Cate Students Return from Cape Town

April 8, 2026

Six Cate students and two faculty members recently traveled to South Africa to participate in the “Shadow of the Mountain” Round Square conference in Cape Town, a global gathering focused on community service, cultural experiences, and connections with others from around the world.

The delegation included Sophie Blank ’27, Seth Lee ’28, Riya Mitera ’28, Mimi Power ’28, Josie Song ’28, and Jackson Steele ’27, led by Director of Community Engagement, Will Holmes and history teacher, Lisa Holmes.

Hosted by St. George’s Grammar School, the conference welcomed more than 100 local and international delegates representing schools from Peru to Kenya, India to Germany, Namibia to the United States. It opened with what St. George’s calls a “lekka,” a warm, celebratory welcome featuring lawn games, African face painting, henna, indigenous games, a South African dinner, and live student performances.

“Our delegation met many new friends from different countries and places,” Josie said.

The delegation explored Cape Town, visiting the stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, browsing local art galleries, and taking in sweeping views of Table Mountain.

The week was filled with cultural exchange, workshops, and hands-on community service, including a memorable session removing invasive pine trees from the side of Table Mountain. Afternoons brought quieter moments: a dip in a pool and spirited games of Uno in the sun.

Perhaps the week’s most powerful experience came during a visit to Robben Island, the site of Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment, where a former prisoner described firsthand the living conditions in the cells from the 1960s through the 1990s.

“We had opportunities to learn with students from halfway across the world and see powerful remnants of South Africa’s history,” Seth said. “We are all grateful to have gotten this chance to expand our horizons.”

A tour guide allowed students to hold an apartheid-era reference book that once belonged to a member of her own family, a deeply human encounter with South Africa’s painful history.

The conference closed with a ceremony, dancing, and the bittersweet exchange of contact information. “We truly loved this trip, and it was fascinating to learn about other cultures and countries,” Jackson said.

The group took the ferry back from Robben Island, squeezed in a soccer match with a delegation from North Carolina, and boarded their flight home.

Cate’s next Round Square delegation heads to Sydney, Australia, September 28 – October 3.