The playground was one of the first things that captured Cassidy Carsten’s imagination when she visited De La Salle Holy Cross College as a little girl.

She remembers the excitement of seeing a place where she could play, meet friends and begin a new adventure. Now a matric learner, Cassidy has returned to her original Grade R classroom as part of the school’s Stayers tradition, offering her a chance to look back on the childhood memories that have shaped her school journey.

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Although she cannot remember her first day in the classroom, she vividly recalls the excitement of first seeing the school and wanting to explore everything it had to offer.
Returning to the classroom has been special, particularly seeing the teachers who taught her when she was little.

She admitted that she gave them a hard time back then, but was touched that they still remembered her. “It’s so nice to see them and just speak to them again and see what the little kids look like now and what they’re doing,” she said.

Of course, not every childhood memory is quite so sweet. Cassidy recalled a garden at the school that learners were not allowed to walk through, despite having a path she had always wanted to explore. One day, after returning from swimming, her younger self decided to run straight through it.

The result was a telling-off from her Grade R teacher — a memory she can now laugh about.

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Looking around the classroom, Cassidy was struck by how much had stayed the same, from the lockers to the familiar classroom feel. At the same time, she was impressed by how the school had grown, with changes to the playgrounds and facilities.

She fondly remembered the woodwork area, which had been one of her favourites, as well as racing her classmates to get the biggest spades in the sandpit.

Those little details have stayed with her, even as the school has changed around them. Asked what her Grade R self would think of the matric learner she has become, Cassidy laughed that her younger self might barely recognise her.

She believes she has become less mischievous and hopes her younger self would be proud of how far she has come. She also admitted that, although she did not always enjoy school when she was younger, she now wishes she had taken in more of those moments.

As she prepares to leave after 13 years, it is the everyday familiarity of school life that she expects to miss most. Seeing friends daily, sharing jokes and making memories together have become part of her routine — something she knows will change when she steps into the wider world. “School’s such a familiar environment,” she said, reflecting on the transition ahead. “You don’t have that same thing that I’ve had for like 13 years.”

Cassidy has not settled on a definite career path yet. She is considering a mathematics and science bridging course before potentially pursuing physiotherapy, while also planning to work and job-shadow to help her decide what she wants to do.

For now, returning to Grade R has reminded her how much can change between the little girl eager to explore a playground and the young woman preparing for life beyond school.

While her next chapter remains unwritten, Cassidy leaves with years of friendships, laughter and memories — and a new appreciation for the school days she once took for granted.

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