ACADEMIC
From the Head of Grade 10 Head of Grade 10: Ms Stella Rossouw C1: Ms Zargielay Rabeh C2: Ms Stella Rossouw C3: Ms Zuleigah Galer C4: Ms Jackie Chambers C5: Ms Ingrid Weideman
“Celebration is a kind of food we all need in our lives, and each individual brings a special recipe or offering, so that together we will make a great feast. Celebration is a human need that we must not, and cannot, deny. It is richer and fuller when many work and then celebrate together.” (Carita Kent and Jan Steward) At the Grade 10 Parents’ Information Evening in Term 1, parents as well as learners were introduced to the new challenges, expectations and responsibilities of the Senior Phase. Good time management and organisation were emphasised. Our Grade 10 learners accepted these challenges and excelled this year. At the end of Term 1, some of our girls embarked on an adventure in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve. Under the supervision of facilitators from Outward Bound and Mr William Haggard, and paired with girls from Mfuleni High School, our Afri-twin partner school, the girls faced challenges that taught them to draw on their inner resources. They had to plan their meals, carry all their belongings in backpacks for four days, and learn to rock-climb and abseil. Adapting to the academic challenges of the Senior Phase was daunting, but the Grade 10s achieved pleasing results in the mid-year examinations. A number of girls participated in various Olympiads. Hannah Clayton reached the third round of the South African Mathematics Olympiad. Melissa Rossouw was awarded a third place and Merit Award for the UCT Mathematics Competition, whilst she also reached the second round of the Mathematics Olympiad. EmmaMarie Strauss, achieving 87%, was placed fourth in the Western Cape in the Afrikaans Olympiad. During the July holidays 13 Grade 10 girls travelled to Vietnam on the 2014 World Challenge trip. This involved three phases: firstly, a threeday hike of 36km in scorching heat and humidity, with overnight stays in homesteads in rural villages and interaction with local Vietnamese people. The second phase was helping build ablutions for a poor family. The last two days were spent in Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where they experienced one of the most beautiful sights in the world. The girls reported that it was a life-changing experience. During this trip, Rachael England took a photograph which depicted a Vietnamese woman with her daily shopping crossing one of the busiest streets in Hanoi. Rachael’s photograph won the 2014 World Challenge Photo Competition.
Rosselet, Megan Kode, Jessica Martheze and Muothe Tshifularo were part of a group of 30 dancers from World Dance Movement who toured Italy and attended workshops. They were privileged to work with international choreographers and performed their workshop dances at a gala event. Tyra Rosselet was offered a scholarship and the junior group dance was placed third in a competition. Gabriel-Faye Morgan performed hip-hop at the Artscape in Dancers for Dancers. Catherine Sonnenberg, Emma Thomson, Kendra Saunders and Lauren Pienaar were cast members of “HAIR RAISING”, Rustenburg’s drama production which was widely acclaimed. The process of workshop theatre allowed them to grow as people and as performers. The Grade 10s also excelled on the sporting front. We applaud the following girls who represented their clubs, province and country this year: Alexandra Heiberg (competed in Level 2 Championship for Swimming and won one Gold, two Silver and two Bronze medals); Kristin Bellingan (participated in the SA Youth and Senior National Commonwealth Trials for Swimming. She won a Gold, Silver and Bronze medal at this event); Kiera Maher (Western Province U16 South Hockey); Stephanie Scriba (Western Province U16 South Hockey); Tamarah Pike (captain of Western Province U16 South Hockey team. Special mention was made about Tamarah’s captainer at this particular tournament); Gabriel-Fay Morgan (Western Province U16B hockey); Emma Swart (Western Province Figure Skating; South African Junior Synchronised Ice-skating and pre-novice assistant coach for Junior Blades Synchronised Ice Skating team); Daariah Arend (Western Province U17 Touch Rugby); Walda van der Merwe (Western Province U17 Touch Rugby); Alyssa Cummings (Western Province U19 Squash); Talia Botha (Western Province Action Netball and Western Province U17 Touch Rugby); Lianne Verwey (Western Province Gymnastics). Rustenburg also participated in the 2014 Eskom Science Expo. It was an excellent learning opportunity as the learners were able to meet, interact with and view the projects of other learners from around Cape Town. The participants were interviewed by several judges and Hannah Clayton, Lauren Pienaar, Mila Truter, Sarah Gerber, Areez Gamieldien, Ammaarah Kagee, Jana van der Merwe and Walda van der Merwe received Bronze medals. A number of our Grade 10s excelled outside of Rustenburg, bringing pride to their grade and their school. Quratul-Ain Parker and Rebecca Plaatjies were finalists in the Innovative SA Competition and Julie Ziegenhardt’s writing was published in “English Alive”, 2014. After a year of working hard together, the staff and Grade 10s can indeed celebrate. I sincerely wish all of the young ladies of Grade 10 the very best of luck for the new year. Celebrate life and seize every opportunity.
The arts were well represented by our Grade 10s. Daniellé Lund, Tyra
RGHS MAGAZINE 2014
30
