The first day of high school can be both exciting and frightening, especially for Grade Eight learners stepping into a new chapter of their lives.

This year, Hoërskool President, fondly known as Pressies, made that moment special by welcoming its new Grade Eight learners with their first lunch, handed out by the school’s principal, Quentin de Lange.

As learners arrived for their first day, many were nervous and unsure of what lay ahead, but that soon changed when they received a lunch box, a simple yet powerful gesture that helped them feel at home. According to De Lange, the idea came from the heart.

“Starting high school is a big moment in a young person’s life,” he shared.

“I wanted our Grade Eight learners to feel that they are seen, valued, and welcomed from their first day at school.”
The lunch was more than just food; it was a symbol of belonging and care.

De Lange explained that the gesture was inspired by a meaningful moment from the previous year when he shared a last lunch with the matric Class of 2025.

“It felt only right to mirror that experience by giving our newest Pressies their first lunch. It symbolises the beginning of their journey with us, one where they are never just a number but part of a family.”

By helping to prepare and distribute the lunch boxes, the principal demonstrated that leadership at the school is about action, not just words.

The reaction from the learners was heart-warming. There was excitement; however, many learners were nervous as they arrived, but that small gesture immediately broke down barriers.

“You could see it in their smiles. They felt welcomed as part of the Pressies family,” he added.

“A shared lunch carries a deeper message of care and connection. It tells learners that this is a safe space, that people notice them, and that they are not alone.”

These moments, he added, help build confidence and shape values.

“I hope to instill kindness, respect, humility, and community. I want our learners to understand that leadership is about service, and that looking out for one another matters.

“Sharing a last lunch with our matrics in red lunch boxes as part of the Firefighters theme, and welcoming our Grade Eights this year with royal blue lunch boxes under the theme, A Sky Full of Dreams, reminds us that Pressies is a school built on pride and purpose,” he said.