South Africa Travel Grant

Several years ago when I was initially planning this trip before COVID wreaked havoc on my plans, a Curtis parent at the time, Barbara Segor, connected me with the Head of Southern Cross Schools, Mickey Vegas. Once I saw the school’s mission, I knew it was a perfect fit for the goals of my travel grant.

From Southern Cross’s Website “Located on a residential wildlife estate with over 1100 hectares of bushveld and plains game on the outskirts of the Greater Kruger National Park, our learners are afforded the opportunity to experience the environment on a personal level, encouraging them to acquire a genuine consciousness for the importance of sustainability on a global scale. With this foundation, we empower our learners with the tools they need to make a difference in our ever changing world. A celebration of diversity, progress and the power of collaboration, our learners emerge ready to lead and inspire change.”

The school’s mission of fostering environmental stewardships is reflected throughout the campus

I spent most of the day in a 3rd grade classroom. This was their schedule for the day

During math, the teacher worked in a graph about animals local to the area

I did not get to see students working on it, but students were working on a research project where they had to choose a local bird species to write a report about.

In all classes, student jobs include bringing recycling, trash, and compost to a sorting area at the end of the day

In the sorting area, they have a bin for eco-bricking, which is a plastic bottle densely packed with used plastic. Ecobricks can be used to produce various items, including furniture, garden walls and other structures.

The school is in wildlife estate , and students go on “bush walks” throughout the area. I was able to attend a bush walk with a 7th grade class. One student showed me where they had recently seen a leopard and told me they often see giraffes. Here is a view of one of the areas we walked through, and a sign we passed

Prior to the bush walk, students had a lesson about animal adaptions. They were very knowledgeable about different species from their comments.

One of the things I enjoyed most about my visit was the family talks. During family talks, 7th grade students lead a group of mixed-age students in team building activities and conduct a social skills lesson. I observed how interactive and helpful the older students were with the younger ones during recess, which is surely fostered through the family groups.

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