On Friday, our Grade 11s (incoming Matric Class of 2025) revealed their banner. This is a longstanding tradition, where the banner was created as a Grade during their leadership sessions at their Grade 11 Leadership Camp.
The values the group chose, that they aspire towards are: Gratitude | Love | Unity | Discipline.
Unity
One thing that all the Grade 11s can say is that we value the close bonds that we share. As a grade we are able to support each other and treat one another as family. Therefore we felt that it was fitting to choose one of our core values to be the word unity.
The dictionary definition of unity is “the state of being united or joined as a whole.” With choosing this word we would like to ignite the flame of unity throughout the school so that each and every student can feel a sense of belonging and significance as we form part of a greater community.
The placement of the word inside of the logs symbolizes the fuel of a fire burning with passion. Emphasizing the fact that the more unity we possess, the greater passion we have to grow closer to one another.
With this passion inside of us, the more united we are, but what is unity without love?
Discipline
One of the four core values that we chose as a grade is Discipline, and I don’t mean corporal pumishment, naughty corner type discipline. Our grade is incredibly diligent when it comes to academics and this has been pointed out by many teachers too. But not only do we apply ourselves to our academics but we also participate in many sporting and cultural activities. I think as a grade we have recognised the importance of living a balanced school life and that has resulted in our consistent pursuit of excellence in all that we do. That is why we chose to put discipline on a stone below the fire, as it represents that discipline is part of our foundation as a grade and as a result of discipline we can achieve great things. But we all know that staying disciplined is not easy, so we wanted to choose the word discipline, not only as a reflection of the values we already embody, but also as a reminder to remain disciplined and consistent throughout our matric year and hopefully, encourage you, the rest of the school to be hard-working and filled with integrity.
Gratitude
Gratitude is represented as a part of our banner by the hands surrounding the fire and the overarching word in the sunset. Recognising the blessings we have been given is the foundation of leading a prosperous life. Before we fixate on what we want, it is essential to recognise what we already have. This is why gratitude lies at the top of our banner-it encapsulates all that we do. It is a value that resonates deeply within our grade and was a key focus during our leadership camp, where we learned that gratitude is one of the core pillars of mental health. Gratitude transforms whatever we have into a sense of abundance. It goes beyond simply saying “thank you”; it shifts our entire perspective of the world around us. And as a school with a strong Christian ethos, this value aligns with our beliefs. The Bible teaches us, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.” Gratitude is an attitude and our grade recognises the opportunities we have been presented with, namely the school we are in and the valuable bonds we share with our classmates. As a grade, we strive to cultivate thankful hearts, which in turn open our eyes to the countless blessings surrounding us every day, and thus gratitude has become an integral part of our grade and banner.
Love
While most Matrics typically choose just three values, the Grade 12 Class of 2025 will always be remembered for going the extra mile. We simply couldn’t complete our banner without adding the word “love”, represented by the large bonfire. Our grade truly embodies this value every day. We greet each other with warm hugs and joyful smiles, and the bond we share is genuine. Whenever someone needs a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear, we are there for one another. However, our love extends beyond just our classmates, it reaches our entire school community: the pupils, our teachers, the ground staff, and everyone who makes Cannons the beautifully caring place that it is. Just as it binds our grade, love is the thread that ties our values together. Our love for eachother allows us to remain grateful for the collection of blessings that is the Class of 2025. Our love for our school keeps us disciplined and motivates us to always give our best. And ultimately, the love we share keeps us united as one body, ready to lead the school next year. The love within our grade is not just a feeling—it’s a force that shapes our identity. To all the soon to be matrics, thank you for creating this beautiful expression of who we are. Together, let us step forward with love as our guiding light, ready to embrace each other, the challenges and the triumphs that lie ahead. Let’s make our Matric year a great one.
Words: Molly de Witt, Shahaan Ho-Kim, Reese Rumble, and Scott Wilkins (Grade 11).