The Camps Bay Schools celebrated Founder’s Day on Friday May 4, with assemblies on all three campuses, the preparatory school, the primary school and the high school.
The event at the high school coincided with Past Pupil Day, where alumni mingled with their former classmates.
The principal of Camps High School, David de Korte, welcomed the guests with a speech touching on the rich cultural diversity, academic performance and sports activities that the school offers.
The event marked 112 years since a school was built in Camps Bay. The pupils were taught about the history of the school, starting from the prep school to the development of the high school campus.
The guest speaker was Prince Chirwa, who matriculated from Camps Bay High in 2009 and is now making a name for himself in the hospitality industry as the guest experience manager at Red Carnation Hotels.
Mr Chirwa admitted that he was not an A-student but he excelled in the arts and was supported by the school and the teachers, he said, so he did well in matric and qualified to get into university.
Mr Chirwa said that it was in this very same school that he discovered his musical talent.
The school always felt like a family and if he could choose to come back, he would do it again.
Mr Chirwa told pupils to not forget how lucky they are and the reason why they are at the Camps Bay schools. “You guys are the assets of not only the country but the whole world. I am in this position because of this school,” said Mr Chirwa.
Deputy head prefect at the high school, Ben Heather-Clarke, shared memories of his prep school days.
He touched on the most important lessons that he learnt from prep school.
“You must always do your best, always be honest, and we must be grateful for all that we have. Most importantly, we must always do the right thing, even if it’s hard,” Ben told the little ones.
It was a day filled with entertainment as pupils showed off their skills in the performing arts, some singing solo, others in choirs, with poems and different sports activities.
Head prefect Thimna Tibizono, said when the first school was built 112 years ago no black people were allowed in the area or in the school, but now she is not only a pupil but the head prefect.
“We come from different backgrounds in this school but I feel like I truly belong to Camps Bay High, and even today, Founder’s Day, means the beginning of even greater things because we’re constantly developing.”
The principal at the primary School, Stuart Collier, who taught at the high school, said he was immensely proud to see past pupils in the school doing so well in life.”This in my opinion, is one of the finest examples of a true South African school, the diversity and balance is incredible,” said Mr Collier.
