School Shopping

Growing up, did everyone not enjoy going shopping for new school supplies and if you were lucky enough, new clothes for the school year? Maybe that was just me?..Regardless, this past week I took Chadley, one of the Ubuntu Academy boys, and his mother Desiree to Silvermine Academy to do their school clothes shopping. While Silvermine Academy is a private high school and requires the students to wear uniforms, all of the high schools and primary schools in South Africa (private or public) require the students to wear school uniforms. Quite a big difference than back home in the U.S.

What's neat about Silvermine Academy is that the Principal of the school, the backbone of all school operations, is incredibly passionate about putting students in environments that suit their learning ability best. They do tests with all the students to find their best style of learning and where they are weak learning wise so that they can target each students' best learning style. They're very far ahead of the rest of the game. The amazing part though, is that so many of the Ubuntu boys like Chadley who are going to Silvermine Academy next year, are coming from schools where the schooling conditions are very poor.  Chadley's mother told me that the school he was coming has roughly 50 students in each class. Yes, 1 teacher per 50 students. So to come from a schooling situation like that and to be put in a classroom with 15-20 bright students, led by a teacher who is passionate about educating their students, really is amazing. To think that until Ubuntu walked into Chadley's life, Chadley would have just attended Steenberg high school (an environment that's very hard to excel in). As Desiree and I talked in the car it was very obvious she was elated for her son to be coming to Silvermine Academy next year. Especially as a parent coming from a rougher area like Steenberg, to see your son have an opportunity like this, to truly further himself and be set a part from so many in Steenberg means so much. Kids from areas like Steenberg just don't have opportunities like this. So to see Ubuntu provide this kind of opportunity for these boys is something really special.

One of the things that excites me the most is that Chadley is going to be one of the boys who does really well at his new school. At least that's what I believe. Chadley just has this warmth and happiness about him that is contagious to others. I swear, he has this Hollywood smile too which cracks me up. Chadley was the Head-Boy (kind of like getting chosen to be class president, but by the staff) of his grade at his previous school (Floreat Primary) so hopefully that will give him some confidence going into the new year as well.

That Hollywood Smile

I had a great time taking Chadley and his mother to their new school though. I know it will only become more and more exciting as we get closer to the new year and a brand new, and very big, chapter of their life begins. What I'm really excited about though is that I'll be here for the start of it all!

Hoping this post finds you well,

Austin