On Monday afternoon, 29 September, Union High School, Graaff-Reinet’s Class of 2025 took a meaningful step into the future as they were warmly welcomed into the Old Unionite Association (OUA).
This annual ceremony, so deeply rooted in Union tradition, carries with it both pride and poignancy.
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 12𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘖𝘜𝘈 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 – 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘺𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.
With grace and sincerity, Headmaster Mr William Pringle opened the occasion, inviting the learners to reflect on all they have achieved during their years at Union. His words paved the way for guest speaker Mr Rhett Newton, Chairman of the OUA committee, whose heartfelt message of encouragement reminded the learners that 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺.
The ceremony closed with the 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 sharing a joyful lunch together – an afternoon filled with laughter, memories and the quiet recognition that 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴.
