Another year is here and so is another opportunity for you to explore your potential.

For us at Greenhill Academy, 2019 is special as we mark the 25 Years Milestone.

This year we celebrate,

25 Years of a dream come true,

25 Years of God’s Goodness,

25 Years of growth,

25 Years of providing the best Holistic Education.

We are still here; still standing strong.

Happy Birthday to Greenhill Academy and a Happy New Year to you all.

Extend Your Horizons.

The 13^th of January 2019 saw Old Students from different year groups come back home to attend the very first Greenhill Academy Old Students’ Association Annual General Meeting.

During this meeting, members were taken through the exciting activities the GHOSA AGM has for the year 2019; voted in the executive and general committees; got a chance to reminiscence their time in school as well as, interact with some of their former teachers who were also in attendance.

Speaking during the prestigious event, the Rector of Greenhill Academy Schools expressed her sincere gratitude to all the members in attendance for having spared their time to come back to Greenhill Academy adding that it was quite delightful seeing how far the students had come.

The end of the meeting saw a new Executive Committee led by Mr. Ian Ssebulime and General Committee led by Mr. Suuna Kagga voted into power.

We would like to thank all our dear old students for making time to interact with us. We are excited and look forward to the interesting activities you have in store.

To all our Old students; Keep extending your Horizons and flying the Greenhill Academy flag high.

On the 29th November 2018, pupils from the Greenhill Primary School Buwaate campus visited the Katalemwa Cheshire Home for Rehabilitation services where children with various disabilities are rehabilitated. While here, the pupils got a chance to interact with some of the children at the home; present the different donations the school gave towards the Katalemwa cause; were exposed to how some of these disabilities are caused and how the children are rehabilitated.

For many of the children, this was such an eye opening experience teaching them to be thankful for what they have and to appreciate and respect people in spite of their differences. We would like to thank all the pupils, staff and parents who gave towards this cause. Two of the pupils had this to narrate about their experience:

“On the 29^th November 2018, I and a group of other children went to Katalemwa. When we arrived, the children there were very happy. We also went with some teachers who helped us to carry the gifts we had donated to the children.

While there, we went into the different dormitories of the children, saw some of the tools used by the disabled children and how they are made. Some of the children we saw were lame while others had mental disabilities. The workshop where the tools are made had four sections. One was the metal section; another the plastic section, wood and leather sections. I was greatly touched and humbled by these children, I almost cried. After the tour, we said a prayer with the children and said goodbye to then”.

                                                                                                                                                Oseku Ethan P.4 Green

“…twenty eight of us left the school at around 10.00am to visit the home where we saw children with different disabilities. Some had mental disabilities, were lame and many more. The children were well taken care of, were happy and loved.

As we toured the area, we also saw the workshop where tools for these children like the wheel chairs and standing frames were made. As we carried the donations out of the van and gave them to the children, I could clearly see how happy they were.”

                                                                                                                                                Namara Abigail

                                                                                                                                                P.3 Green

On the 31st October 2018, Greenhill Primary School Buwaate in partnership with the U.S Embassy hosted the third Pinewood Derby Event which attracted over 31 schools. The event aimed at helping pupils understand the concepts of physics (energy and motion) involves pupils designing their own cars from the materials they have been given after which, they race their cars in a competition. The event that involved both girls and boys showcased the great amount of creativity that exists among the children of Uganda today. Here are some pictures of what happened during this event. To our upcoming engineers; keep designing, keep building and creating. Your future is very bright!

Mrs. Shamim Nsubuga Walusimbi an old student of Greenhill Academy Primary Kibuli (1996-2002), has made her mark in the Human Resource Field of Uganda. She is currently a Member of the Governing Council at Human Resource Managers' Association of Uganda (HRMAU) and a Human Resource Management Generalist at NFT Consult.  Here’s what she had to say about her experience at Greenhill Academy.

“There are plenty of pleasant memories I gained from Greenhill Academy. Right from pre- primary to P7, this wonderful institution gave me knowledge that has greatly contributed to everything I know today and, the foundation of my career. Greenhill Academy formed my current mentality, psychology and made me who I am today.

I loved that the teachers of Greenhill Academy helped us maintain a balance by giving us time to play (in Namboole) and weekly movies; how they would let us come to school with board games to relax after end of term exams, enabling us to cool down as we wait for results. I loved the afternoons spent in the shade with granny and the way the teachers treated and respected us. Back then, the school had a no-canning policy which I am glad to say continues to prevail. We were always encouraged to learn principles of self-discipline and be accountable for our actions.

I could go on and on about what I loved. To sum it all up, I loved my experience at Greenhill Academy, and will forever be grateful to my parents who chose this great institution for me.

Long Live Greenhill Academy.

At Greenhill Academy, we believe learning is continuous and never ends. It is for this reason therefore, we seek to create partnerships with schools all over the world with whom we share knowledge and new ideas with.

Between the 17^th and 21^st of September 2018, eleven staff from the Greenhill Academy Schools led by the Rector, Mrs. Joy Veronica  Maraka visited some of the top four performing schools in Mombasa which were; Aga khan Academy Mombasa; Aga khan Nursery, Primary and High School; Loreto Convent Mombasa and; Bridge International Academy Shanzu.

At these schools, the Greenhill Academy team was exposed to the Kenyan National Curriculum and IB curriculum; ICT integration in learning and administration; interactive school environments; inquiry based and child-centered teaching methodologies; different co-curricular activities and how they run to mention but a few.

We believe all the lessons learned will indeed be implemented to further uphold the Greenhill Academy brand. The Greenhill Academy schools pledge to continue creating such relationships and long term partnerships meant to provide more knowledge and skills development.

YOU CAN NOW PAY YOUR CHILD’S FEES USING MOBILE MONEY!

Dear Parents,

In addition to paying school fees over the counter using Bank of Africa (for our Kibuli campus) and DFCU bank (for our Buwaate Campus) you can also explorer the SchoolPay platform.

With this exiting feature, you can instantly pay your child’s fees at your convenience using Mobile money

To use this feature, here are the procedures you need to follow:

When using MTN

1.     Dial *165#

2.     Select Option 4 (Payments)

3.     The Option 3 (School fees)

4.     Then Option 2 (SchoolPay)

5.     Then option 1 (Pay fees)

5.     Enter the student’s number

6.     Enter Amount

7.     Enter your PIN to confirm transaction

When using Airtel

1.     Dial *185# or *165#

2.     Select Option 6 (School Fees)

3.     The Option 2 (SchoolPay)

4.     Then Option 1 (Pay Fees)

5.     Enter the student’s number

6.     Enter Amount

7.     Enter your PIN to confirm transaction

Please note:

1.     The school will be adopting new Student ID numbers that MUST begin with GHK followed by the previous student’s number; for example, GHK16-00001 FOR THE KIBULI CAMPUSand GHA followed by the previous student’s number; for example, GHA16-00001 FOR THE BUWAATE CAMPUS.

2.     This mobile money feature is optional. You CAN still pay your child’s fees over the bank counter.

3.     Should you choose to adopt the mobile money feature, the mobile money transaction charges do apply depending on the amount being transferred.

GHOSA PROFILE OF THE MONTH

I was in Greenhill Academy Primary from the year 1999 in Pre-Primary Blue till 2006 where I was in the P.7 red class. In 2006 I graduated from P7 with aggregate 5 and later returned to Greenhill Academy Secondary in 2011 for my S. 5 and S.6. I remember growing from a quite skinny young man with ears that were quite literally bigger than his head to a fully grown, respectable and confident gentleman by the time I left this mighty institution.

While at Greenhill Academy, I managed to stay in the first stream of all the classes I attended which I assure you required a lot of hard work.  In my earlier years, I was an avid dancer in the school concerts but quickly switched to acting. However, I got a certificate for being the best dancer but never one for acting which I thought was my calling.

Greenhill Academy helped to bring out the Leader in me. I began my leadership journey by being an assistant class prefect in P.3 after which I became Head Monitor in P.5 and eventually a Head boy in P.6. There were no protests/strikes against my leadership so I guess it is safe to assume that I was a good, fair and just leader.

The memory I hold most dear to me is the P.6 trip where we visited Kenya. It was exciting to see all the hippos and buffalos. I wish I could go back. During my Secondary School, my most fond memory was acting in the Literature School Play. This must have been the most demanding yet most fulfilling thing I have ever had to do while in school. As I continue to traverse through life, many other memories in form of lessons from Greenhill Academy continue to follow me everywhere I go. This mighty institution brought out the leader in me which helped me hone my public speaking and leadership skills. No wonder I always stood for public speaking in all my years while at High School and continue to stand out where I am currently working at Barclays Bank.

I am humbled to have gone through Greenhill Academy. No experience can beat the one I had here. Long live Greenhill Academy!

My Greenhill Academy experience began in 2000, by which time the school had been in existence for 6 years. Transferring from a public school with limited resources, the difference was immediately clear to me.  From teachers who knew you on a first-name basis and actively made sure you were making progress with your learning, to the comfortable learning environment, it was quite enriching to study there.

There’s a lot to love about Greenhill; reading was keenly promoted, and from the seemingly endless supply of reading material at hand, I developed a special interest in science and technology. The frequent field trips ensured that we learned the real life applications of what we were studying in school. Outside the classroom, there was never a shortage of activities to engage in; with student clubs, sport, piano classes and so on, there was an opportunity for everyone to discover and develop their respective talents. My personal favorite was the Scouts club, from which I learned to be self-reliant, proactive and resilient in the face of challenges. Public speaking ceased to be a challenge, because at Greenhill assemblies you often had to speak before an audience of hundreds!

All that was imparted to me at Greenhill stayed with me and continued to grow with time. We were nurtured to strive for and achieve excellence, and as a result there are numerous milestones whose roots lie in the foundation we had there. In my case, this included emerging among the top contestants in the national mathematics contest during my primary school, and being the continental winner of the DStv-Eutelsat Star Awards in 2012, for depicting how satellite technology could be used to develop Africa. As a result of the win, I was able to travel to France and then onwards to French Guyana to gain insight into the operations of the satellite and space industry and witness a live rocket launch.

During my undergraduate studies at the Clarke International University (formerly International Health Sciences University), I embraced leadership, representing my classmate’s interests before the university administration. Later, in 2014, I was privileged to be selected for the Google Student Ambassador program, a role which involved promoting the use of information technology and Google services to enhance learning and problem solving. None of these would have been possible without the values I learned at Greenhill.

Presently, I am a medical laboratory scientist. My specific field of work is in Clinical Chemistry and Immunology, where we run diagnostic assays to determine the cause of patients’ illnesses and monitor their response to therapy. I love this field because it incorporates two areas that I have deep interest in; human biology and technology. This is only a stepping stone however, as I aspire to undertake postgraduate studies in molecular biology, a rapidly growing field which is set to be the future of laboratory medicine. In this way, I’ll be able to contribute more to the struggle against the numerous healthcare problems faced by this country.

I’m proud to say Greenhill Academy played a great role in shaping me into the person I am today. I’ve been able to achieve because I learned in a place that helped me choose the right path to take, equipped me with the best tools for the journey, gave me mentors who made me principled, and imparted the Christian values that helped me trust in God to lead the way.  ’Extend your horizons’… one would be hard-pressed to think of a more fitting motto for a school whose impact continues to be felt to this day.

Oyom Peter Anthony 

Meet Miss Uwera Doreen the smiley, vibrant auditor and member of the Greenhill Academy Old Students Association (GHOSA). Today, she takes us on her journey, in Greenhill Academy and some of the lessons the school taught her that she continues to carry on. Enjoy the read…

Born of a family of 7, 5 of us have passed through Greenhill Academy with, 1 currently studying at the school and the last yet to join.

I am currently working at Deloitte Rwanda in the audit department and I aspire to become a certified professional accountant & consultant in accounting and marketing.

I was in Greenhill Academy from the year 2000 to 2006 for my Primary studies in Red House and from the year 2011 to 2012 in Yellow House for my A 'level. While there, my favorite moments were Friday assemblies where, we had to present the traditional dances and sing praise and worship. I loved singing the school anthem-'extend your horizon' because, it always gave me hope to aim higher and higher.

Although not the best swimmer, swimming was my favorite P.E moment. While at the school, I can confidently say that all my teachers made an impact in my life. However, I can never forget my favorite teachers; Mr. Kirinya & Mrs. Kaweesa. The late Mrs. Gladys Wambuzi also stands out every time I think about my great school; her messages were always uplifting. I also cannot forget the encouraging words from Mrs. Joy Maraka that were so motivating during assemblies and continue to follow me everywhere I go.  

While in the secondary section, the non-teaching staff also had great impact in my life for example; the school nurse, Miss Sakwa; Mr. Waswa who used to sell stationery; Miss Diana and her team in the Finance department who became my best of friends.

Oh how I love the library! It was my best classroom. Young and engaging, I loved singing praise and worship on Monday assembly as well as giving my own presentations. This kept my spirit alive!

Greenhill Academy is a school that treats you as though you are at home. They value time for everything and they know how to care and love their students. I carry the burner for Greenhill Academy because my great school has made me the lady I am today-being able to sing freely back while at campus, gave me skills and ability to interact with all categories of people; one of those lessons that stuck because, in Greenhill, all people regardless of their class, age and category are respected.

I am proud to say that I was once in Greenhill Academy and will forever have GHA blood running through me.

Keep soaring my great school; keep on extending your horizons.

Miss Uwera Doreen

Old Student of Greenhill Academy Schools

(2000-2006 and 2011-2012)

Every year, five lucky senior six leavers that are part of the Greenhill Academy Old Students Association get to be given a special working experience with Greenhill Academy. Here’s how one of the members of this year’s lucky lot, Mr. Bob Tumusiime described his experience.

2017 was coming to an end and I would finally complete my high school education. After pondering over what I was going to do during my long senior six vacation, I finally came to an excellent decision which, was working for my former school, Greenhill academy. Although it was uncertain, because it’s a privilege given to a few students of good conduct, I gave it a shot and handed in my application as early as I possibly could.

As fate had it, the academy offered me a job as the school`s office assistant at the beginning of the year, 2018. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how effective I would be in the office. One thing was for sure though; I knew I was ready to listen, learn and follow instructions to the best of my ability. On the morning of 16^th of January, I reported to my new workplace where, I was briefed by the Staff Development Officer, Ms. Namayanja Diana and the Head Masters’ personal secretary commonly known as ‘blessed Eva’. As they explained to me what I was supposed to do, I ably understood their instruction and was ready to begin.

After the briefing, I started off by attending to parents, carrying files from office to office, typing data into the computers, monitoring and evaluating the front desk work among other duties. I will not lie; in the beginning the role was quite hectic. However, I managed to quickly settle in which I could attribute to the experience I earlier had as a former entertainment prefect of the academy and the guidance of my supervisors.

It has been a life changing experience to be working with the school heads, the rector, head master, deputies and accounts officers among other offices. I have learned a lot about customer care services, public relations and marketing skills through regular interaction with the parents and students.

During my work, I am have been fortunate enough to meet a couple of prominent people especially during the admissions’ period. A memorable occasion was when I comprehensively guided and led a potential parent on a tour of the school.  This parent was so impressed with the school’s hospitality and was convinced that Greenhill Academy was the best school for her child.

The few challenges I have encountered like having to deal with so many people at the same time or different parents from different backgrounds have greatly improved my communication and interpersonal skills. The entire work experience has had a great impact on my life and has helped me acquire certain traits like maintaining discipline, proper self conduct, good morals, proper relation with my work mates, having a quicker pace in the office and proper decision making. I believe I am not the same person after this experience because it has helped me discover so much potential within me that I thought I never possessed.

Word of advice to reader: Remember to respect everyone around you regardless of who they are, because your future is based on a series of connections and how many people are willing to put in good word for you. Thank you.

Bob Tumusiime