Thursday 23 October saw the inauguration of a new project in Stanford, Day of Dreams. The brainchild of Sybille Essmann, Rotary Club of Stanford president, together with fellow Rotarian Truda Wepener, the club is delighted to share the success of this day, dedicated to inspiring Grade 7 learners from surrounding primary schools.
“This would originally have been called ‘Careers Day’,” Essmann pointed out, “but we took the advice of Anchelle Damon of Badisa and named the event Day of Dreams.”
The event took place in the Stanford Community Hall with around 100 Grade 7 learners attending.
Leading up to this special event the headmasters were consulted and they were fully on board to make the day a success. It was important to engage with the learners and retain their interest so the advice from the principals was invaluable when it came to the format to be used.
“Furthermore, the Grootbos Foundation also provided insight into and advice on the format and offered Danver August and Natasha Bredekamp as MC and host.”
“So, with all that in mind, we used the format of a lively talk show, where learners had the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of artisans as they were interviewed on stage.
“Among these invited artisans were an electrician, a plumber, law-enforcement officer, firefighter, chef and an entrepreneur in the beauty industry, each sharing their career journeys, insights and experiences.”
Representatives of the Agulhas School of Skills in Napier as well as Boland College also attended, sharing very valuable insight with learners who are not academically strong. There are many avenues to choose from and the learners were able to interact with these institution representatives during a break.
“The purpose of Day of Dreams is to spark curiosity, broaden horisons, and encourage learners to start imagining the many career paths open to them. By engaging with these artisans from diverse fields, the young audience was able to ask questions and gain valuable first-hand knowledge in an interactive and fun setting.
“We are very excited to take this forward as an annual event,” Essmann concluded. “Our learners need all the help they can get and if we can make a difference in the lives of just a few, then we can call this initiative a success.”
