Welcome, oh silent night of peace, under the Southern Cross, while voices from the old past rustle over starry fields.

Christmas comes, Christmas comes, all glory to God. Give us a bright summer Christmas in this country, oh Lord

Jannie du Toit

May we all be blessed with many silent nights of peace during the coming Christmas season. Ke nako, the moment is here to use the positive energy of Christmas and summer to make South Africa an even better place in 2026.  May the negative voices and memories from an ancient past fade away from under our southern starry fields.

The end of the year forces us to take stock. It is with gratitude to our Heavenly Father that we look back at the carpe diem opportunities that were seized by both teachers and learners. The A-league inter-high athletics, the victorious swimming team, the first rugby team and u16A hockey girls who were Noordvaal winners and the girls’ squash and mountain bike teams that both secured podium places at nationals, are some of the sporting highlights. The revue and the (p)Articipate gala evening were among the delicacies on the cultural menu. The grade camps, and the eleventh Odyssey were the dessert of the 2025 banquet.

Our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our nation.      

                   – Nelson Mandela

In August, more than 3 000 learners from our two primary schools and the College were together on the Bondev pavilion for the centenary celebration of Afrikaans as an official language. We also commemorated our rainbow heritage at the end of the third term. The multi-lingual, dance and culture festivities surrounding Heritage Day remain one of the highlights on the Midstream calendar. May our beloved country draw inspiration from the positive energy of our children.

To every teacher without whom none of this would be possible, a special salute. On several occasions you have lit the candle at both ends for the sake of our learners. With unparalleled passion and energy, you have a huge stake in where Midstream College finds itself today.

Our seventeenth group of matrics wrote their final paper on Wednesday and we believe their results will exceed all expectations. Next year’s grade twelves and prefects headed by Lené and Paul are already galloping and following in the deep footsteps left by Renate and Louis and the 2025 prefect corps. The 2026 leadership group’s spirit and enthusiasm suggest many highlights for the new year.

Thank you to every Midstream parent who has supported the College through thick and thin and thank you for entrusting your children to us. Thank you also for your contribution to the extremely successful year. I believe the hours driving children around, spending time next to sport fields and sitting in concert halls, as well as the coffee and motivation when the academics takes its toll, will reap benefits.

To Riaan, Jan and Johan, the College’s directors, thank you for your vision and continued support and involvement. A further word of thanks to Armand, our registrar who, together with Qumi, keeps us on our financial toes, sacrifices their time and supports us where necessary.

On the eve of the December holidays and with Christmas approaching, I would like to wish every learner, parent and teacher a particularly blessed Christmas and a wonderfully relaxed holiday. I hope you will all be able to spend quality time with your loved ones and put your worries aside for once. May we all receive a gift of love and peace at Christmas and may it carry us throughout 2026.

SOLI DEO GLORIA