Shangri-La learners to brave a cold night outside
'This is a very exciting venture and we believe our school has the power to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate'
ARMED with one bag of firewood, a cardboard box, blanket or sleeping bag and some warm clothing, a group of Shangri-La Academy learners and teachers will brave the cold for a whole night on Thursday, July 28 as part of The School SleepOut.
They will spend the night on the school grounds from 6pm until 6am and then tackle the Friday as a normal day at school, which will truly expose them to the tough challenges faced by the homeless who have to survive nights on the street for weeks, months and sometimes years on end.
More information about The School SleepOut
At The School SleepOut learners will discover empathy for vulnerable communities and take that feeling with them into the future. It will shape how they look at the world as they enter the classroom, the lecture hall and the boardroom.
The ultimate lesson is that everyone is the same, that everyone matters, and that change starts with you.
The School SleepOut is part of the international fundraising CEO SleepOut, which will take place the same night.
Last year, CEOs of major corporations undertook the challenge of sleeping out for a night on the Nelson Mandela Bridge on a very cold winter’s evening to raise funds for Girls and Boys Town. This year, the focus is on education and The School SleepOut has been introduced.
The grade 7, 11 and 12 prefects of Shangri-La Academy, under the supervision of teachers, will take part in the event. The main objective of the SleepOut is to gain awareness of and to foster empathy towards the homeless in our country.
As part of The School SleepOut, Shangri-La has selected an underprivileged school from Tembisa, Tlamatlama Primary School, whom they can assist in a non-monetary manner. Shangri-La Academy as a whole will be collecting much needed stationery for the pupils at Tlamatlama Primary.
“This is a very exciting venture and we believe our school has the power to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. As our motto for The School SleepOut goes: Do good! Be great!” Brenda Hall of the school said.
