Congratulations, Isaac

'n Vinnige Vrydag-terugflits - 2012

In 2012 was daar 'n ywerige klomp lesers wat
aan 'n leeskompetisie deelgeneem het. Saam
met hulle is André van Dyk wat die geleentheid
gereël het. Laat weet gerus vir ons of julle nog
lees en wat julle lees. 

Gradeplegtigheid van Andile Tshibiyane in China

'n Eerste in die geskiedenis van HTS Welkom. 'n Leerder wat 'n graad in ingenieurswese in China verwerf. Daar is ander wat grade in ander lande verwerf het, maar Andile het dit in China reggekry. Hierdie was 'n ongelooflike pad van aanpassing, harde werk, maar veral van groei - emosioneel en intellektueel.

Hierdie besondere geleentheid is moontlik gemaak deur sy matriekpunte en sy werketiek. Na Andile in 2014 by Nanchang Universiteit aangekom het, was die eerste prioriteit om Mandaryns aan te leer. Vir 'n jaar het hy dit en verwante vakke studeer en vandag is hy dié taal ten volle magtig - praat, lees en skryf. 

Hy het sy graad in elektroniese ingenieurswese gekry en vakonderskeidings deur sy studiejare was nooit uitgesluit nie.

Verlede jaar het Andile met die matrieks tydens hulle ontbytfunksie kom praat en vir hulle vertel wat dit is om oorsee te studeer, maar ook wat dit van jou as student verg om 'n sukses van jou studies te maak.

Baie baie geluk, Andile. Ons as 'n skool is trots op jou. Dankie dat jy nog elke jaar die skool besoek en die leerders motiveer. Mag jou toekoms Tekkie-kleurig wees.

[Ns. Kyk die hoeveelheid studente wat tydens 'n gradeplegtigheid hulle grade ontvang - 'n saal is te klein vir so 'n byeenkoms. Andile saam met twee ander Vrystaters wat ook hulle grade gekry het,]

Foto's: Isaac Akinwotu

'n Ingenieur in wording ...

Heerlik om sulke terugvoer van ons oud-Tekkies te kry. Isaac het matriek in 2013 geskryf.

Sterkte met die laaste skof ...

Isaac Akinwotu

Isaac Akinwotu, die jongste leerder wat ooit matriek by HTS geskryf het.
Op 15-jarige ouderdom het hy in 2013 matriek lag-lag geslaag.
Hy word deel van die administratiewe personeel en na 2 jaar slaag hy daarin om 'n beurs te verwerf om verder in die wetenskappe te studeer. (Dit wil voorkom asof leerders wat te jonk is, nie so suksesvol met beurse is nie.)

Duidelik spreek sy uitslae boekdele. In sewe vakke behaal hy onderskeidings, met 'n paar in die 90%. Hier is die man besig met prakties. Isaac, hou so aan - ons hou jou vordering met valkoë dop!      

Tshabalala collecting awards

With more than ten awards to his name already, Sibusiso Tshabalala is sure to collect many more during his promising career.

Sibusiso grew up in Sebokeng, a township near Vereeniging and Vanderbjilpark. Before spending his teenage years in Welkom, where he was a very active learner of THS Welkom. He was the Executive Junior Mayor for Matjhabeng Junior City Council. He was part of The Dynamica 3099 team (An entrepreneurial team which sole purpose was to help the community) that won the national SAGE competition and were given an opportunity to represent South Africa, in Brazi, where the team came fifth in the world. He was also part of a team that won a gold medal at the science expo held in Pretoria in 2009. He was head boy of HTS Welkom as well as hostel head boy of House Gratia.

Thereafter, he pursued his tertiary studies at the University of the Free State, which presented him with the Ambassador's Award.

Some of the highlights in Sibusiso's short but remarkable career include being selected as one of Google's 10 Young Minds in 2012. Every year, Google searches for 10 international students who show "strong leadership capabilities, entrepreneurial drive, and commitment to social activism". His Afrika Kusama initiative in the Free State, with its focus on promoting literacy and critical thinking skills among previously disadvantaged learners, won him this award. He was also listed as one of South Africa's Top 200 young South Africans by the Mail and Guardian.

These accomplishments followed various others, including a Pan African Universities Debating Championships award as one of the top 10 speakers, and an invitation to take part in the South American Business Forum in Argentina in 2011. The aim of this forum is to reduce the gap between generations and nationalities of the world's future leaders.

Despite the global recognition, Sibusiso takes pride in many local actions. He was the funding chair for South Africa's first student-driven and university-based CANSA relay for life. With such diverse experiences and so many stories to tell, it is no wonder that this vibrant young man's writing has appeared in the Daily Maverick, City Press, allAfrica.com, and the Mail & Guardian' s opinion platform. Thoughtleader.

Sibusiso is currently a Capetonian where he is the programme coordinator of the World Design Capital promotion project. It has been just over five years since he closed his schoolbooks to venture into the "real world", and he has already made a mark. There can be no doubt that he is a true ambassador for the University of the Free State.

(Cindé Greyling en Isaac Akinwotu)

Oudleerders vir ekstra Afrikaanse klasse...!!! Viva!!!

 Andile Tshibiyane (Matriek in 2013),  Marck Maphori (Matriek
in 2010), Isaac Akinwotu (Matriek 2013) en Lesala Khetheng
(Matriek in 2014) en mev. Alda Welman.

Foto's van ander oudleerders wat die skool besoek het!

Skenking van trofee.

Isaac Akinwotu skenk 'n wisseltrofee vir die skool se prysuitdeling.

Spelolimpiade: Wenners

31 Tekkies het hulle spelvermoë op die proef gestel!

31 leerders het aan die Afrikaanse Spelolimpiade vir Eerste Addisionele Taal deelgeneem.

Hierdie is nie jou alledaagse gebruikerswoorde nie en ‘n 1000 klippe-kou-woorde moes onder die knie gekry word.

17 gr. 8-leerders het deelgeneem en Dantè Howard (gr. 8B) het die voortou met 72% geneem.

14 gr. 11’s en 12’s het deelgeneem. Isaac Akinwotu het stof in die oë van ander deelnemers met 82% geskop. Mzwamadoda Binase (gr. 12B) was in die tweede plek met 70%.

13 leerders het deurgedring na die tweede rondte! Baie geluk aan hierdie leeders wat korte mette met die olimpiade gemaak het.