Packing the school bag for the first time, putting on the new school uniform for the first time, hearing the school song for the first time and, above all, carrying their own school cone for the first time:

For 53 curious, excited, and impatient children, 22 January 2025, marked a real beginning: not the start of the so-called “serious part of life”, but of a school journey filled with curiosity and, above all, fun, as Jörg Przybilla, Principal of the Deutsche Höhere Privatschule Windhoek (DHPS), emphasised: “School is a place where learning is enjoyable. School is fun!”.

Valerie van Zyl, Head of the Primary Section at DHPS, shared in the excitement during the welcoming celebration with families and friends of the new first graders. She described school as an amazing adventure and wished the newcomers two essential qualities for their journey ahead: curiosity and courage.

Pastor André Graf (German Evangelical Lutheran Church) noticed the eager, pounding hearts in the school hall and offered his blessing to the first graders, along with well-wishes from his own special school cone.

The school cones were not just a vibrant highlight of the DHPS auditorium but also the central theme of the joyful welcoming ceremony. But, where does the tradition of the school cones actually come from? The story goes that children were once told school cones grew on a magical tree, and when the cones were big enough, it meant it was time to start school.

The school cones of the DHPS first graders were definitely big enough and we hope all the children had a great time unpacking them.

A warm welcome to all first graders of 2025! We wish you a fantastic start to your school adventure, brimming with curiosity, courage, a love for discovery, and endless fun!