THE MOONLIGHT FAMILY CARNIVAL
It began with a spark - a single flash of sequins, a solitary trail of fire weaving through the air - and grew into something magnificent - the Moonlight Family Carnival.
The clear spring afternoon began with a mask parade by the colourful and creative Grade 1 to 3’s. The various stalls run by the Grade 7 to 9’s were an immediate success and learners lined up for face painting, fishing competitions, soccer kicking and many more.
Hungry tummies were soon satisfied by the excellent fare from the tuck shop and coffee shop. Families settled down to enjoy a meal and spend time together. The excitement built as two professional fire eaters took to the stage. It was a spectacular mixture of beauty and power against the twinkling fairy lights and dark skies.
What is a carnival without dancing though? A talented dance group led learners, teachers and parents in line dancing on the basketball court. The lively, fun-filled atmosphere reflected the spirit of the day, and even more so of our school!
Well done to all the stall makers and thank you to everyone who made this day truly unforgettable.
Marieke Krynauw - Grade 11
REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE
Litter is a problem in classrooms and on the playground. At Assembly we have asked learners to ‘Pick it up’. Please encourage your child to be a good steward and place litter in the bins.
We re-cycle paper and learners are taught to put re-usable paper in Mondi bins. The new telephone directories are being handed out for 2011/12 - please send old directories for re-cycling as the funds from Mondi paper recycling is used for outreach opportunities at school.
OUTREACH
Don’t judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes…
That proverb definitely applied to The King’s School as we braved the cold and the roughness of brick and stone under our feet, having left our shoes at home. On 8 April 2011 we celebrated a Day Without Shoes, started by Toms, an organisation that has pledged to give a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair that they sell. Throughout the day it was a treat to see the drawings and decorations that people did on their feet, essentially each pair of shoeless feet became an artwork towards awareness. As a school each student also had their footprint done, the results of which have being constructed into the South African flag.
Donations went to funding the buying of a pair of school shoes and socks for fourteen needy learners from a local Primary School. Fourteen Grade 11’s accompanied the learners and went shoe shopping. It was truly a day of giving and receiving, of awareness, and of fun as learners tried on shoes and paraded for each other with much delight. Thank you to all The King’s School learners who contributed to this outreach.
Next time you spot a pair of shoes that you long to buy, remember how it would be to walk barefoot, not one, but many miles of your life.
BUILDING BRIDGES COMPETITION
The King’s School….... future bridge builders??
Grade 11 learners, Kevin MacFarlane, Stephen Teichert, Candice-Lee Lockyear and Margie Mackechnie, from The King’s School in Robin Hills, participated in the University of Witwatersrand’s annual Civil Engineering Bridge Building Competition held on 17 March.
The task was to build a bridge that could support as much weight as possible. The only materials allowed were prescribed glue and twenty five 60cm sticks which had to span a distance of 65cm. The bridge (affectionately known as Bridget) was able to support 160.6kg, which won the competition. The group is very grateful for the generous cash prize contributed by the South African Institute of Civil Engineering.
Well done…. your teachers are proud of you!
CLOTHING 4 CHILDREN DRIVE
The King’s School proves overwhelming commitment to drive positive change in SA
The learners of The King’s School in Robin Hills, Randburg have set an enviable example to all schools in South Africa by collecting an astonishing 15.7 tons of clothing in a recent Clothing 4 Children (C4C) drive. The C4C initiative, started by Schalk (17), from St John’s College, and Wim (12) Burger, from Jan Celliers Primary, aims to motivate as many schools across South Africa to open their hearts, and closets, and donate as many items of clothing as possible to disadvantaged communities.
“The response from The King’s School was phenomenal to say the least. Each learner was provided with seven C4C bags to fill with clothing, shoes, toiletries and blankets and bring the items to school on Tuesday, 15 March. As the bags started to pile up, we realised that The King’s School took thechallenge to heart and completely internalised what C4C is all about,” explains Wim.
The school’s 742 learners managed to collect a total of 2 118 bags of clothing weighing in at 15.7 tons, a record figure since the C4C initiative launched late last year at St. Johns and Jan Celliers Primary. Three learners in particular exceeded all expectations by donating an exceptional amount of items:
- Claire Williams donated 20 bags weighing in at 220kg;
- Simone Beukes donated 20 bags weighing in at 207.2kg;
- Michael Poortier donated 17 bags weighing in at 157.9kg.
“The C4C initiative personifies what The King’s School is all about, and provided the learners with the opportunity to action their belief of making a difference in the lives of those around them. We are extremely proud of each and every learner and their overwhelming commitment to drive positive change in South Africa. I don’t think that one can even begin to imagine how many lives have been impacted through their actions,” says Mrs Jenni Joubert, Principal of The King’s School.
Next on the C4C agenda is Waterkloof High School in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria and its learners are determined to break The King’s School record. Delivery day is scheduled for 22 March, 2011.
“From humble beginnings, C4C has now spiralled into a full blown CSI initiative and we’re determined to assist 13.5 million disadvantaged individuals throughout South Africa. It’s inspiring to bear witness to what the youth is capable of when acting collectively, and if The King’s School is anything to go by, our 13.5 million mark might not be that far into the future as we initially thought,” Schalk concludes.
For more information on C4C, how you can get involved and its progress to date, visit www.clothing4children.org.
DARE TO CARE
The letter below was written by Kendra Connock in Grade 7. Kendra was approached by the Endangered Wildlife Trust to become the Junior Ambassador for their “Dare to Care” campaign, and Kendra’s letter went out on their database as part of their fundraising appeal. Please consider supporting this very worthy cause as well.
All I want this year…
... is the promise that our wildlife stays where it belongs, that I inherit the natural beauty that I was born into and that you care enough to keep my favourite animals from becoming extinct.
This year, over 500 of our threatened Blue Cranes have been illegally taken out of the wild; over 200 Rhinos have been killed just for their horns; less than 400 Wild Dogs roam South African soil and over 80% of of our rivers are polluted.
At this rate, by the time I’m grown up it may already be too late for me to do anything to protect what’s left of our beautiful earth.
So I’m writing to you now, while there is still time. If we don’t do something now I may, one day, have to explain to my younger brothers and sisters (or my future children) what the wonderful mating dance of our National Bird used to look like, how Wild Dogs used to hunt and just how fast the Cheetah could run. Help me leave them with more than words.
On behalf of the millions of other children with my same dream and the future generations who are not yet able to speak for themselves, please support wildlife conservation. From the majestic Big Five to the smallest grassland species and our rivers and wetlands, please help me keep our natural heritage alive.
Support the Endangered Wildlife Trust and ensure that I am able to look forward to the life you currently enjoy. You will be giving us the greatest gift of all - the gift of wildlife. Join hands with me and the Endangered Wildlife Trust - Dare to Care with me.
Lots of Love
Kendra
Spring Day 2010
The King’s School welcomed spring with our annual Spring Day, which was overflowing in fun activities and good company.
The day began with a breakfast served by the hospitality team after which everyone gathered on the top field to witness the tug-of-war between the three houses. The Grade 1-3s were an astounding array of colour as they paraded their self-designed spring hats.
Spring Day continued with various activities, from face painting to jumping castles for the younger children, to an exhibition of the Grade 10-11 Science projects. The Drum Café brought us together, teaching us new rhythms and an appreciation of each other’s part in the world.
The day ended off with the Grade 9 plays as well as a high school social and Battle of the Bands. The bands included both current and past students. Everyone dressed up to impress and the evening was a big success.
Makro School Programme
The Makro school rebate programme rewards parents for shopping at Makro by giving a percentage of the profit from their purchases back to the school. Come and get the best deals from Makro and at the same time raise funds for your school. It’s easy to join. All you need is a Makro card, and then go to www.makro.co.za and link “The King’s School Robin Hills” to the Strubens Valley Makro store.
