School News April 14, 2016 Queenstown Express
Roadrunner Nelisa is the pride of Komani SANELE JAMES KOMANI’S roadrunner, Nelisa Mtandeki, has put her school and town on the map, says her teacher Noluthando Jaxa. The 19-year-old high school girl of Inkwanca Public High School participated in and triumphed at district interschool athletics and went on to represent the Eastern Cape Province in Bloemfontein where she finished in fifth position. In the district and provincial races held in Cradock and East London respectively, Mtandeki finished in the first position. Mtandeki is a specialist in 1500m, 3000m and 800m distances. The Khayelitsha Township-born athlete was however tested in Cradock and compelled to compete in a 5000m race for the first time which she conquered with no hassle in 19 min-
utes. In Bloemfontein where she represented the entire Eastern Cape Province in the Girls U/19 National Secondary’s Championship Mtandeki recorded a time of 21:06:27, falling behind her previous record - something which she claimed was the result of the environment. “As I progressed through the stages the pressure kept mounting and in some parts where the races were held temperatures were extremely high, so somehow it affected my performance, but again I can say the pressure from cheering spectators was also overwhelming to someone like me from the township,” said Mtandeki. As she is doing Grade 12 this year, she said she plans to pursue a career in Sport Management. Sports Master at Inkwanca Public High School, Sonwabo Yawa, described Mtandeki as the pride of Queenstown.
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=Komani's heroine, Nelisa Mtandeki, in her school uniform. PHOTOS:SANELE JAMES ; Nelisa flying the flag in Bloemfontein in the Girls U/19 National Secondary’s Championship.
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Boxer youth empowered and ready for 2016 REPORTER THE much anticipated Boxer Youth Leadership Programme 2016 got underway at the end of March. Scholars between the ages of 16 and 18 from around South Africa and Swaziland made their way through to Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, where an adventure awaited them. This was an all expenses paid trip, including five nights’ accommodation, meals and beverages and tons of activities, all of which was sponsored by Boxer. Each year Boxer offers a number of scholars the opportunity to experience new things, expand their knowledge, express their opinions within a controlled and safe environment, as well as explore new places, which may have seemed unattainable prior to this youth initiative. Youngsters from across the country and beyond have become very aware of the positive
Each year Boxer offers a number of scholars the opportunity to experience new things and expand their knowledge. PHOTO:SUPPLIED impact attending such an initiative has on an individual’s life. This is one of the main reasons so many scholars enter to be part of the Boxer Youth Leadership Programme. Scholars were requested to submit a 500-
Empumelelweni Primary School receive sporting equipment TEMBILE SGQOLANA EMPUMELELWENI Primary School in Whittlesea recently received R299 957 for sporting equipment and the erection of a combined soccer and rugby field at the school from the National Lottery Fund. Empumelelweni Primary School principal Joseph Leisa said the equipment will help the school in developing young pupils in sport. “The school has achieved a lot in sporting activities. We represented the province at the McDonalds national tournament in 2013 and participated in the province under 13 tournament,” he said. Leisa said the erection of the sport fields will help the school and the community to
word essay about which singer or music group inspires them and why. Each essay received was read and judged on a strict criterion and ultimately the top essays are selected. Lawrence Lwanga, from Queenstown in the
Eastern Cape was one of the lucky learners selected to attend the 2014 Boxer Youth Leadership Programme. He said that attending that camp changed his life and had allowed him to dream big and believe that he could achieve anything he set his mind to. Today, Lawrence is a student at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, studying towards a Law degree. “We were so proud to invite Lawrence back to the Boxer Youth Leadership Programme 2016 to share his inspirational story with this year’s learners. Boxer aims to empower the youth of today. Sometimes kids need to be reminded that they have the ability to achieve their dreams despite the challenges they may face and through The Boxer Youth Leadership Programme, this is exactly what we achieve year on year,” said Boxer’s Public Relations Officer, Prenella Ragavan.
Maria Louw Interact Club has soup kitchen
start practising rugby. “We did not have a field that is suitable for rugby. With this new field we will be able to help the pupils and develop the community as well,” he said. He said he hopes the enrolment at the school will increase because of the equipment and the facilities they now have. Leisa thanked the National Lottery for their support. Among the items received by the school are athletics vests and shorts, drum majorettes’ drums, goalkeepers’ gloves, netball balls, netball poles, Sanchez trumpets, a set of netball bibs, soccer balls, soccer nets, starting blocks, stop watches, volleyball balls, water bottle carriers, water bottles and whistles.
Maria Louw High School pupils had a soup kitchen to help feed the people of Inkwanca informal settlement on Saturday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Empumelelweni Primary School received sporting equipment from the National Lottery recently.
PHOTO:TEMBILE SGQOLANA
Maria Louw High School Interact Club serving the little children of Inkwanca informal settlement during their soup kitchen on Saturday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED