Magazine 2018

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND AWARENESS Blood Clinics The College is a proud supporter of the Western Cape Blood Transfusion Service. The Secondary Faculty hosts quarterly blood clinics to make provision for senior learners, parents and others from the wider community to donate blood. Under the leadership of Trudy Clayden, the blood clinics are gaining popularity and we have seen a substantial increase in blood donations in recent months. Thank you to each and every person who has supported this initiative in the last year. Together, we are making a difference and saving lives. A special thank you to our faithful blood clinics peer promoters: Sarah Stewart, Blake Pittaway, Sian de Beer and Isabella Masson for all your assistance in ensuring that the blood clinics run smoothly. Mental Health Awareness Day - 13 April The Secondary Faculty hosted a mental health awareness day on Friday, 13 April. Learners were provided with practical tips to help them achieve optimal mental health and well-being. Among other positive steps, learners were encouraged to accept themselves, keep active, eat healthy food, learn new skills and ask for help when times get tough. To end the day, learners and staff attended a production called #Puppet Project that was hosted by Johan Laten from Depression 101. Johan Laten has successfully learnt to manage the illness of depression in his life. He now uses his love for the performing arts to raise awareness about depression and other mental health illnesses. In line with our theme of “conversations” for 2018, learners were encouraged to reach out and speak to someone if they are struggling or experiencing ongoing symptoms of hopelessness, anxiety or overwhelming stress. Mental health illnesses can be treated and there is always hope for those who experience inner struggles. Grade 6 - Cyber Bullying Awareness Workshop Devon Hoole, the student counsellor, facilitated a cyber-bullying awareness workshop with the Grade 6 learners at the Senior Preparatory campus on the 15th of March. The workshop looked at topics such as promoting positive digital citizenship, creating awareness about cyber-bullying and explored ways of protecting oneself against cyber- bullying. In addition, the discussions on the day aimed to equip students with the skills to be able to keep themselves and others safe, while using the Internet. Grade 7 - Workshop by Carmia Annandale from the Happy Medium Company On the 11th of June, the Grade 7 learners took part in a workshop that was facilitated by a past learner, Carmia Annandale, who now owns a coaching company called the Happy Medium. The workshop addressed issues such as bullying, responsible use of social media and the importance of treating others with respect. Learners were taught a golden rule to always treat others as they wish to be treated. Carmia made use of a useful formula to teach learners how to apply the golden rule and feeling formula to situations they encounter in everyday life. Golden Rule: Treat others how you wish to be treated Feeling formula: R X R + Think Resilience X Responsibility “Response - ability”: It is up to you how you respond to your outer world. Nobody has power over your feelings unless you give it to them. You can’t choose what happens to yourself but you can choose how you respond and how you feel. Think before you post or speak T - Is it true? H - Is it helpful? I - It is Inspiring? N - Is it Necessary? K - Is it Kind? Carmia engaged with the students in a fun and interactive way and helped them to apply the feelings formula to explore practical solutions to challenging scenarios that teenagers experience in everyday life. Learners were also empowered with techniques, teaching them how to respond assertively to situations where they are being bullied or discriminated against, both online and in real life. Many learners admitted to having treated others in ways that they were not proud of in the past and made a commitment to change. Furthermore, learners were equipped with tips on how to improve their self- esteem, subsequently increasing their personal growth and enhancing their relationships with peers. 4. Laughter is the best medicine. Take care of your mental health 166. 21st Edition