Message from Head: Advancement - Lara Klement
As a department of passionate individuals, the Advancement Team believe intrinsically in the power of education to change the world (to paraphrase our beloved Madiba), in the imperative for our country and continent to offer and grow excellence, in the fundamental rights of children to receive quality education, and in our Marist philosophy that “to teach children, you need to first love them, and love them all equally.” With these as some of our guiding principles, our work focuses on engaging with individuals, corporates and organisations who share our vision and values – be it as parents, alumni, partners or investors. We distil all of the above into the goal of sustaining and growing excellence in and access to education, and quite specifically Marist education for its unique philosophy and charism.
This year has been an extraordinary one for St David’s in delivering on our Marist vision and values, in responding to the calls put out by the Marist Institute and in delivering on the imperatives (for our school and our country) of providing and growing both excellence and access. The opening of our satellite campus in Alexandra is ground-breaking, not only for St David’s but for the educational landscape in South Africa. Extending our Marist and St David’s footprint into Alexandra has opened new conversations and new opportunities, and challenged us to develop new models of funding, marketing, communication, and engagement in our Advancement space. This independent, Catholic, fee-paying boys’ campus in the heart of Alex has attracted a great deal of positive attention and enabled us to talk about St David’s Marist Inanda as a whole – about our philosophy and vision for education - and it has captured the hearts of many individuals and organisations and has challenged many to look at their models for impact and change. The potential to partner in making a significant impact in our country by bridging divides and challenging constructs is huge, to the benefit of all the boys who proudly call St David’s and South Africa home, now and into the future. The generosity of individuals, corporates and other organisations has made it possible to restore and renovate the Alex Campus, and we welcomed our first Grade 8 class in January 2023 – growing from 5 on the first day to 15 by the third term. In 2024 we more than triple the size with a cohort of 50 boys who will step across the gates in the new year. As a community, we can take great pride in being part of restoring and returning a school which in its day was a beacon of excellence and hope in the Alex community, but which was closed under the dark and senseless laws of Apartheid. Our vision is to build on the rich legacy of this school’s early days – one which builds and blends with our proud history as a Marist school.
Our marketing and community-building efforts and campaigns have brought significant numbers of people onto both our beautiful campus, with many quite astonished at what lies beyond the gates. However, it is not only our facilities that delight people but the people they encounter, be they boys, staff or parents. We often hear the words, ‘there is just a special feeling at this school’ and this is always wonderful feedback for us as we do believe that our Marist ethos Is not always quantifiable, but is felt nonetheless. St David’s, a place many call their second home, is a precious place and we need to ensure that we protect it for our boys, as a place where they feel safe from the onslaught of the world, where they feel that they belong and where they are free to try new things without judgement or fear, where we provide time for quiet reflection, time for exuberance, time for discussion and debate, time for laughter and time to connect. The feedback that we receive from our Old Boys is that, while the world beyond our gates is a bit of a shock, they feel prepared for the challenges, the opportunities and the adventures it brings. For many, the strong friendships they forged during their time at St David’s provide valuable support well beyond their school days - friendships based on shared experiences and shared values.
The generosity of our community never fails to humble and astound us! Our families are strongly aligned with our values which include giving beyond their contractual obligations – giving graciously in time, resources, goodwill and prayer. The combined impact both into our space and beyond our gates is remarkable. Our vision for excellence and impact requires a collective effort and the donations received by the St David’s Marist Foundation, funds raised by the PTA and Old Boys, collections and volunteer hours committed to from our various working committees and community engagement initiatives by boys, staff and parents are testimony to a very special community with a commitment to making our school and our country better places.
Our sincere thanks to the many parents who give so freely of their time, skills, connections and knowledge in support of our efforts in the Advancement space – it is a privilege and pleasure to work with you.
As Mike Thiel has mentioned, 2024 is an exciting year as we focus on further, and significant, capital development projects that will sustain and elevate our offering at St David’s, entrenching our position as a centre of excellence, not only in South Africa but globally. These projects will, once again, require our collective support,passion and energy and I invite parents to give some thought as to what role you might be able to play in bringing this vision to fruition, in the shortest time possible to impact as many boys as possible – be it on a personal philanthropic level, through your business or company or through a connection that you can make for us. Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss your thoughts and ideas with us.
As we close the chapter on 2023, my heart is filled with gratitude for a year that was impactful on so many levels and I wish our community safe travels, a good rest, precious time together and a blessed Christmas and Festive Season.
Lara Klement
Head: Advancement
