and expertise.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴’ 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴.