Class greeting video goes viral

HANDSHAKES, hugs, high fives, fist bumps and smiles were all around at CBC St John’s Parklands this past week after a video featuring a class greeter went viral with more than a million hits worldwide!

The video shows a young boy, Wongani Mnthambala, 4, who was appointed as class greeter for the day, giving out requested greetings, namely a handshake, a high five, a fist bump and a hug.

The kids of the class walked in one by one and would point out on a chart which greeting they wanted from the young Wongani.

One of the class teachers, Milena FernandesCoetzee, said: “As a school, CBC St John’s Parklands decided to implement this in our preschool as well as in our Junior school.

“We believed that by implementing the morning greeting system it helps to build positive relationships between pupils as well as a way to bring a positive culture to our school – as far too many pupils grow up with a dislike towards school.”

Fernandes-Coetzee said the system helped build a sense of community among the pupils, and thanks to the internet, that community had spread to places as far as the US, New Zealand, South America, the Middle East and Europe, with more than 1.5 million views.

“Wongani, initially, was a shy little boy and having the chance to connect with his peers has boosted his self-confidence through the roof. We are thrilled that our video has gone as viral as it has,” said Fernandes-Coetzee.

You can find the video on CBC St John’s Parklands’ Facebook page.