By Jackie Clausen, Kingswood College
Mandela Day saw Kingswood College pupils and staff moving into the community to make a difference. They made use of the day to strengthen relationships with the community engagement partners and to celebrate the legacy of Nelson Mandela. All 406 Senior School pupils and their 56 teachers headed out into the community to clean up rivers, pack food parcels at Food4Futures, do gardening at the APD Clinic, walk dogs and clean kennels at the SPCA, and garden and put up signs at the Community Library.
Apart from this, a group headed for Home of Joy to cook lunch, organise the bookroom, and tidy up the play area. Another group painted a classroom at APD Sibanye School, while two cricket clinics were held at Grahamstown Primary and St Mary’s Schools. Coffee was served to homeless people and the Grade 10s headed to George Dickerson School to read with Grade Threes.
Spekboom was planted across the Kingswood campus, knitting was done for Lebone House and the tyre garden at Grahamstown Primary was cleaned up. Older learners took to the street at the top of African St. to fix potholes while another team sang at the Hayton Place Retirement Complex.
Other activities carried out included cooking lunch, kitchen clean up and a visit at Mckaisers Old Age Home, painting murals at Eluxolweni Shelter, a litter pickup in surrounding areas, and making beanies and soup. The school says the activities do not just take place on Mandela Day, but are part of regular community engagement activities all year round.
