LADIES IN TRAINING
Maria Cupido & Adrian Skelly
Looking back on her time at Rustenburg Girls’ High, Maria Cupido remembers Adrian Skelly, her extraordinary English and Drama teacher.
‘He emphasised the importance 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 respect
ourselves, first and foremost.’ Adrian also taught Maria and her classmates about the importance of dressing the part.
‘He’d tell us to look presentable, “because the way you present yourself tells the world how much you value yourself”.’ Adrian was known throughout the school as the teacher who genuinely cared about his students.
‘He always found time to chat to us about our lives,’ Maria says. ‘He’d make sure we were okay, 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.
‘Mr Skelly shaped the way I think about the world and myself. He taught me not to change who I am because of society or a circle I may find myself in, saying: “There is no greater achievement than to excel in the toughest role you’ll ever play: yourself.”’
Today, Maria is studying Biodiversity and Conservation at the University of the Western Cape. She’s also a Sweat 1000 trainer, a stand-up paddle boarding and surfing instructor, and works 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.’