GALLERY and VIDEO: Grade 8s swim toward new friendships

Rand Park High School held their annual Grade 8 swimming gala on 12 January at the school’s swimming pool.

The gala was part of the two-day orientation programme for the school’s new Grade 8 class. Teacher Lauren Shearing explained that each Grade 8 register class takes part in the gala. “There are eight register classes and each class dresses in a specific colour,” said Shearing.

The pupils who wanted to partake in the swimming competed in the four swimming strokes, while other pupils sat on the sideline singing songs to cheer their fellow classmates on. The swimming gala made for a cheerful, yet, competitive event with music playing in the background and Grade 8s making friends even before school starts on 13 January.

To break the competitive vibe, the pupils swam in a T-shirt and noodle fun race. According to Shearing, the winning class does not really win a prize, but they can get suckers when school starts. The swimming gala is also an opportunity for the school’s leaders to get to know the Grade 8 class of 2016 as they each had a register class who they were responsible for. In some of the events the leaders were not shy to put on their swimming costumes and help their group of Grade 8s out.

The swimming gala was the perfect event for the Grade 8 pupils to get to know teachers, leaders and each other, and calm their nerves before the school year started the next day.

Details: Rand Park High School, 011 793 1246.