The Grade 5s have the opportunity every year to participate in the Learn2Lead programme. The purpose of the programme is to:
- Foster the development of leadership skills by providing opportunities for individuals to take meaningful initiative that positively impacts their own lives and those of others.
- Uphold and demonstrate the values of our school through service, role modelling, and active contribution to both the school and the wider community in a generous, open, and sincere manner.
- Support personal growth and development by setting and achieving attainable goals.
Requirements: Over the course of a year, the pupils are required to meet certain criteria in 4 categories.
SERVICE: 20 hours of Community Service
Atiya: I played piano for the elderly at Pinelands Grove Retirement Village which was fun. I also chatted to some people and they were happy to have younger company. My grandma was proud to show me off to all of her friends which was a bit awkward.
Emily: I liked to also play music at Pinelands Grove because it was lovely giving them background music for their Scrabble games.
Scarlett and Charlie: On Mandela Day (18 July), we packed oranges for the less fortunate through an event organised by FoodForward SA.
Ron: Beach cleanup.
Liam: I ran a Lemonade stand at the NGK Kuiermark. I liked selling Lemonade. I was proud of my stand, my bottles and the Lemonade. I really enjoyed talking to all the people and knowing all the money would go to charity. I also folded 200 crosses for Palm Sunday at Christ The King Church.
Milnerton Beach cleanup – TrashBash
Making sandwiches for Ladles of Love
Woof – many hours were spent by an amazing number of the Grade 5s who volunteered at this dog adoption centre.
A new initiative this year was that the Grade 5s adopted Poplar Park in Pinelands, through the Open Spaces, PRRA. On their first visit to the park they noticed that the jungle gym was in a state of disrepair. One pupil showed initiative and offered to donate her unused jungle gym. Through the generosity of this family, and their interaction with the PRRA, this led to a new and used jungle gym being attached to the original one in the park, which has also been revamped. We left kindness messages on stones, planted daisy seeds, did litter clean-ups and were generally proud custodians of our park!
ORGANISATIONAL EVENT or ACTIVITY
To complete the programme, each pupil has to organise an event or activity. Camping trips were planned, as well as many birthday parties for younger siblings and cousins.
Caleb: I organised an Easter Egg hunt for my family.
Eli: Over several weeks, I made kitchen cupboards with my dad for my Uncle’s flat. My dad helped me use tools such as drills and screwdrivers, and how to properly use a tape measure. He also taught me how to assemble the units.
Sophie: I organised a collection for the SPCA where I had a table set up at Howard Centre. I also collected items from people’s homes if they couldn’t come to Howard Centre. I designed a poster and wrote a message explaining the collection. I had to be friendly to get people to come to my table to donate. I had to go to the Help Desk at Howard Centre and find the right person to speak to. I had to thank everyone who donated.
Amy: I pledged my own Santa Shoebox.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Jade: I went to the gym with my dad who is a personal trainer, and I used the machines that are designated for my age group.
Ron: At the beginning of the year, I had my first surfing lesson in Hermanus. It was difficult because the sea was very rough! With the instructor’s help, I stood up once or twice.
MASTER A NEW SKILL
Gabriel: My mom took me to some Orienteering races where I had to navigate our way on a map. We completed the races as follows – Fish Hoek (56 minutes, 3.8km), !Khwa ttu (99 minutes, 5.25km), Plaisir Wine Farm (92 minutes, 7km), and Clovelly Golf Course (73 minutes, 3.1km).
Emily: For three months my mom taught me how to make different types of candles for our own kitchen. She taught me how to make scented, normal, and even coloured candles!
Jade: I haven’t mastered it, but I can probably handle a basic conversation in French thanks to Duolingo. My best lesson was when I got everything right in 59 seconds!
Isla: I went to piano lessons with Mrs Stiller once a week at school and practised every day at home. It took me almost the whole year to master this skill and I’m still learning because there is always room to improve.
Shammah: My mom (and the recipe book) taught me how to bake scones by myself!
As a group, the Grade 5s pledged 10 boxes for the Santa Shoebox project. Lessons in organising, asking teachers for contributions, working out the shoebox size, as well as suitable toothpaste for certain age groups, have all been invaluable life lessons. Most importantly is the powerful feeling of giving and contributing to an amazing nationwide project.
