'Gentleman's Day' shaping young men

Grade 12 boys at Pelican-Park High School were given the opportunity to learn what it means to be a gentleman, and how the decisions they make today could impact their future, during a special workshop held on Saturday, June 21.

- ROSHAN ABRAHAMS

Special guests at the Gentleman’s Day included Juven Rittles, deputy director of the office for ethics and accountability (OEA) at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and Mark Jackson, businessman and founder of MFJ Foods and Florance Vermeulen, a teacher at Apex High School, in Eerste River.

Shariefa Clark, acting principal of Pelican Park High, said: “The Gentleman’s Day was an elegant, formal event where the boys wore blazers and engaged in discussions and activities focused on leadership, personal growth, and what it means to be a man. Many of our boys come from single-parent households with absent fathers, and we recognise the impact this can have on their development,” she said.

This event was designed as a “growth mindset - transform to perform” experience, aimed at equipping them with valuable life skills. “We envisioned an inspiring day with guest speakers and a structured programme to help guide them toward becoming responsible and confident young men who take their rightful place in society,” said Ms Clark.

Mr Rittles shared his own powerful story: “I spoke to the learners about how the decisions they make affect their destiny. I then showed them the scar on my head. When I was their age, I was approached by the Mongrels gang in Beacon Valley, Mitchell's Plain, where I grew up. They asked me to join. But I thought of my mother, who raised my sibling and me all on her own, and the sacrifices she made to ensure we got a proper education.”