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| Helpmekaar Kollege | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
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cnr. Empire Road and Melle Street,Parktown , | |
| Coordinates | 26°11′23″S28°02′00″E / 26.1898°S 28.0334°E /-26.1898; 28.0334 |
| Information | |
| School type | Private &Boarding |
| Motto | Komaan |
| Religious affiliation | Christianity |
| Established | 22 June 1921; 104 years ago (1921-06-22) |
| School district | District 9 |
| Headmaster (Acting) | Mr Eugene Marais |
| Exam board | IEB |
| Grades | 8–12 |
| Gender | All |
| Age | 13 to 18 |
| Number of students | 1,300 pupils |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Schedule | 07:30 - 13:30 |
| Campus | Urban Campus |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Colours | Gold Brown White |
| Nickname | Helpies |
| Newspaper | www |
| Houses | Empire, Melle, Smuts |
| Website | www |
Helpmekaar Kollege is aprivateAfrikaans medium co-educational high school situated inBraamfontein, in the city ofJohannesburg in theGauteng province ofSouth Africa.It was among the firstAfrikaans high schools inGauteng to be privately owned after it was privatized in 1994, and it remains among the only privateAfrikaans high schools in centralGauteng.
Helpmekaar was the firstAfrikaans high school inJohannesburg. The school was started by a group ofAfrikaners who wanted their children to have an alternative to English high schools. The school was officially started in 1921 in the Irene Church opposite the Union Ground.[1]: 339 Construction of the school started on 19 September 1925 with the foundation stone being laid by GeneralBarry Hertzog.[1]: 339 The land was donated by the Johannesburg City Council at Milner Park,Braamfontein.[1]: 339 The school badge was designed by a matric pupil of 1925, A.J. Lessing.
The slogan of the school "KOMAAN" was derived from a poem byJan F. E. Celliers by the same title. Literally translated,Komaan Helpmekaar means “come on, help each other”.
The Helpmekaar Campus is situated on the corner of Empire and Melle Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
The school building consists of five parts:
The school also has a rugby field, uniform shop, three tennis courts, two netball practice courts, two halls, a swimming pool and a boarding house.
Helpmekaar follows theIEB curriculum.
Pupils are also given the opportunity to write theSAT, a standardized college admission test used in the United States, in Grade 11.
The school offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities including:
Helpmekaar's schooluniform has a style that forms part of the school's traditions and past. The basic uniform mainly consists of a brownblazer with akhaki jersey and white shirt, brown tie and khaki trousers or shorts for boys and a khaki dress for girls. Boys always wearcaps, while girls always wearbashers. Girls do not have to wear ties during summer (except matrics; see below) and in winter they are allowed to wear dark tights.
The school has special, striped blazers for learners who perform exceptionally well in academic, sports and cultural activities. Traditionally these blazers may only be worn by seniors (i.e. grade 10 to matric).
A white blazer is the highest, most honourable blazer in the school and is given tocheerleaders and the head boy and head girl to be worn on special occasions. Matrics also have special ties that are lighter than the traditional brown school tie.
The Klets, Knibbel en Kykfees (Chat, Nibble and Watch festival), commonly known as theKKK fees, gives learners the opportunity to express their creativity by participating in various cultural activities. With boat-building, debating, cupcake decorating, stand-up comedy, graffiti, poetry, rapping, idols and even paper-jet folding, it provides fun and enrichment for each Helpie involved.
Rugby season is in full swing, and at Helpmekaar, rugby is more than just a game. The entire school attends all home games to support their first team, and when they reach the finals, everyone joins them.
The first team wears brown and gold jerseys, while the other teams wear white. First-team players can additionally wear customized scarves, hats, and shorts with their school uniform (mentioned above).
The Golden Boys are the official schoolmascots. Dressed up in brown cloaks, rugby-shorts and golden body paint, they perform at major events such as Inter-HighAthletics meets, rugby games and swimming galas. Grade 10 boys are specially selected by previous Golden Boys to participate in this tradition.
26°11′22″S28°02′06″E / 26.18937°S 28.0350°E /-26.18937; 28.0350
