Teacher demonstrates care to pupils
Mrs Lilley has been involved with teaching all her life."
“Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, mind and soul and love your neighbour as yourself.” Matthew 22: 37-38.
This is verse that Mrs Colleen Theresa Lilley lives by.
“Loving your neighbour means spending time with others, caring for others, helping others, being an example and going the extra mile,” said Mrs Lilley.
She said she understands what giving means to those who receive, as she herself has been on the receiving end before.
She made it through her childhood with the help of the community and for that, she will always pay it forward.
“I came from a dysfunctional family with six children. Various families helped me during my early years. My best friend’s mother paid for my first year’s fees at Wits and organised a part-time job for me to pay my way for four years. I have always been grateful and I am now involved in helping others,” said Mrs Lilley.
Mrs Lilley has been involved with teaching all her life, from Germiston High School where she taught for nine years before she moved to Assumption Convent, where she taught for 18 years.
She currently teaches at Jeppe High School for Boys, where she has taught for the past 12 years.
All her experiences in life have taught her to help others in need.
On one particular day, she noticed the school’s groundsman, Mr Matthew Shange, collecting plastic bottles out of the bins near the swimming pool. She had a conversation with him and realised she had to step in to assist him.
“I chatted to him and he was collecting the bottles for recycling in order to earn extra money. He gets between R200 and R300 per hessian bag, depending on the weight,” said Mr Lilley.
She then decided to get the school involved to collect the bottles which would assist Mr Shange.
The initiative of collecting plastic bottles also includes helping a Red Cross home in Primrose as they would like to donate a wheelchair.
”I visited the Red Cross home in Primrose and spoke to the matron about the wheelchair initiative. They support needy causes and I was shown a wheelchair that was already donated by a primary school.
“We need 150kg of bottle tops for this cause. Hence the decision to get Jeppe Boys involved in community service for both Matthew and a wheelchair for Red Cross,” said Mrs Lilley.
“They are a number of boys who are very caring and offer to do community service. They are mainly the boys who are supported by the Theo Jackson Fund. We are hoping to get all the boys involved. Getting the boys involved takes time and patience. Hopefully others will get involved.” said Mrs Lilley.
Mrs Lilley and the boys are also involved in initiatives with Denver Primary School and are currently organising a soccer match.
“The boys are excited and are looking forward to the soccer match. They are busy organising sweets and cold drinks for the spectators,” said Mrs Lilley.
