Sir Pierre Van Ryneveld High School teachers turned the negative impacts of the global coronavirus pandemic into something special and more positive.
The school’s Life Orientation (LO) teachers, with the help of the dramatic art learners and others, raised over R11 000 through their 21 Challenge.Before schools re-opened, the principal announced that the funds for vulnerable learners assisted by the school, had run out.
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“We were devastated when we received the news. We do many things for learners, including buying stationery and running a feeding scheme,” said Dr Mariet Geyer, a teacher at the school.
“Through the challenge, we tasked ourselves to do a form of physical training for 21 minutes,” said Geyer.
“We advertised the challenge to other staff members, running friends, family, friends and the community. We asked people to donate R21 towards the initiative and it was amazing how people opened their hearts.”
The name of the challenge was inspired by Geyer. “I was supposed to run 21km at the World Championships in Toronto this year. Unfortunately due to the global pandemic, it was cancelled and my dream was shattered. The challenge was therefore called 21 as I was supposed to run 21km.”
Geyer said the challenge really lifted her spirit. The six LO teachers, namely Geyer, Boitumelo Mokoatle, Nelisiwe Bongekile Mabena, Lesley Sathekge, Ben Burger and Tinyiko Dzumba, chose a day where they performed their 21-minute workouts at their respective homes.
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Geyer, Dzumba and Sathekge ran, Mokoatle skipped and did a bit of running as well, Mabena did a bootcamp with different obstacles, including squads and planks.
“I couldn’t do one thing for 21 minutes so I had to make it interesting,” said Mabena.
Burger prepared a track in his backyard and got his family involved in counting the laps and keeping time. He managed to complete 37 laps.
Mokoatle said it felt good to do something for someone else and to know someone benefited from her workout.
Mabena agreed that it was great to be able to give back on that level, considering how everyone has been impacted by the pandemic.
“Some of the children were already part of the feeding scheme and with the pandemic, chances are more children will be in need as some parents have lost their jobs. So this initiative was an effort for us to help assist with the little that we can to fill that gap,” said Mabena.
Burger said the money would help with a lot of critical needs.
“Our initiative did not only help with financial relief but it also gave people hope and a sense that it is not the end of the world.”
School principal Margaret Wrigley said it was wonderful to see everyone’s thoughts and efforts put together for such a meaningful initiative to help those in need.
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The LO department extends its gratitude to the Edleen Running Group, Glen Marais Runners, Musketeers Running Group and Geyer’s running friends from Benoni.
“A big thank you also goes to some of the dramatic arts learners as they also took part in the initiative and helped to market the challenge,” said Geyer.
“Thank you to Hailey Shar and Ingrid Geyer who made posters for the challenge. As a school we came together from our respective homes.”
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