Filling your dad’s footsteps when he is one of SA’s most respected prosecutors is daunting for any child, but Cape Recife High School’s valedictorian and former head boy, Reuben Stander, proved that “hope” was all he needed to achieve his goal.
On Friday, he received a bachelor’s degree pass despite his learning difficulties.
Reuben’s birth was a traumatic one. He developed septic shock and meningitis when he was just three days old.
The little boy spent a considerable amount of time in hospital and underwent an operation to drain fluid from the brain.
His mom, Estelle, said it was not clear whether the operation or the illness itself resulted in an acquired brain injury, which led to learning difficulties later on in life.
But after changing schools more than once, Reuben, 18, finally felt as though he belonged when he joined Cape Recife as a high school pupil in 2017.
Academics were a bit of a nightmare for the youngster, who lives for sport, especially cricket.
“Everyone had the opportunity to play a sport at Cape Recife.
“One of the coaches said that ‘at Cape Recife we pick everyone as long as they are prepared to take part’.”
For three years in a row, Reuben was selected to play for the EP Learners with Special Educational Needs cricket side.
In 2021, he was elected head boy and valedictorian.
To quote his valedictorian speech: “I started my high school career used to being excluded from the sports teams, the class leadership, or the cool friendship groups.
“I fitted right in from day one at this amazing school.
“We are all the same at Cape Recife and we are accepted and loved by the dedicated staff of this school.”
Now sporting a moustache and a mop of curly hair, Reuben said because of his learning difficulties, he had to work extra hard and put in the extra hours.
“I knew that I had to get it right the first time around,” Reuben said of his end-of-year exams.
And he did better than expected, particularly in English.
While growing up he wanted to do law like his father, senior state advocate Marius Stander.
He said he had changed his mind during high school and had now enrolled at CTU Training Solutions, which offers computer short courses.
Asked if his dad was as strict at home as he was ruthless in the courtroom, Reuben laughed.
“When he changes from speaking in English to Afrikaans, then you know you are in trouble.”
Hope is the anchor the Stander family lives by.
Estelle said of her son’s achievements: “Sometimes the road feels very long and difficult to raise a boy who had so many setbacks in life, but he never gave up and kept on trying and always hoped for the best.
“There is always hope, even in the worst of times. He proved that to us.”
And, as Reuben told his classmates on their final day of assembly last year: “Hope whispers in the dark and tells you to try again.”
HeraldLIVE
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