The kids are alright
38 Fairlady/September 2019ookingbackonhertime
at RustenburgGirls’
High,MariaCupido
remembersAdrianSkelly,
herextraordinaryEnglishandDra-
mateacher.
‘Heemphasisedtheimportance
of being different and standing
out as young ladies in the world,’
says Maria. ‘Mr Skelly didn’t just
teach you the curriculum; he went
beyond that. He taught us that we
should always conduct ourselves
with dignity and remember that
we are young ladies who need to be
respected – but to always respectourselves,firstandforemost.’
AdrianalsotaughtMariaandher
classmatesabouttheimportanceof
dressingthepart.
‘He’dtellustolookpresentable,
“becausethewayyoupresent
yourselftellstheworldhowmuch
youvalueyourself”.’Adrianwas
knownthroughouttheschoolas
theteacherwhogenuinelycared
abouthisstudents.
‘Healwaysfoundtimetochat
tousaboutourlives,’Mariasays.
‘He’dmakesurewewereokay,
and if we weren’t, he’d use the
lesson to talk to us – not because
he was a lazy teacher (we were
almost always a year ahead of the
curriculum) – but because he was
invested in each one of us.’
When the world outside became
chaotic, it was because of Adrian
that Maria could stay grounded.‘MrSkellyshapedthewayI
thinkabouttheworldandmyself.
Hetaughtmenottochangewho
I ambecauseof societyora circleI
mayfindmyselfin,saying:“There
is nogreaterachievementthanto
excelinthetoughestroleyou’ll
everplay:yourself.”’
Today,Mariais studying
BiodiversityandConservation
at theUniversityof theWestern
Cape.She’salsoa Sweat 1000
trainer,a stand-uppaddleboarding
andsurfinginstructor,andworks
at the Two Oceans Aquarium.
Amid all these milestones in her
life, Maria recalls her teacher’s
words: ‘We all have to start
somewhere, and no matter where
we land up in life, remember, you
started at the bottom and got to
where you are through the help
and means of other people.’LADIES IN
TRAINING
Maria Cupido &
Adrian SkellyL
Maria catching up with her teacher,
Adrian, in the familiar setting of Adrian’s
classroom at Rustenburg Girls’ High.