Class of 2017

Dear Matrics of 2017,

I have spent many hours reflecting on our journey. You were all so small and so expectant of the journey which lay ahead in the high school.

In Class 9 you embarked on an industrial camp. It was our first outing as a combined class. For Class 9b you were with your first class guardian Miss Kuria. For many this was a tough call. Not only was the work rigorous but the conditions were challenging to say the very least. You discovered your limits, your strengths, your boundaries, your talents. You discovered how you reacted to your peers as well as to yourselves when faced with extreme conditions and when you are out of your comfort zone.

In class 10 you completed your community project in KwaZulu Natal this time with Mr. Mac. What an amazing experience we had working in that After Care facility. We created a wonderful dragon out of tyres and paint. We spent wonderful early mornings watching the sun rise –initiated by Mr. Mac, of course! This experience taught us about the gift of giving. We felt good having done something for those less privileged.

For our Class 11 play it was not enough to do a mere scripted play – we embarked on the difficult path of workshopped theatre. As if this was not enough for us – given the vast difference in the personalities of the two groups – we workshopped two completely different genres and themes and successfully wove it into one. I was amazed at the maturity of both groups, the ability to find compromises and the co-operation and respect you showed for one another. I think perhaps we as teachers had the harder task of compromising with four egos! All in all a job well done.

We pioneered a new addition to the Waldorf Curriculum – the Parzival camp. We hiked, heard of Parzival’s adventures, challenged ourselves to our limits, swam in sparkling clear pools and had lots of time engaging with our friends. Class 11b had to say farewell to Mr. Mac but what an ending.

Then I took you all on as one class. I know that there was trepidation from many but at least we knew one another quite well. It has been a wonderful journey. You have truly encountered the essence of Ubuntu. Class 11 b each guardian has brought gifts to you and although you have had to deal with changes I am impressed with the flexibility and maturity with which you coped.

Class 12 brought new challenges and you had to focus on academic achievement and your personal goals for your life. Here we were joined by Mrs. Godlonton and Meneer who have supported you through this year and the immense challenges that a matric year brings. We have witnessed your personal growth into adulthood and all of us are very proud. We, as guardians, wish you well for your chosen careers as you begin the next chapter in your lives. Dear Class 12 we have laughed together, we have played together, we have worked together, and, yes, we have fought with one another but I will always cherish the years we have journeyed together. As a class you have taught us an immense amount about life and myself and we thank you for that. It is through human encounter that we grow as human beings.