With Mandela Day around the corner, Dowerglen High School set its sights on improving the school grounds.
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To do that, the school partnered with Newday Church and called on the community for assistance.
It hoped to rope in the community because it uplifts and develops the school.
The two-part Mandela Day project will see the school, church, and community join forces on July 15 between 08:00 and 14:00.
July 18 will be an additional event for the learners.
Head of School Dr Larry Harmer said the school needed enthusiastic, hardworking volunteers to assist.
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The first part of the project will see several workstations established around the school.
These would focus on cleaning, improving infrastructure, planting trees, de-weeding, and painting around the property.
Food stalls and a play area for children will be available on the day
The school will show the match between the Springboks and All Blacks as it is on the same day.
The school permits no alcohol or narcotics on its premises.
On Mandela Day, the children will continue the work already started by sanding desks and doors, painting and working on a vegetable garden.
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The founder of Newday Church, Greig Garratt, said their partnership with the school began after he visited Dowerglen High School to have coffee with boxing instructor Dannie du Preez.
“After my visit, Larry and I started chatting, and I asked him about a long-term partnership with the school. It just developed from that conversation,” said Garratt.
Founded 28 years ago and with 25 years of history in Edenvale, Newday hopes to make a long-lasting impact at the school.
Garratt said Newday had multiple churches and sites offering counselling in the suburbs where some learners lived.
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One of its goals is to have a profound holistic impact on the school.
“By partnering with the school, the church will directly impact the children.”
One of the ways the church hoped to do this was by having one of its pastors and a child psychologist working with the school’s governing body.
“The pastors will interact with the learners while also being an ear for the learners,” said Garratt.
“Thank God for people from the church. If we could get more community involvement, the school would grow.”
Harmer said the school had received 400 applications this year.
“We could never take all the applications, but community members can see things are changing, and Dowerglen is not a bad school.”
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He encouraged community members to join the school and church to get involved. Community members can visit Newday Church’s website to register to assist.
However, anyone with 67 minutes free on July 15 can get involved.
