PHEMELO RADIKELEDI
The Grade 8s jamming with their matrics.
Photo Nicole Thikeson
Jasca de Abreu leading the Grade 8s in a fun water aerobics class. Photo Nicole Thikeson 
Dr Johan Cromhout educating the Grade 8s on the St Michael’s heritage. Photo Nicole Thikeson 
Naledi Matobako singing her heart out at the talent show. Photo Nicole Thikeson
St Michael’s has always prepared incoming Grade 8s for their high school journey by integrating them over a span of two weeks, including a weekend sleepover which is fascilitated by that year’s matric class. This year was no different.
The aim of the integration period is to teach Grade 8s about unity, perseverance and respect for others, themselves and the school. This is all done through songs and dances hand-picked by that year’s matric class.
Even amidst a pandemic, the matric class of 2021, with the help of staff members of the school, organised a weekend of fun, team building, singing and dancing.
First on the agenda was teaching the class of 2025 the school prayer, followed by dinner. During dinner each Grade 8 learner was encouraged to spend time with her ‘skivvy mistress’ against the backdrop of a beautiful Bloemfontein sunset. A water aerobics class lead by Jasca de Abreu was next on the programme.
After all the activities in the pool, the Grade 8s had time to rehearse their dance moves and warm up their voices for St Michael’s own ‘SMS’s Got Talent’. Here, Grade 8s were given the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of a live audience of matric learners. Before the talent show could commence, a surprise video presentation created by Katherine Burt-Robinson and Jasca de Abreu, displaying pictures of the current matrics during their integration period, brought tears to many eyes and introduced an air of nostalgia to the evening.
No good day ends without a good movie, so the Grade 8s settled in for the evening to watch Finding Ohana, an adventure film about an exceptionally competitive young Hawaiian girl, living in Brooklyn, who gets a chance to attend a geo coaching camp in Hawaii. Her journey is one of perseverance, self-discovery, and connecting with her roots.
The following morning, the programme commenced with an open discussion between the matrics and the Grade 8s about school life, coping with school work, and the pressures of school.
The matric class of 2021 handed over the tools for success to the class of 2025, and now it is in their hands to show the school what they are made of.
