Induction of Primary Leaders

The Induction of the 2014 Primary leaders was held on Friday 14 March with a wonderful group of young people making their pledge and receiving their badges in a special assembly attended by Year 3 – 6 students and family and friends.

Leaders were reminded after listening to Dr Seuss’s book Yertle the Turtle, that Yertle was not the sort of leader we want in the GCCC kingdom.  Yertle climbed on the backs of his subjects and didn’t care about them or how they felt.  He just wanted to be up high and the king of all he could see.

Leaders in the GCCC kingdom should:

1. Step up and be prepared to volunteer when there is a job to be done.  They should step up not step on or over others.
2. Speak up – for what is good and what is right and speak up to share their ideas.
3. Have a go – be prepared to try new things and believe for big things for themselves, other students and the College.
4. Think TEAM – to work side by side with others – not like Yertle who climbed over all other turtles thinking he was better than everyone else.
5. Show the way – for others to follow.  They are role models for the other students who should be are happy to follow our leaders because they trust them to lead in the right direction.
6. Never leave a man behind – they are kind and considerate and support others, even carrying them across the finishing line if needed.  They are the protector of the young, the weak and those who are less popular.

After receiving their badges, students read their pledge as a promise that they will uphold the values of the College.

The highlight of this assembly is always the moment when parents, grandparents or another significant adult pins the leadership badge on their special young man or young lady.

After the assembly, student leaders and their invited guests enjoyed a special morning tea which included the cutting of the 2014 PRIMARY LEADERS’ cake!

We have every confidence that once again our 2014 Primary leaders will conduct themselves with honour and be great role models for other students and ambassadors for their school.

GCCC Students Sponsor Lawrance and Tadiwa

How blessed are our children in this Great Country.

Last week in chapel the Prep – Year 2 students and the Year 3 – 6 students heard the stories of Lawrance Musingaende and Tadiwa Chinaka (both from Zimbabwe) and how we are going to work as a school to help these boys have opportunities to grow strong and safe and attend school so they will have opportunities for the future.

Lawrance is 14 years old and his parents are both blind.  They have no work and simply move around bus stations in neighbouring towns asking for some assistance.  Lawrance has two siblings.  By sponsoring him, our students through the organization VANA will provide nutritious food every day after school for him and help further his education.  He is still able to live at home but VANA provides his food and everything to support his education including extra homework supervision after school each day when he also receives a nutritious meal.

Tadiwa Chinaka (7 years old) and his sister were found living in a chicken coop where they had been living for some time with the chickens.  He had never been to school at all but now he will receive his school uniform and the children have been brought to one of the VANA houses where they share a room, are looked after and given good food to eat.   Tadiwa is so excited to now be starting school – all because of our Prep – Year 2 sponsorship.

Our students will be receiving letters and more information from Tadiwa and Lawrance through Donna Spence who shared about these children in chapels last week. She and her family will be travelling to Zimbabwe and living there for 10 – 12 weeks after the holidays.  More information about VANA has come home this week by email.

Our children are so blessed and so sheltered, and of course that’s how we want them to be, but it is wonderful when they have a desire to be gracious and help others who are less fortunate that they are.

May God bless you as you talk to your children and discuss ways they can support Lawrance and Tradiwa.  It will be the 20c and 50c donations which will make the difference for these two boys.  One little extra chore every week can change these boys’ lives and from experience I can say that the personal growth this will bring to your own  children, knowing that they can make a difference in Lawrance’s and Tadiwa’s lives (particularly if they give of their own time and energy to earn the 20c) will be invaluable.

 Cheryl Bryers, Head of Primary