RGHS Magazine 2013

RUSTENBURG HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 2013

Former Principals

Contents 3 Leaders 19 Matric 30 Academic 67 Music 79 Sport 93

Inter-house Events

98

Societies and Events

112 Rustenburg Old Girls’ Union

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Credits Finance Office: Ms Lynda Niddrie and Ms Morag Rijs Business Operations Manager: Mr Graeme Broster Marketing Manager: Ms Rene Forbes Editor: Mr Adrian Skelly Sub-editor: Ms Sarah Keevy Photographic Portraits: Ms Kristina Stojiljkovic: 083 316 6131 In-charge of Photography: Ms Karen Cronje Pupil Editor: Tamsin Metelerkamp School Magazine Committee: Farheen Abdullah, Monique Hollis, René Zinn, Emily Roberts, Kirsten Pienaar, Ursula Hardie Front Cover Artwork: Kiana Neethling Head of the Photographic Team: Kirsty Schlemmer Internal Coverpages: Leaders: Jamie Rose Masters Matric: Nicole Mehnert Academic: Saarah Harris Music: Tamsin Metelerkamp

Sport: Sarah Ekron Inter-house Events: Emily Roberts

Societies and Events: Courtney Brown Rustenburg Old Girls’ Union: Jamie Rose Masters

School Magazine Front Cover Artist Kiana Neethling (E5)

Kiana Neethling’s illustration for the front cover of the 2013 school magazine took her about three weeks to complete, largely because of the technique and medium within which she worked. Stippling is the creation of shadows and filling of negative space using thousands and thousands of dots. Kiana, who studied Visual Arts with Ms Jackie Chambers, said that drawing the academic gown was the most challenging as its many creases and folds required painstaking attention. She felt that the image represented Rustenburg well because, especially with the addition of the colours of each of the five houses, it “pops” and conveys vibrancy and happiness. The original drawing was in black and white. Kiana was flattered that her artwork was also used as a basis for the internal cover pages of this magazine. She enjoyed seeing the different compositions, mediums and interpretations offered by other budding Rustenburg artists. Kiana found it difficult to sum up her own artistic style because, she says, she prefers to experiment with and explore different approaches. This, she believes, is what supports the growth and development of art.

From the School Magazine Pupil Editor Tamsin Metelerkamp (C2)

This is my second year involved in the School Magazine Committee and yes, it has become easier. In my first year, I was far more unsure of myself and I would not have made it to this point if I had not had Chloe Kruger (E 2012) there to answer all my questions (there were many) and remind me to stay calm. When the next School Magazine Editor eventually takes over, I hope I can help her the way Chloe helped me.

The School Magazine Committee meets once a week to evaluate the work that needs to be done for the magazine and to delegate tasks. We have a Facebook group that allows us to communicate easily and work efficiently. I inform the committee of any information or tasks I receive, via email or directly from Mr Skelly, either directly or through the Facebook page. We try to divide the work as equally as possible, and give people tasks that relate to their other roles in the school.

One of the most important skills I have developed through being a part of the School Magazine Committee is organisation. The work load is manageable as long as one stays on top of things. It also helps to have good people skills when conducting interviews and reminding people of outstanding articles and tasks. One needs to enjoy working with words and have a fair idea of what is going on in the school throughout the year. I enjoy seeing all the different aspects of the magazine coming together. Many people contribute, but it is the School Magazine Committee’s responsibility to ensure that all these contributions fit into the structure of the magazine, and appear in the final publication. I also enjoyed having the opportunity to work with people that I would not have worked with otherwise.

Being on the School Magazine Committee means being part-journalist, part-editor, part-detective and partartist. You are never absolutely sure what you will have to do for a magazine, as every publication is different, but if you are interested in any of the above areas, you will probably gain something as well as contribute as a part of the Committee. Working on the magazine is not always glamorous or fun, and most times it is hard work, but the people it attracts are people worth working with.

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LEADERS

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From the Principal Ms Laura Bekker: BA, HDE

“I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul.” (Willam Ernest Henley) What has been significant about this year? What pleases you about Rustenburg? The purpose of a vision statement is to describe what we hope to achieve. Rustenburg is a school of excellence where girls are leading courageously, exploring their unique potential confidently and serving the world compassionately.

What has been significant about this year?

What pleases you about Rustenburg? The purpose of a vision statement is to describe what we hope to achieve. Rustenburg is a school of excellence where girls are leading courageously, exploring their unique potential confidently and serving the world compassionately.

As 2013 draws to a close and Rustenburg looks forward to its 120th celebrations in 2014, it seems appropriate to consider the concept of success, especially for the girls at Rustenburg. What has been most significant about this year? The incredible way that “Team Rustenburg” has met the pressures of change, development and coping with the challenges of our building project which has impacted all areas of school life. The achievements, talents, focussed learning, strong sense of community, sense of duty to environmental issues, tolerance of diversity in its broadest form, respect and connectedness of our amazing girls.

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book “The Outliers,” considers what it is that makes people successful. An Outlier is someone who becomes successful and who surpasses the ordinary.

He found from his observations and investigations that success has something to do with your history and something to do with your capabilities. The latter he believes anyone can reach if you practice enough to attain that success. Success has much to do with your unique life journey: the influences of your family and environment and how you spend your time.

For Rustybugs, this would include your involvement in your community, on the sports field, in classes and in cultural activities. The influences of the people you interact with in these various areas have and will continue to influence your experience of success. We can all attest to the occasions when we have been called aside by a teacher for a “chat.” Sometimes to be encouraged, challenged or pushed to reach our unique potential. We need to take time to honour these people in our lives, especially our teachers who have guided and directed our journey through school. This is all part of our unique life journey.

“Just as songlines provide direction, learning conversations must be purposeful, intentionally exploring creative and innovative ways likely to engage learners and expand learning . . . school leaders and teachers need new songlines to help them map out a range of learning landscapes that will engage and meet the needs of children and young people as we move forward.” (Professor Louise Stoll)

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Rustenburg is a school that produces “Outliers.” This is the labour of a great school. Gladwell contends that it is not just a matter of what a person is like, but where they are from, and what has influenced their lives that must be considered.

One of the greatest gifts we can give our girls at Rustenburg is the skill to build self-confidence and to instil a strong sense of self-belief. While just about every parent and teacher would say that they do in fact hold high expectations for their girls, what is declared, might not truly be believed. When students are self-confident and believe that they are capable of learning, they have taken a significant step toward success.

“It is the belief that motivates the student. The power of belief in you by someone you respect becomes a motivational force to believe in yourself.”

Rustenburg gives our learners the opportunities to help them identify their unique potential. One cannot be an expert at everything one does in life, but one does need to be good at one thing, and be prepared to work really hard at everything one does in life. The environment, the people we spend time with and how we occupy our time becomes significant.

The choices we make in these areas will influence the outcomes in our lives. At times we might not have control over our environment, but we can control our attitude to these situations and we do have control over many aspects of that environment.

Success requires hard work, a sound work ethic and an attitude that values education. Successful people are confident and motivated to recognise and use opportunities for further education and acquiring skills.

Success requires us to be true to ourselves and others, wholly capable of becoming the best we can be. People who are authentically successful do not judge themselves by the yardstick of the media in its many forms or by the lives of pseudo-celebrities. True success requires respect, of oneself and others. Successful people trust their own judgement and make ethical decisions, especially when faced with the pressures and challenges of life.

Rustenburg High School for Girls is a school of excellence and is a highly respected educational institution. We would like education at Rustenburg to give our girls the edge by offering its learners exceptional opportunities, discipline, academic focus, capacity to succeed, endurance, the scope to dream and the scope to live a life of authenticity.

What can we do better next year? Extend the great possibilities of excellence, building character for people with purpose who are attending a great school with good resources and an excellent reputation. Ours is a school with great possibilities.

“Possibility thinkers are incurable obsessed with the creative notion that the best is yet to be.” (anonymous)

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From the School Governing Body Chairman: Mr Brian Abdoll Vice-Chairman: Mr John Muir Treasurer: Ms Lesley Shaw Principal: Ms Laura Bekker Parents: Ms Dawn Gottgens, Mr Simion George, Ms Natalie Lawrenson, Mr Jeromé O’Ryan Elected Educator Representatives: Ms Susan Schnetler, Ms Anita Pretorius Erinville Boarding House Representative: Ms Julie Womack Non-educator Representative: Mr Myles Siebrits Pupil Representatives: Joycelyn Foster (Grade 12), Amy Hand (Grade 12) Co-opted: Ms Gillian Blackshaw, Mr Graeme Broster, Mr Peter Llewellyn

“If you can see it in your mind’s eye, you can make it happen.” (Lewis Pugh) Since 2009, the School Governing Body (SGB) and management of Rustenburg High School for Girls have laid a solid foundation to enable the school to deliver on its promises and commitments to all its stakeholders.

The school’s calendar was, again, very full and provided our daughters with wonderful learning and leadership opportunities. “African Sanctus” and “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” productions deserve special praise. I am also particularly excited about our Afri-twin programme. Through this programme, Rustenburg, together with Stroud High School in the United Kingdom, is linked with Mfuleni High School in Delft. Cultural exchanges are arranged that benefit pupils of all three schools.

The Integrated Campus Development Plan (ICDP) outlines how the school’s infrastructure should be developed and improved to support its vision.

The ICDP is also our blueprint to improve and realise our desired future. The new Mathematics and Physical Sciences Centre is the first phase of the ICDP to be completed by the end of the year. Handover will be later than planned, but the SGB has been assured that it will be ready for the 2014 academic year. Reflecting upon the implementation of this ambitious project, I firmly believe that Rustenburg is embarking on the necessary initiatives to provide of the best educational opportunities in South Africa for tomorrow’s leaders.

On behalf of the SGB, I would like to thank parents for their involvement and contribution. At the same time, we urge new parents to become involved in Team Rustenburg and the various facets of the dynamic life of this excellent school.

Despite a challenging local and national educational environment, our educators and non-educators remain committed to our vision. They guide our learners towards self-actualisation and are able to help deliver superb results, year in and year out. The depth of skills and experience we have in our professionals should be commended. As parents, we are greatly indebted to you: Thank you.

The current SGB is in the fortunate position of building on the vision of past parents and Governing Body members who did, in fact, see it in their mind’s eye. Indeed, we regard it as a privilege to serve as governors.

Collectively we remain committed to realising the best interests of the school.

Now is the opportune time to consider other phases of the ICDP and, accordingly, the SGB has commissioned a feasibility study for building an Astro Turf for hockey. The SGB of Rustenburg Junior approved partnering with the high school during this study. This is an exciting venture and we are cautiously optimistic of the viability of this project. We eagerly await the final report and urge parents to get behind this initiative should it go ahead. One of the key principles of the ICDP is to avoid starting capital projects without first securing the necessary funding. The SGB remains committed to this principle. Furthermore, we continue to focus on efficient and effective management and do our utmost to keep school fee increases to a minimum. However, in order to fund further phases of the ICDP, we must revaluate the fundraising strategy and leverage support from the broader community.

Rustenburg Junior and High School have been working together on several fronts to exploit synergies, for example combining the two school shops. After addressing the initial teething problems, the Bugs’ Boutique steering committee is confident of achieving the shop’s goals for 2014.

First and foremost, the shop is intended to deliver a high quality service providing uniforms, apparel and equipment. Secondly, the shop aims to generate a modest surplus for the benefit of both schools.

Rustenburg schools will be celebrating their 120th anniversary in 2014.

This is an important milestone in the history of the Rustenburg institution and should be appropriately celebrated. It will provide an opportunity to understand our collective history and heritage, how the schools’ ethos manifests itself in everything that we do, and recommit ourselves to building on that legacy in the digital age. More information about how to contribute and become involved will be made available in the near future.

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From the Deputy Principal: Academic Ms Susan Schnetler: BSocSc, Hons (BA), HDE (PG) Sec

This year saw our first intake of 30 additional Grade 8 learners, taking the number of classes in the grade to six. By all accounts, it has been a fairly smooth transition and next year we will welcome our second additional class.

When we were named the top school in the Western Cape in 2012 , we celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2011 and believed that our NSC results could not get better, but they did! Although our smaller 2012 group meant that we were not in a position to compete for a place in the top ten again, this Matric class certainly did themselves and their school proud. From only 136 girls, we had the highest number of subject distinctions ever (467) and subject averages also improved, with nine of them above 70% and 11 above 80%. When the Western Cape Education Department published its top ten individual subject positions, we were delighted to find as many as 32 of our girls listed.

In February, we were invited to the Western Cape School Awards for Achievement in Language and Mathematics (Grades 3, 6 and 9). This was a landmark occasion, since it was the first time that Grade 9 had been included in the systemic testing across the province and could be acknowledged.

Rustenburg Girls’ Junior and High schools swept the boards, proudly accepting certificates and monetary rewards for achieving the top positions in Language, Mathematics and Overall Excellence in all three grades. Our girls produced outstanding results, with pass rates of 100% for Language and 98.7% for Mathematics, and an average mean score of 83.3%.

The school later received further certificates of excellence for the performance of the same group in another set of Language and Mathematics benchmark tests, the Annual National Assessments. These achievements bear testimony to the hard work that is being done in the GET phase (Grades 8 and 9), which provides the solid foundation for success in the senior years.

Faculty Heads’ reports can be found elsewhere in this publication, but our focus this year was on supporting staff with the changeover to the new software program and finding innovative ways to deal with some of the challenges associated with introducing the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) to the last three remaining grades in next year. It has been wonderful to see how this group has embraced new ideas and procedures, as well as showing much positivity and enthusiasm for their own professional development. Rustenburg is really fortunate to have well qualified, excellent teaching staff in all subject departments and we hope to draw on their expertise by encouraging the sharing of best practice and creating opportunities to learn from one another.

Ms Bekker and I were excited to attend the 11th Convention of the International Confederation of Principals in Cairns, Australia during the June/July school holiday. The theme was The Unconventional Convention and covered a wide range of topics such as lessons in leadership, 21st Century teaching, the Y generation, mentorship and succession planning, and mental health issues. The quality of the presentations at this conference was outstanding. Exposure to the latest research, as well being made aware of the trends and shifts in educational thinking, was of considerable value and I was able to get clarity in terms of academic practice and direction for Rustenburg. It was particularly interesting to note much emphasis being placed on the importance of relationships in schools.

One of the strongest convictions that I returned with was the view that, while technology is a wonderful tool to support and supplement teaching, it will never be able to replace a really good, passionate teacher who shows care and compassion in the classroom. I believe that this is what sets Rustenburg apart and contributes to its success: our teachers are excellent at what they do and really care for those whom they teach. As long as this is the example that our girls see every day, and we continue to attract girls who will make use of the opportunities offered to them and embrace the values and ethos of Rustenburg, we will be able to build on the achievements of the past year, producing young women “who lead courageously, explore their unique potential confidently and serve the world compassionately”.

The introduction of a new software program has resulted in a change to the look of our learner reports, which now include the subject grade averages. Our staff have really come on board and embraced considerable change in various administrative procedures, such as the recording of attendance and the capturing of marks and report comments. There is much excitement about the possibilities that this new system can offer and we hope that it will result in improved communication and easier and more comprehensive record-keeping, amongst other things.

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From the Deputy Principal: Pastoral Ms Gillian Blackshaw: BA (MBK), HDE (PG) Sec

If you were to ask a pupil at any local school to list a few examples of leadership opportunities at their school, most would probably mention prefectship or the RCL. These are often viewed as the most important opportunities to lead at school level.

The prefect body and RCL play a vital role at Rustenburg, but it is not the only opportunity to lead at our school. We want all our girls to explore leadership in a role which best suits them, and their strengths and interests, hence Rustenburg has a learner leadership programme. The aim of this programme is to ensure that girls are confident and well prepared by the time they reach Grade 12 and assume leadership roles within the school.

Learner Leadership programme The Grade 8s and 10s of 2013 attended a leadership development workshop off campus. The workshop was spread over two days and each grade was split into two groups.

Each of the one-day workshops was designed to include a focus on general leadership development through theoretical and experiential learning. The outdoor activities proved to be the most enjoyable, and the most beneficial, to the girls’ learning.

On 26 March, the Grade 11s set off on a highly-anticipated leadership camp at Mizpah, near Grabouw. The girls were required to work with others whom they had not necessarily encountered before. The camp involved many team-building exercises, such as canoe-building, obstacle courses and solving various puzzles, all of which tested the Grade 11s’ leadership skills and pushed them out of their comfort zones.

This camp was a wonderful learning and bonding experience, as well as much fun. The nature of the camp also provided an opportunity for the girls to identify the leaders within their grade.

Fourteen Rustenburg Grade 10s, along with fourteen girls from Mfuleni High School, went on the Outward Bound Camp during the April holidays.

Outward Bound is a Nation Building Camp that is aimed at improving self-confidence and independence. The Grades 10s were split into two groups with girls from each school. They hiked approximately 30km, abseiled, had to cook their own food, pitch their own tents and were pushed to their limits mentally and physically in a variety of other tasks.

Some of our Grade 10s and 11s had the wonderful opportunity to travel to India in the June holidays: a trip organised by World Challenge along with Ms Brigid Ryan. I had the privilege of going with these girls and observing the many challenges they faced. Each girl had the opportunity to lead the group for a day, making decisions regarding transport, the itinerary, and how much money to spend on meals. The teachers were not allowed to intervene or offer assistance. It was fascinating to watch each girl take charge, see them struggle, overcome challenges and grow as individuals and as a team.

Extra-Mural Programme The extra-mural programme is very diverse and busy at Rustenburg.

There are many sports, societies and music groups from which girls can choose. Even though most girls are involved in some way or another, it is disappointing to see some girls not making the most of all that Rustenburg has to offer. It is essential for all girls to get involved in these activities as they play an important part in their development. They also provide our girls in all grades with an opportunity to lead, whether it is as the captain of a U14C sports team, member of a society committee, or a leader in one of the music ensembles.

Rustenburg introduced a Sport Policy towards the end of 2012. The purpose of this policy is to clarify, for the girls, parents and staff, the acceptable and expected procedure that should be followed with regard to involvement in school sport at Rustenburg. One important change that was implemented this year was compulsory sport for all Grade 8s and 9s. Each girl in these grades must participate in at least one summer and one winter sport (team or social). Apart from the health benefits, we believe that girls acquire important life skills through their participation in sporting activities. It also serves as an opportunity to help the younger girls settle into high school and make friends outside the classroom environment.

While the Grade 11s were in Grabouw, the Grade 9s attended an overnight camp at the Habonim campsite, 6km from Hermanus. The campsite is a two-minute walk from Onrus beach. This provided a beautiful setting for the girls to socialise and unite as a grade. The girls were divided into groups, which rotated among bases. At each base, the groups participated in a different activity. These activities focussed on team work and gave the individuals opportunities to lead their team.

This energetic grade benefitted immensely from the experience and had a superb time.

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From the School Operations Manager Mr Graeme Broster: BSc (Hons), HDE (PG) Sec

“Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time. What we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.” (Sydney J. Harris, American journalist) 2013 has been a year of change, disruption, frustration and essential, exciting growth.

Construction of the long-awaited Mathematics and Physical Sciences Centre (Phase 1 of the Integrated Campus Development Plan) finally began and progressed steadily, with the usual complications, hiccoughs and frustrations along the way, throughout the year. At the time of writing, the exterior is virtually complete and we are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to begin fitting it out so that the Centre can be used from the beginning of 2014.

Elsewhere in the school, renovation work was carried out on seven bathrooms around the main school building, in order to bring these facilities out of the 50s and into the 21st century. In addition new counselling offices were created for the Life Orientation Department and the classroom used for Life Orientation teaching has been doubled in size. A new Administration wing will be created with expanded offices for the Finance Department, offices for Marketing, Communications and Operations teams, as well as for Ms Blackshaw.

Although it has been exciting to watch the changes and developments as they have taken shape before our eyes, living with and managing construction work on this sort of scale is never easy and the nerves and patience of parents, pupils and school staff were stretched to breaking point and beyond at various points in the process. Much credit and thanks must be given to Mr Myles Siebrits (Campus Manager) and Mr Stephen Nicholas (Campus Supervisor) who have been at the coal face of interacting with the contractors on a daily basis, as well as over weekends and during school holidays. Their hard work and commitment has helped to keep the various projects on track.

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Alongside this construction, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) set up a maintenance project which addressed several longstanding waterproofing issues around the school campus and replaced the 80-year-old tiles on parts of the Kemp Hall and the whole of Erinville Hostel. In addition, the WCED gave Rustenburg a monetary contribution toward a range of maintenance issues around the campus which kept the grounds staff and various contractors even busier. Such tasks included: repaving a section of the roadway, painting neglected parts of the exterior buildings, repairing the spalling concrete in the Kemp Hall cloisters, replacing and upgrading the electrical wiring in parts of the interior.

With construction of Phase 1 not yet completed, the ICDP Task Team has already begun to look ahead to further phases. A feasibility study is underway for the location of an Astro Turf playing field near the current swimming pool. Future phases also include the expansion of the swimming pool into an Aquatic Centre suitable for both swimming and water polo, the construction of a “leadership block” with further additional classrooms that will be required as the school grows over the next three years, a multi-purpose hall and a reconstructed entrance to the school from Camp Ground Road.

Changes and alterations to the support staff personnel also took their toll, with a number of people coming and going in different roles, and the team growing all the time in anticipation of the future needs of the school. We were delighted to welcome Mr Francis Vogts (ICT Manager), Ms Dee Penny (Assistant Bursar), Mr Adrian Munnik and Mr Jonathan Doddemeade (Assistant Handymen), Mr Ali Ibrahim (Groundsman) as well as Ms Zola Nokuzola, Ms Primrose Mketo, Ms Klara Constable, Ms Globisa Mlozane and Ms Veronica Kabinda (Cleaners).

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Campus Development: Firm Foundations for the Future Principal Ms Laura Bekker and Mr Brian Abdoll, Chairman of the School Governing Body, inspect the progress of the extensive 2013 campus development project.

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Staff News It is with great sadness that three valuable and talented Rustenburg staff members left the school at the end of 2013. Special tributes to Ms Shannon Dowdall (Head of Life Orientation), Mr Chris Murison (Mathematics) and Ms Robyn Jepson (Music) have been included on page 117 of the school magazine. Rustenburg has been made all the richer for their contributions.

They will be sorely missed by colleagues, friends, parents and pupils alike.

A number of new members of staff joined the Rustenburg family in 2013.

In January we welcomed Ms Dianne Leonard as Head of Life Sciences.

Ms Leonard relocated from Johannesburg with her son James. She is a born teacher and an enthusiastic environmentalist.

Ms Stella Rossouw was a welcome addition to the Afrikaans Department and has become part of the fabric of Rustenburg. Her subject knowledge and passion in her teaching is reflected in the warm rapport she has developed with her learners. Ms Rossouw is a sports fanatic and is particularly involved in Hockey and the Running Club.

Ms Irene Adley, a very experienced Mathematics teacher, willingly made herself available in April, to step into the post of Ms Meyer who left Rustenburg to be married and relocate to Johannesburg. Ms Adley slipped into the role with great ease and we are very grateful to have her with us for another year.

In April Ms Zuleigah Galer joined the Rustenburg staff as Head of Accounting. She is passionate about her subject and has settled in well in her new position.

Ms Monika van Duuren joined the Physical Sciences Department and is Head of Natural Sciences. Ms van Duuren has much to offer the school in various areas. She is engaged to Mr Lyndon Brandt and they will be married in December.

The English Department welcomed Mr William Haggard, an experienced teacher who headed the department at his previous school. He has already made a significant contribution to Rustenburg and has involved himself in various areas of school life. Vivacious Ms Sarah Keevy also joined the English fray and made her mark by bringing new energy and life to “The Bug,” the termly pupil-run magazine. Ms Keevy became engaged to Mr Simon Capstick-Dale. He proposed to her whilst they were on holiday on the island of Medjumbe in Mozambique. The wedding date is set for the end of 2014.

Ms Dee Penny was appointed as Assistant Bursar in the Finance Office in August this year. Ms Penny has already made a solid start to her position at Rustenburg.

Ms Zaandré Theron and Ms Gillian Blackshaw were part of the Western Province Ladies Touch Rugby Team. They participated in the Interprovincial Tournament that was held in Cape Town in March this year.

Western Province won the tournament, beating KwaZulu-Natal in the final. The Western Province Ladies team have won the Inter-provincial tournament for seven consecutive years. Ms Theron also represented the South African Seven Women’s Rugby Team in Houston (Texas) in March this year. She also captained the Senior Boland B Netball Team at the Nationals held in Rustenburg where they were crowned champions of their division.

Ms Vivienne Williams started the year as coach for the TSA Junior Development Triathlon team to Golden Gate. Later in the year she was awarded full South African Protea colours and managed the SA Elite and Age-Group triathlon team to the World Long Distance Triathlon Championships in Belfort, Spain. In July Ms Williams managed and coached the SA Junior triathlon team when they went to Turkey and Hungary. Congratulations to Ms Williams who achieved Western Province and South African Biathlon Age Group Champion awards, the South African Biathlon Victrix Ludorum, the trophy for top overall points scorer, the trophy for top female points scorer, New SA record holder and South African Biathlon Colours at the 2013 SA Champs. At the Western Province Biathlon awards, Ms Williams received the Committee Trophy for the RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

highest points at SA Champs and a New Record, the Nic van den Bergh Trophy for the most outstanding achievement during the season and Western Province Honours. Later this year, Ms Williams raced as Team Hammer Nutrition ladies in the African-X 3 day trail race and won Stage 3 and was placed second overall in the veteran ladies category.

Ms Ingrid Weideman cycled in the “Cyclists Stay Alive at 1.5m” campaign during the September break. The campaign involved a three-stage ride from Johannesburg to Cape Town and she was part of a group of 13 riders who rode Stage 3, from Oudtshoorn to Cape Town, a journey of 400km over four and a half days. Several riders had lost loved ones on the roads, including Ms Cherise Stander, whose husband Burry (an Olympic mountain-bike rider) was killed by a vehicle while training in January this year. Ms Weideman thoroughly enjoyed the journey, learning much about herself and about cycling solidarity.

Mr Clement Schlosz represented Western Province at the Inter-provincial Ten-Pin Bowling Tournament in Durban where he was placed 26th nationally and third in the Western Cape. “I was also appointed as the WP representative for junior and development bowlers,” he explained.

Rustenburg is an extremely busy school and we are fortunate to have staff members who go beyond the call of duty and dedicate themselves to the success of the girls in their care.

30 Years of Service Mrs Pat Hanger attended Rustenburg High School for Girls as a boarder from Knysna. Having married, travelled and had three children, she joined the staff of Rustenburg in 1983. Apart from general administrative work, Mrs Hanger plays a pivotal role as our Admissions Secretary, a task which comes with its own complexities.

Ms Judith Dernier arrived at Rustenburg from Tshwane where she was a piano accompanist at the School for Art, Ballet and Music and also did some piano teaching. The biggest changes she has witnessed in her 30 years at Rustenburg “are multiracial schooling and the technology revolution, and for the better I think.”

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Rustenburg Staff:

School Management and Academic staff

Principal

Ms Laura Bekker: BA, HDE

Deputy Principal: Academic

Ms Susan Schnetler: BSocSc, Hons (BA), HDE (PG) Sec

Deputy Principal: Pastoral

Ms Gillian Blackshaw: BA (MBK), HDE (PG) Sec

Business Operations Manager

Mr Graeme Broster: BSc (Hons), HDE (PG) Sec

Heads of Department

Ms Maureen Burchell: BSc, HDE, AISTD Ms Bridget Cameron: BSc, MEd, HDE (PG) Sec Ms Renée Fourie: MA, HDE (PG) Sec Ms Brigid Ryan: BA (Hons), HDE (PG) Sec Mr Adrian Skelly: BA, HDE (PG) Sec Ms Elizabeth Sole: BMus, MA, TLD

Sport Manager

Ms Vivienne Williams (Sport Manager): Dip Diag Radiography, Dip Diag Ultrasound

Faculty Heads

Languages: Ms Helene Swanson: BA, HOD Sciences and Mathematics: Ms Bridget Cameron: BSc, MEd, HDE (PG) Sec Business and Life Skills: Ms Linda Mallon: BA, HDE Arts: Ms Jackie Chambers: BA (Fine Art), HDE (Sec)

Grade Heads

Grade 12: Ms Helen Kleynhans: BSc, UED Grade 11: Ms Gail Wallace: BA (Hons), STD Grade 10: Ms Lorraine Gardiner: BSc, HDE Grade 9: Ms Anita Pretorius: BA, HDE Grade 8: Ms Helene Swanson: BA, HOD

Other Academic Staff

Ms Irene Adley, BSc, HDE Mr Martin Altern: BSc Ms Norma Caesar: BA (Hons), MEd, HDE Ms Karen Cronje: MA (Fine Art) Ms Judith Dernier: BA, BEd, BMus, LSRM, UPLM, UTLM Ms Shannon Dowdall: BA (Hons), HDE Ms Zuleigah Galer: BEd (Hons) (Education), HDE (Comm) Ms Olivia Gordon: BMus (Ed), PGCE Mr William Haggard: BA (Hons), HDE (PG) Sec Ms Maileen Jamey: BMus (Ed), PGCE Ms Robyn Jepson: MMus (Ed), PGCE Ms Sarah Keevy: BA, PGCE Ms Marieta Langenhoven: BA (Hons), HDE

Ms Louise Lawrence: BSc, HDE (Sec) Ms Dianne Leonard: HDE (HEc) Sec Mr Gian Marneweck: BCom, PGCE Ms Anita Marshall: B Home Economics (Ed) Ms Monelwa Manjiya-Mboma: MA, HDE Ms Perdita Norval: BA (Hons), HDE (PG) Sec Ms Zargielay Rabeh: BSc, BEd (Hons), HDE (PG) Sec, ABET Ms Stella Rossouw: BA (Ed) (Hons) Ms Tarin Scharneck: BEd (Arts) Ms Zélia Simpson: HDE (Art), HDE (Speech and Drama) Ms Zaandre Theron: BEd (Psych) (Hons) Ms Monika van Duuren: BSc, PGCE, BEd (Hons) Mr Cedric van Dyk: BA (Hons), HDE (PG) Sec Ms Leanne van Rensburg: HDE (Sec) Ms Lindy Waller: BA, PGCE Mme Dominique Williams: MA, HDE (PG) Sec

Bugs’ Boutique Uniform Shop Ms Lydia Mostert Ms Linda Simmons

Tuckshop and Catering Ms Michelle Haylett

Erinville Superintendent Ms Pam van Dyk

Erinville Staff

Ms Marilyn Peters

Ms Aziza Abrahams Ms Michele Bakker Ms Cathy Bothma Ms Deborah Boyman Ms Jaline Brown Ms Karin Evans Ms Mieke Loubser Ms Susan Mentoor Ms Lorna September Ms Sheila Stoffels Ms Elizabeth Theunissen Ms Nomawethu Tshona Ms Melanie van Blerk Ms Bridget Wells Ms Lisa Williams

Part-time Educators

Campus Manager

Computer Centre

Mr Francis Vogts: Dip. IT Ms Janine Myers: BTech (IT), HDE (Comm) Sec, FDE (Comp) Sec

Media Centre

Mr Chris Murison: BSc (Hons), MEd Ms Liz Rynhoud: BA, STD Ms Christine Steenekamp: HDE (Home Economics) Ms Ingrid Weideman: BA, HDE, ADRM

Part-time Music Staff

Mr Grant Adams: amaAmbush accreditation Ms Rosemary Davis: BA, BMus (Hons), LTCL Ms Lee Gelderbloem: BMus Perf (Jazz Piano), PDMP, Jazz Vocals Ms Maria Raynham: MMus, LMV, UTLM Ms Amy Ma: BMus (Ed), PGCE Mr David West: BMus, LTCL, AMus TCL, ATCL

Administrative Staff Ms Nolundi Blayi Ms Denise Cowan Ms René Forbes Ms Mariana Gerber Ms Pat Hanger Ms Sue Hoffmann Ms Lynda Niddrie Ms Dee Penny Ms Morag Rijs Mr Clement Schlosz Ms Jackie Weston Ms Lynne Young

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Mr Myles Siebrits

Campus Supervisor Mr Stephen Nicholas

Campus Staff

Mr Ibrahim Allie Ms Klara Constable Mr Jonathan Doddemeade Ms Venelia Fritz Mr Ali Ibrahim Ms Ruth Kabinda Ms Veronica Kabinda Ms Linda Mantshi Mr Gladwell Mnyimbane Ms Primrose Mketo Ms Globisa Mlozane Mr Adrian Munnik Ms Agnes Ndyambo Ms Bongiwe Pikini Ms Nomazizi Sapepa Mr Checkson Sithole Mr William Teyisi Ms Yolanda Wyngaard

LEADERS

Academic Staff

Fifth row, from left: Ms Perdita Norval, Ms Anita Marshall, Mr Dean Laufs, Ms Stella Rossouw, Mr Gian Marneweck, Mr Sarel Olkers, Mr Chris Murison, Ms Helene Swanson (Head of the Faculty of Languages), Ms Christine Steenekamp, Ms Karen Cronje Fourth row, from left: Ms Zélia Simpson, Ms Jackie Chambers (Head of the Faculty of Arts), Ms Lorraine Gardiner, Ms Sarah Keevy, Ms Lindy Waller, Ms Gail Wallace, Ms Vivienne Williams (Sport Manager), Ms Linda Mallon (Head of the Faculty of Business and Life Skills), Ms Helen Kleynhans, Ms Shannon Dowdall, Ms Judith Dernier Third row, from left: Ms Maileen Jamey, Ms Dianne Leonard, Mr Martin Altern, Ms Irene Adley, Ms Ingrid Weideman, Ms Louise Lawrence, Ms Marieta Langenhoven, Ms Leanne van Rensburg, Ms Olivia Gordon Second row, from left: Mr Glyn Hewson, Ms Tarin Scharneck, Ms Robyn Jepson, Ms Norma Caesar, Ms Anita Pretorius, Ms Janine Myers, Ms Zargielay Rabeh, Madame Dominique Williams, Ms Liz Rynhoud, Mr Cedric van Dyk School Management Team, seated from left: Ms Elizabeth Sole, Ms Renée Fourie, Ms Susan Schnetler (Deputy Principal: Academic), Ms Brigid Ryan, Ms Laura Bekker (Principal), Ms Bridget Cameron (Head of the Faculty of Sciences), Ms Gillian Blackshaw (Deputy Principal: Pastoral), Mr Adrian Skelly, Ms Maureen Burchell

Administrative Staff

Standing, from left: Ms Nolundi Blayi, Mr Clement Schlosz, Ms Pat Hanger, Ms Lynda Niddrie, Ms Morag Rijs, Ms Linda Simmons, Ms Lynne Young Seated from left: Mr Gareth Milne, Ms Jackie Weston, Mr Graeme Broster (Business Operations Manager), Ms Laura Bekker (Principal), Ms Marilyn Peters, Ms Denise Cowan, Ms Michelle Haylett Absent: Ms Rene Forbes

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Erinville Staff

Standing, from left: Ms Elizabeth Theunissen, Ms Sheila Stoffels, Ms Lisa Williams, Ms Budrunisa Davids Seated, from left: Ms Susan Mentoor, Ms Michele Bakker, Ms Pam van Dyk (Superintendent of Erinville), Ms Laura Bekker (Principal), Ms Karin Evans, Ms Cathy Bothma, Ms Melanie van Blerk

Campus Staff

Third row, from left: Ms Nomazizi Sapepa, Ms Claire Constable, Ms Gcobisa Mlozane, Mr Clifton November, Ms Venelia Fritz, Ms Bongiswa Mketo, Ms Linda Mantshi Second row, from left: Mr William Teyisi, Mr Ali Ibrahim, Mr Gladwell Mnyimbane, Ms Ruth Osongo, Mr Ibrahim Allie, Ms Yolanda Wyngaard.

Seated from left: Ms Bongiwe Pikini, Mr Stephen Nicholas, Mr Myles Siebrits (Campus Manager), Ms Laura Bekker (Principal), Mr Graeme Broster (Business Operations Manager), Mr Checkson Sithole, Ms Agnes Ndyambo Absent: Mr Adrian Munnik, Ms Florrie Zingelwa

School Prefects

Second row, from left: Shifah Abrahams, Yi-Shin Yuan, CornĂŠ Odendal, Kirsty Schlemmer, Joycelyn Foster First row, from left: Navya George, Sikelelwa Stemele, Nicola Cilliers, Danielle Austin, Aatiekah Solomons, JaimĂŠ Maher Seated, from left: Najma Yusuf, Siphokazi Mbatani (Deputy for Seniors), Ms Laura Bekker (Principal), Kate Vlok (Headgirl), Ms Gillian Blackshaw (Deputy Principal: Pastoral), Lauren Denny (Deputy for Juniors), Mosa Moloto

Erinville Prefects

Standing, from left: Sarah Ekron, Rebecca Furlong.

Seated, from left: Yi-Jou Chen, Ms Pam van Dyk (Superintendent of Erinville), Robyn Paterson (Headgirl), Ms Laura Bekker (Principal), Yi-Shin Yuan (Deputy Headgirl)

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From the Headgirl Headgirl: Kate Vlok (E1) Deputy Headgirl (Seniors): Siphokazi Mbatani (E1) Deputy Headgirl (Juniors): Lauren Denny (E5)

When I look back at school reports from 1999, when I was only four years old, I read that I was one of the class leaders. I took on the duty of taking a few younger children under my wing and nurturing them until they could stand on their own two feet.

This was the first of many leadership opportunities I have been fortunate to have since I was young.

At Pinehurst Primary School, I was a leader in the orchestra, a house captain, a class captain, as well as a prefect. Taking on these roles helped me to understand the importance of leadership from a young age.

In Grade 8, I found myself overwhelmed with all the opportunities that Rustenburg had to offer but I very soon found my feet and launched myself into school life. I believe a defining moment in my leadership journey was joining the Interact Society. I became a member in Grade 9 and by Grade 11 I was part of a committee made up of only Grade 12 girls. This seemed like a daunting task but I had learnt to take opportunities as they arose. This led me to being elected as the Secretary and later the Head of Interact.

Being part of this society taught me to be organised, disciplined and responsible.

Although I have been exposed to leadership since I was young, it was only recently that I realised what the term means to me: being in a position to motivate, inspire and guide my peers by leading by example, being enthusiastic, friendly and helpful.

One of my role models at school was Gladys Kisela (E 2012) as I have followed in her footsteps through both junior and high school and I have always admired her commitment and dedication to everything she does.

I have grown immensely since the first day I arrived at the front doors of Rustenburg High School for Girls and I have learnt a great deal about myself and my leadership potential. I would like be remembered as someone who was caring and compassionate towards everyone and as someone who was hard-working and always tried to complete a task to the best of her ability.

After I have matriculated I hope to carry on the Rustenburg legacy by continuing to be involved in my community and studying Physiotherapy at Stellenbosch University in 2014.

Once I was elected prefect in 2012, I attended the Prefects’ Camp in Simons Town. This involved a variety of indoor activities, ranging from fashion design to working together in order to find creative solutions for scenarios set in foreign countries.

The prefects had the chance to learn about theoretical leadership as well as their individual leadership styles and how to improve them. This greatly benefited the prefect body as it allowed us to bond and learn about each other and how to be effective leaders.

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From the Representative Council of Learners Grade 8 Representatives: Nokukhanya Zondi, Megan Tromp, Chloe Allison Grade 9 Representatives: Lauren Pienaar, Phumzile Konile, Jodi Rogerson Grade 10 Representatives: Kirsten Pienaar, Michelle Ashwin, Neo Ramagaga Grade 11 Representatives: Samantha Culligan, Emma Bergh, Caitlin Grüning (Secretary), Reabetswe Khonyane Grade 12 Representatives: Joycelyn Foster (Chairperson), Amy Hand (Vice) Saeeda Bassardien

The RCL is the link between the learners of the school, the educators and Governing Body.

The RCL meets every Thursday and discusses matters raised by the school through the suggestion box or from the grade report back sessions. It also discusses any other issues that have been raised by the Council including social events, ideas for assemblies and ways that conditions at school could be improved for learners and staff alike. In Term 2 the RCL held a very successful de-stress event where they invited the school to join them for coffee, muffins, music and fun before school. The response was great and the profits from this event were donated to Lerato’s Hope, which supports families infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The RCL researched how the school would like to spend the money made by the “Rocking the Runway” fashion show held last year at Canal Walk. It was decided to buy full length mirrors for all the bathrooms in the school. There has been ongoing discussion and research done on healthier options for the school tuckshop. This is still a work in progress, but there are several healthy options available on pre-order and hopefully more on the way. The RCL introduced a knitting project to the school in Term 3 and this took off really well.

Patterns and instructions were given to every form teacher and the idea was to get everyone and their families to knit squares. These will be donated to “The Warehouse” in Kenilworth and passed on to various organisations. The Grade 8s took up the challenge and led the way.

From the Chairperson of the Representative Council of Learners Joycelyn Foster (E1)

Leadership is not measured by how many badges you wear, how many people know your name or how often you receive recognition for making a difference, but by how many people you inspire to make a difference, how many individuals you attempt to get to know and by whether you always treat everyone equally and with the utmost respect and a warm smile. Being the Chairperson of the RCL has taught me this. I have also learnt that being a leader means not changing yourself to fit a specific position, but rather to adjust the position to fit you. After all, you were voted in for the person you are and not the person you think everyone wants to see.

I first joined the RCL in Grade 8 and, because I have always believed in fighting for what is right, the RCL was a perfect fit. I loved that I could serve my school, the very place I loved coming to every day, as well as have the opportunity to fix any dissatisfactions that my peers may have had. However, like anything in Grade 8, the RCL was daunting to me at first. I was on a body with girls from every other grade who were much older than me and seemed adult-like in the conversations they held in the Thursday meetings. Being on the RCL taught me to voice my opinion as I realised that, despite only being in Grade 8, what I had to offer was valid and appreciated.

As a leader, the most important quality to acquire is having empathy with others. If you have the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, confusion, anger, even ignorance, can all be eradicated. Something that I learned from my mother is always to treat people they way that I want to be treated. Next year, I hope to study Human Rights Law or the Humanities at UCT and I know that serving on the RCL has equipped me with the maturity and skills to handle a degree of this nature. In the future, I hope to obtain a leadership position in the place of my work and to make a positive difference in my society.

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From the Superintendent of Erinville Ms Pam van Dyk

Despite our newly painted, clean white western facade and our brand new red tiled roof, if you ask any Erinville Girl which colour she associates with Erinville she will answer, “PINK.” Originally the Erinville boarders formed the pink sports house at school. Ever since then pink has come to symbolise the spirit and camaraderie of Erinville House. This was so evident at our Cabaret evening when all the boarders took to the stage at the end of the night to sing the Erinville song, “We all live in a pink boarding house”. This sense of belonging to a unique sisterhood, to something special, follows our girls when they leave Erinville. Only the other day I saw a Facebook comment from one past boarder to another encouraging her through a difficult time and urging her to dig deep and to remember that she is an “Erinville Girl, pink through and through”.

This spirit is so important. It is a privilege to be part of it and to nurture it for future generations to experience. To this end, the core team of staff who are my Erinville Moms is invaluable. Mrs Karin Evans (Ms E as she is called by the girls) is like my right hand. She pays close attention to detail, lives out the meaning of the word “integrity” and loves and cares for the girls as if they are her own. Mrs Evans also plays a key role in ROGU and in keeping in touch with our Erinville alumni.

We were so fortunate to have Ms Michele Bakker join our staff at the start of this year. She is well over a decade younger than Mrs Evans and I, and she has arrived with so much energy and enthusiasm. If I am the head and Mrs Evans the hands, then Ms Bakker can best be described as the heart and the feet. She loves our girls and the staff and even the building. I am so grateful to have someone with an eye for interior design, the contacts to help realise her vision within budget and the energy to get things done promptly.

Whoever said that it is an army which marches on its stomach, has never met our 76 teenage girls. Our Catering Department, headed up

by Mrs Cathy Bothma and assisted by our Chef Ms Melanie van Blerk, also consists of our Cook, Mrs Sheila Stoffels and assistants Mrs Elizabeth Theunissen, Mrs Jaline Brown, Ms Lisa Williams and Ms Susan Mentoor.

They work tirelessly to produce a high standard of cuisine which is tasty, nutritious and to the liking of teenage palates. Ms Van Blerk (with Mrs Bothma’s help) has produced a six-week rotational menu which also caters for vegetarians.

tackle all tasks. He watches outside technicians fix various things and tells me afterwards that he will be able to deal with that problem should it arise in future. “I steal with my eyes” he says! Our cleaning staff members, managed by our invaluable Zizi, have affectionately been nicknamed “Bongi Wongie,” “Glorious Gloria” and “Clarabella”. They do such a good job that a hostel parent thought I had had the interior corridors painted during the holidays!

From time to time we all need reminding that the purpose of Erinville is to provide a home to facilitate attendance at Rustenburg, that the school is actually the reason girls are here. Homework time (Prep as it is nicknamed in the hostel) is an integral part of the girls’ routine. Grades 8 to 10 are supervised during the prep sessions by Mr Cedric Van Dyk and Ms Jackie Weston. They assist by creating an environment where the girls can focus on their school work. In addition, they help the girls to develop self-discipline when it comes to academic work as well to develop the invaluable ability to focus on one’s own work, despite what others may or may not be doing.

There are people behind the scenes at school who also provide invaluable support to Erinville: Mr Vogts and Mr Schlosz from the IT department have assisted us in countless ways, especially with the installation of Wi-Fi connection for the boarders and staff members everywhere in Erinville. Mr Siebrits (Campus Manager) and Mr Nicholas provide extra hands to lift or move heavy objects, gardeners to help make our quadrangle pretty and assistance and advice regarding project management and the maintenance. It is an added bonus that Ms Marion Siebrits is a horticulturist who generously gives us advice and practical help with our gardens. The people who collect our funds, pay our bills and keep our accounts in the black (as opposed to the red) are Ms Lynda Niddrie and Ms Morag Rijs in the Finance Office. Ensuring that we have wonderful girls in our hostel, processing all our applications and managing all related correspondence and paper work is Ms Pat Hanger.

As the Hostel Superintendent I so often get the credit for the things that are good about Erinville but, as you can see, I have a wonderful team with me. This, coupled by the leadership of the school (our Principal and her deputies; the School Governing Body and the Hostel Parent Committee) makes my job a pleasure and enables me to look upon our pink boarding house with pride.

Manning our Duty Room from 06h15 to 23h00 and over weekends cannot be managed by my two House Moms alone. We are very fortunate to have two live-in, part-time Boarder Mistresses, Ms Nomwethu Tshona and Ms Bridget Wells, as well as two live-out, part-time Boarder Mistresses, Ms Deborah Boyman and Ms Mieke Loubser. These younger members of staff not only relieve the House Moms, but also provide the girls with a larger variety of staff members to relate to and to go to for help or emotional support when needed.

Behind the scenes, making sure that Erinville is spotlessly clean and well maintained are some very special members of staff. Mr Adrian Munnik, our handyman, saves us so much time and money and is willing to

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From the Headgirl of Erinville Robyn Paterson (E5) Deputy of Erinville: Yi-Shin Yuan (E4)

If asked to summarise my high school career in three words, I would choose Erinville, Drama and learning. These three words symbolise the pillars of my experience at Rustenburg.

Being Headgirl of Erinville Hostel has given me the opportunity to represent 76 girls whom I am proud to call family. Erinville is a home away from home, and a place that provides girls with comfort, support and the freedom to grow as independent and strong women.

Being the representative of 76 girls definitely has its difficulties and demands a certain amount of self-confidence in making decisions with conviction. I have had to draw on inner strength and assurance that have luckily been cultivated by my passion for the Dramatic Arts. I have studied Drama since Grade 8 and this has allowed me to develop my public speaking skills. Drama has also taught me how to laugh at myself, and my sense of humour has definitely helped me lead in difficult situations.

Leadership, within the Erinville context, means to be a source of support, comfort and care to girls, while still being able to establish a boundary that ensures order and discipline be maintained. I believe that Erinville prefects are posed with one of the most difficult challenges in a high school environment: being both a big sister and a figure of authority. This has been tricky, as Erinville girls are very close and comfortable with one another. With the support of my parents and sisters and the knowledge I have gained from past Headgirls of Erinville, such as Amber Moir (2009), I believe I have been successful in leading a prefect body that has established appropriate boundaries and maintained respect while still being approachable, supportive and loving to Erinville girls in need of a shoulder to cry on, or just someone to listen to their frustrations.

Preparations for Fancy Dress brought our grade closer together and we all have a very special bond. Having the support of ten girls during a very tumultuous and busy year has definitely been a contributing factor to the success and enjoyment of my Matric year in Erinville.

I have been privileged enough to be in a hostel where a good relationship with the hostel mistresses is encouraged. Being able to speak to be someone, outside of school, who has experienced Matric and can offer a helping hand, is something for which I will be forever grateful. Ms Evans has been a constant source of support for me, since Grade 8, and she has been a rock to so many Erinville girls over the years. Ms Evans has taught me the importance of perspective as well as the importance of perfect grammar!

At the beginning of 2013, the Erinville staff received a new addition, Ms Michelle Bakker. Ms Bakker has been a refreshing presence in Erinville and her interest and enthusiasm regarding the dĂŠcor in Erinville and the happiness of the girls has been inspiring. I have appreciated her willingness to keep the girls busy with Gentle Jogs and Night Swims!

Ms Van Dyk has taught me to always have confidence in my decisions and position and to not second-guess myself and this is a lesson that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The hostel mistresses, or moms, have been constant sources of support for me during my Matric year and have helped me develop as Headgirl of Erinville in 2013.

Erinville has been one of the highlights of my high school career. I have had the privilege of being exposed to countless personalities that have helped me grow. I have been able to develop as an independent woman, without the constant support of my parents always by my side and I have had the honour of representing girls who have inspired me as well as taught me how to be a compassionate, supportive and nurturing human being. I am grateful for the opportunity of being chosen as Headgirl of Erinville and I am proud to be a part of a life-long legacy of women who have grown, developed and inspired through leadership.

Grade 11 was a year of great growth for the Erinville Matrics of 2013.

In Erinville, the Grade 11s are in charge of hosting the annual Fancy Dress, which is a themed farewell dinner for the Matrics. We had to do extensive fundraising to make our chosen theme, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a success. This was not an easy task, as we were only ten in Grade 11 and had to work very hard, and as a team, to give our Matrics a beautiful evening.

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From the Erinville Boarding House

Fancy Dress 2012

Hostel Cabaret

Erinville Christmas Party 2012

Each grade was given the responsibility of producing a performance.

This year the Grade 8s presented a mystical dance to the audience.

The Grade 9s staged a creatively co-ordinated dance routine to some contemporary Indian tunes. The Grade 10 group started their performance with a humorous skit and then danced to music including the Harlem Shake (The Mumba Shake). The Grade 11s performed to the well-known song “Jai Ho”. The Grade 12s danced to “Eye of the Tiger” whilst the audience clapped and sang along. Each performance was illuminated with multi-coloured lighting, thanks to the Audio-Visual Team (Amber Goldberg, Aidan Dette and Ursula Hardie).

Welcoming Grade 8s of 2013

To end off the occasion all the girls got onto stage and sang the Erinville song, showing off their pride in the “Pink Boarding House”.

Our traditional farewell to the Erinville Matrics is a highlight on the Erinville calendar each year. Our Matrics of 2013 (then in Grade 11) hosted an outstanding event in October last year. The theme, a closely guarded secret, was The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This relatively small hostel grade (only 11 of them) raised a good amount of money to treat us all to a magnificent event. Not only was the hall impressively decorated, but they were each dressed as a character from the film and they remained in character the whole evening. When the The Rocky Horror Show was staged in town this year we organised a special Matric outing to see it.

Our traditional end of year Christmas Party always starts with the Erinville girls going down Alma Road to visit our neighbours at Huis Lückoff. After singing Christmas Carols to the residents they arrived back at Erinville to serenade Ms Van Dyk, the staff and invited guests. For the past few years we have arranged a braai, invited staff who have helped support the hostel in many ways and parents of the Hostel Committee. The girls enjoyed the braai but the real highlight is the mechanical rodeo bull and juke box that we hired for this occasion.

Our annual beach outing to Camps Bay and Clifton was a great success this year. This outing has become a traditional way to welcome all new boarders to Erinville. Another Erinville tradition is a special show entitled “Miss Erinville.” All new girls participate in this themed event arranged by the Grade 11s. This year’s theme was the 1960s “Flower Power” and we all had fun dressing up. Caitlin Starke was crowned Miss Erinville for 2013.

In order to raise funds for various improvements in the beloved Erinville House, each year the hostel presents a themed Cabaret consisting of auctions, various intriguing performances and delectable dishes.

This year the hostel took an oriental approach to the evening with the theme Bollywood. The Kemp Hall was decked with paper elephants and the tables covered in rich orange cloth illuminated by candles.

Indian contemporary music harmonised with the lush interior. Rice and chicken curry was served, as well as cupcakes, much to the delight of the audience. The Grade 11s acted as waitresses for the evening, serving beverages to the family members of the Erinville girls.

Surfing Adventure 2013

Ms Bakker arranged an outing to Surfers’ Corner at Muizenberg on 1 May. We hired a bus to take a group of about 30 girls to a surfing lesson offered by Roxy Surf School. They were given a special discount which included the hire of a surf board, a wet suit, a Roxy top and an hour and a half surf lesson. This was a very successful outing and was followed by more trips to the beach for those bitten by the surfing bug.

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From the Head of Grade 12 Head of Grade 12: Helen Kleynhans E1: Ms Dianne Leonard E2: Ms Karen Cronje E3: Ms Jackie Chambers E4: Ms Helen Kleynhans E5: Mr Adrian Skelly

Grade 12 is a year of mixed feelings, of nostalgia for school days that will soon be over and of anticipation of exciting times that lie ahead.

It is a very busy year in all respects.

Leadership roles and other new responsibilities must be undertaken and all academic work must be completed before August. Besides this, serious decisions need to be made about the future and the social side of life has an important role to play too.

The Grade 12 class of 2013 managed to cope admirably with all these pressures and showed their mettle in many varied fields of endeavour. They worked hard and enthusiastically entered into the spirit of all the activities that are a part of being in Matric.

Kate Vlok (Headgirl), Siphokazi Mbatani (Deputy of Seniors), Lauren Denny (Deputy of Juniors) and their team of prefects ably led the rest of the school and kept things running smoothly. Robyn Paterson (Headgirl of Erinville) and Yi-Shin Yuan (Deputy) did the same for the boarders.

The Representative Council of Learners, led by Joycelyn Foster (Chairperson) and Amy Hand (Vice) introduced a number of interesting projects to the school. The House Captains, Dacia Hassan (Bleby), Jessie Miller (Cambridge), Lauren Jansen (Innes), Kirsten Jaftha (Marchand) and Sarah Ekron (Michiel Vos) had a particularly busy Term 1 as it was packed with Inter-house events. Grade 12 girls led sports teams and cultural societies, served the school in areas such as the Media Centre and the Tuckshop, and society at large in organisations such as Habitat for Humanity, Interact and Earth Children.

Some of these demanded a large amount of time and effort which they willingly, cheerfully and efficiently gave to their chosen activity.

Lauren Denny was the most outstanding academic achiever of 2013. She represented South Africa at the International Mathematics Olympiad in Colombia in July and received Honourable Mention. She also progressed to the third round of the Harmony Gold Mathematics Olympiad competition and she was awarded her fifth consecutive gold medal at the UCT Mathematics competition in May. Lauren Denny, Nicola Cilliers and Yi-Shin Yuan formed a team which advanced to the final round of the Minquiz competition for Physical Science where they placed fourth. Lauren Denny placed second in the Western Cape in the Afrikaans Olympiad for First Additional Language.

The Ubuntu Award winner for 2013 was Shifah Abrahams. She received this accolade in recognition for her involvement in the oncology ward at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital and for her committed service to the Helen Keller Society.

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The Grade 12s of 2013 were also very involved in sport. There were Western Province representatives in the following disciplines:

Hockey:

Gretchin Davids (WP U18), Natalie Luyt (U18 Southern Zone), Danielle Austin (U18 Disa), Jaimé Maher (U18 Disa)

Indoor Hockey: Jaimé Maher (U18 Seals)

Squash:

Courtney Brown (U19A) Yi-Jou Chen (U19B)

Touch Rugby:

Danielle Austin (U21), Lauren Jansen (U21) On the cultural side, the Grade 12s had a busy year. The first important event of the year, which involved many Matrics, was the Inter-house Drama Competition in March. All those who participated, whether acting, painting a backdrop or in any other way, put a great deal of effort into their productions. Sarah Ekron won Best Actress, the Best Director was Siphokazi Mbatani, the prize for Best Script went to Ashlynn Wessels and the prize for Best Producer to Nicole Ferrar. Daniella Savoia won the award for Best Production Design.

The school’s major production of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” had four Grade 12s in leading roles: Robyn Paterson (Miss Brodie), Lauren Smithie (Miss Mackay), Siphokazi Mbatani (Miss Perry) and Jordannah Leach (Sister Sandra). They received many accolades for outstanding interpretation of the characters they portrayed on the Kemp Hall stage.

Grade 12 is a year of special events to celebrate the end of school days, some social and some serious. First on the calendar was the Matric breakfast with the theme of “Spring Flowers.” This was followed a few weeks later by the Parents’ Information evening. The Inter-house Gala was an opportunity for all the Es to dress up in strange outfits and enthusiastically cheer for their respective houses.

The highlight of the year for many was the Matric Dance on 21 June.

This was held in the Ballroom at Kelvin Grove and was a very glamorous affair. The theme of “The Secret Garden” was very suitable for the occasion and all the girls looked beautiful. In the first week of Term 3 the Matrics treated the rest of the school to a fashion show of their lovely outfits.

The Grade 12 group of 2013 have so many talents and interests that it was not possible to mention all of them here. We wish them a happy, fulfilling future and are confident that they will go out into the world and remain proud Rustybugs!

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E1

Fourth row, from left: Chloe le Roux, Corné Odendaal, Holly Deutschmann, Kate Vlok, Jordannah Leach, Lauren Middleton, Aaliya Badat Third row, from left: Joycelyn Foster, Kayla Albertyn, Thenjiwe Mabuto, Zenobia Hendricks, Mishqah Heynes, Aleyah Dollie, Lauren Hogg Second row, from left: Toni Paulsen, Sikelelwa Stemele, Moerieda Daniels, Gretchin Davids, Sarah Ekron, Michelle Dandara, Tashreeqah Brown, Siphokazi Mbatani Seated, from left: Tatum Beppo, Nishaat Karjiker, Ms Dianne Leonard (E1 Form Teacher), Tharah Bassier, Ms Helen Kleynhans (Head of Grade 12), Soobin Park, Azraa Majiet

E2

Fourth row, from left: Kirsten Collins, Dorianne Campbell, Kelly Kolbe, Tiana Pena, Anastasia Stergiou, Nicole Ferrar, Musindosi Kalula, Lutho Sobuza Third row, from left: Jessica Ehrenreich, Ashlynn Wessels, Micaela Cassar, Tracey-Ann Arendse, Tennile Liddle, Amina Vallie, Vicky Lucus Second row, from left: Paige De Chazal De Chamarel, Jesse Jason, Neelum Cader, Caryn-Leigh Falken, Robyn Blench, Jaimé Maher, Azraa Parker, Saeeda Bassardien Seated, from left: Jessie Miller, Woohyun Lee, Ms Helen Kleynhans (Head of Grade 12), Nkulunga Mvandaba, Ms Karen Cronje (E2 Form Teacher), Sonia Mataramvura, Mosa Moloto

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E3

Fourth row, from left: Tamar Rodrigues, Tara Dunlop, Abigail Melvill, Mbali Ntintili, Kezia Roos, Caragh Farrell, Kelly Schlemmer, Mubeenah Essack Third row, from left: Azraah Hendricks, Nabeelah Ismail, Ayesha Semaar, Kirsten Holman, Rebecca Furlong, Danielle Austin, Thameenah Davids.

Second row, from left: Kirsten Barratt, Robyn Fester, Nicola Cilliers, Maisie Williams-Sales, Courtney Ravell, Sajdah Koopman, Navya George Seated, from left: Dacia Hassan, Tarquin Vollenhoven, Ms Helen Kleynhans (Head of Grade 12), Natalie Luyt, Ms Jackie Chambers (E3 Form Teacher), Yomelela Nani, Brittany Kannemeyer

E4

Fourth row, from left: Lauren Duckitt, Teagan Jones, Amy Hand, Jaime Gray, Kelsey Reck, Emely Kรถhler, Emma Grobbelaar Third row, from left: Rania Davids, Kirsty Schlemmer, Shifah Abrahams, Daniela Savoia, Yi-Shin Yuan, Haseena Solwa, Amara Ebrahim Second row, from left: Ayesha Assim, Chelsea Christian, Jodi Walker, Leanne Biccari, Rolivhuwa Madiba, Kirsten Stevens, Sandra Norman, Emma van Zyl Seated, from left: Do Yeou Ku, Lauren Jansen, Sheraya Erickson, Ms Helen Kleynhans (E4 Form Teacher, Head of Grade 12), Tamsin Grove, Alexandra Nel, Abigail Wood Absent: Lona Bam

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E5

Fourth row, from left: Rahma Dalmau, Chelsi Sylvester, Kristi Lanser, Jamie Masters, Kiana Neethling, Robyn Paterson, Courtney Brown, Yi-Jou Chen, Kirsten Jaftha Third row, from left: Julia Cooke, Ilhaam Kriel, Adrienne Soule, Lauren Denny, Jenna Adams, Dakota Guy, Oriana Esau Second row, from left: Jenna Bryden, Saarah Harris, Aatiekah Solomons, Safoora Ebrahim, Rebecca Norris, Shana-Lee Ziervogel, Aqeelah Benjamin, Shehaam Moosa Seated, from left: Yumna Badroodien, Lauren Smithie, Mr Adrian Skelly (E5 Form Teacher), Olivia Benetton, Ms Helen Kleynhans (Head of Grade 12), Najma Yusuf, Joo-Young Kim

From Primary to High

Fourth row, from left: Lutho Sobuza, Abigail Melvill, Nicole Ferrar, Holly Deutschmann, Amy Hand, Jaime Gray, Tara Dunlop, Courtney Brown, Musindosi Kalula, Haseena Solwa Third row, from left: Kirsten Stevens, Tamar Rodrigues, Siphokazi Mbatani, Rania Davids, Adrienne Soule, Kirsten Jaftha, Toni Paulsen, Rolivhuwa Madiba, Tasneem Wilkie Second row, from left: Alexandra Nel, Rebecca Norris, Vicky Lucas, Lauren Smithie, Micaela Cassar, Tamsin Grove, Chelsea Christian, Shana-Lee Ziervogel Seated, from left: Mosa Moloto, Yomelela Nani, Nishaat Karjiker, Soobin Park, JaimĂŠ Maher, Kirsten Barratt, Navya George, Yumna Badroodien, Azraa Majiet Absent: Lona Bam RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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Matric Breakfast In attendance at the 2013 Matric Breakfast held on 17 January in the Thomson Hall were the three school leaders, from left: Kate Vlok (Headgirl), Joycelyn Foster (Chairperson of the RCL) and Robyn Paterson (Headgirl of Erinville).

The Matric Breakfast has become something of a tradition for Grade 12 learners who began their final year of schooling with a morning of celebration and cheer (and sugary croissants and delicious muffins). The girls were welcomed by the Head of Grade 12, Ms Helen Kleynhans (E4), and the other Grade 12 form teachers: Ms Dianne Leonard (E1), Ms Karen Cronje (E2), Ms Jackie Chambers (E3) and Mr Adrian Skelly (E5). The theme for the occasion was “Spring Flowers.” Principal, Ms Laura Bekker, concluded the morning’s festivity with her own words of wisdom to the E Class of 2013. She encouraged the Matrics to make use of all opportunities in the year ahead, to revel in every step of the Grade 12 journey, and eventually to return to visit the school regularly as proud Rustenburg Old Girls.

Grade 12 Parents’ Evening At the Grade 12 Parents’ Evening were, from left: Ms Gina Denny, Lauren Denny (Deputy Headgirl of Juniors), Mr Andrew Denny, Kate Vlok (Headgirl), Ms Ann Vlok, Ms Nomonde Mbatani, Siphokazi Mbatani (Deputy Headgirl of Seniors).

On 29 January Grade 12 schoolgirls and their parents attended a meeting in the Kemp Hall. The purpose of the occasion was to outline various Matric-specific events and offer words of wisdom about the demanding (and roller-coaster) final year of schooling.

Ms Bekker welcomed all guests and stressed to the Es of 2013 that theirs could be a wonderful, memorable year, provided that they did the right thing, in the right way and at the right time. She also encouraged matriculants to make good use of their diaries and to plan their time carefully. Ms Schnetler pointed out that in essence the girls write their own testimonials, that the school can only reflect the extent to which they have offered their skills and services to Rustenburg.

Head of Grade 12, Ms Helen Kleynhans, discussed many of the exciting things which could be anticipated, including obtaining learner’s licences, attending the Matric Dance and other dances, and turning 18. “None of these should,” she emphasised, “distract from the core academic issue of the year. This is your last lap, an opportunity to make all your years of schooling worthwhile.”

Two ‘new’ Rustenburg Old Girls, Gladys Kisela and Nicola Cathcart (both E 2012) were invited to offer their advice too. Gladys recommended that Grade 12 girls remain actively involved in the many aspects of school life. She felt that participating in sport and cultural activities encouraged socialising and could do much to ease the pressure of a demanding year. Gladys also said that, in her experience, much learning about valuable life-skills can happen outside of the classroom.

Nicola described Matric as, “the fastest, busiest and most stressful year of school.” She said that it was important to establish a “rhythm of study” and to “be honest. Tell your parents what you need of them this year.”

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Matric Awards Ceremony Academic Awards

Life Orientation: Lauren Denny

Accounting: Yi-Jou Chen, Amara Ebrahim, Woohyun Lee

Advanced Programme Mathematics: Lauren Denny

Afrikaans First Additional Language: Nicola Cilliers Afrikaans Progress Cup: Do Yeou Ku Marietjie le Roux Cup for Excellence in Afrikaans: Kristi Lanser

Life Sciences: Abigail Wood Mathematics: Lauren Denny Pricewaterhouse Coopers Book Award (for Accounting and Mathematics): Woohyun Lee Mathematical Literacy: Nicole Ferrar Music: Joo-Young Kim, Do Yeou Ku Physical Sciences: Lauren Denny

Certificate for Overall Academic Improvement: Shana-Lee Ziervogel

Visual Arts: Kiana Neethling

Consumer Studies: Emely Köhler, Abigail Wood

Grade 12 Academic Half Colours

Consumer Studies (Culinary Skills): Robyn Paterson, Ashlynn Wessels Dance (Melissa Wood Cup for Excellence in Dance): Courtney Ravell Design: Lona Bam Dramatic Arts: Robyn Paterson English Home Language (Naureen Parkes Memorial Prize): Robyn Paterson English Literature (Adèle Cloete Memorial Prize): Robyn Paterson French Second Additional Language: Nicola Cilliers Helga van Heerden Cup (for Excellence in French): Lauren Duckitt International Computer Driving Licence: Ashlynn Wessels Geography: Lauren Denny

Visual Arts (Photography): Jamie Rose Masters

Lona Bam (re-award), Courtney Brown, Oriana Esau (re-award), Nicole Ferrar, Robyn Fester (re-award), Jaime Gray (re-award), Do Yeou Ku (reaward), Jamie Rose Masters (re-award), Siphokazi Mbatani (re-award), Kiana Neethling, Alexandra Nel (re-award), Rebecca Norris, Corné Odendal (re-award), Courtney Ravell (re-award), Kate Vlok (re-award)

Grade 12 Academic Full Colours

Kirsten Barratt, Yi-Jou Chen, Nicola Cilliers (re-award), Thameenah Davids, Lauren Denny (re-award), Lauren Duckitt (re-award), Amara Ebrahim, Lauren Hogg, Emely Köhler (re-award), Woohyun Lee (re-award), Natalie Luyt (re-award), Robyn Paterson (re-award), Haseena Solwa Amina Vallie, Ashlynn Wessels (re-award), Abigail Wood (re-award), Yi-Shin Yuan (re-award)

Sustained Academic Achievement

For a consistent aggregate of 80% or above in all examinations in Grades 10, 11 and 12 Nicola Cilliers, Lauren Denny, Lauren Duckitt, Robyn Paterson, Abigail Wood, Yi-Shin Yuan

Geography Research Prize: Dorianne Campbell, Jaimé Maher German Second Additional Language (mother-tongue speaker): Emely Köhler German Second Additional Language (non mother-tongue speaker): Lauren Hogg History: Nicola Cilliers Sybil McGregor History Prize (for Research): Nicola Cilliers

Top Academic Positions in Grade 12

Fifth position: Robyn Paterson Fourth position: Abigail Wood Third position: Woohyun Lee Marchand Dux Trophy for Outstanding Academic Achievement: Nicola Cilliers, Lauren Denny

isiXhosa First Additional Language: Nokulunga Mvandaba

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Matric Special Prizes Alston le Roux Drama Cup

This trophy was donated in 1998 with the request that it be awarded annually to the pupil, or pupils, who offered the greatest contribution to the development, promotion and service to the theatrical genre at Rustenburg in that particular year. The star of the 2013 school theatrical production of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” Robyn Paterson, was entirely deserving of this accolade. Her role required a demanding emotional transformation from a flamboyant and egocentric woman to a broken and vulnerable fallen heroine. Robyn’s later performance as Eliza Doolittle from “Pygmalion” also received tremendous praise from the external panel of adjudicators which officiated at the Grade 12 Dramatic Arts Theme Programme Examination on 8 October.

Amy Steyl Award

2011 was the first year in which this honour was bestowed upon a Visual Arts or Design learner. The Amy Steyl Award is for the girl who has developed her creative individuality and has inspired her peers with her integrity, humility and passion. The 2013 recipient was Do Yeou Ku. Do Yeou’s dedicated, passionate and innovative approach to the creative process through reinvention and experimentation was inspirational.

Despite personal challenges, her positive and insightful engagements with her art peers across the grades reflected humility and integrity and made her a highly respected and accomplished art learner.

Centenary Cup

The Centenary Cup, for All-Round Excellence in Service to the School over 5 years, was awarded to both Kate Vlok and Lauren Denny.

These girls have been recipients of Bug awards and All-Round trophies in previous years. Kate has excelled in many areas throughout her career at Rustenburg. She led the school as Headgirl, while serving the community at large as the Head of Interact. On the cultural side, Kate was the Deputy Head of the Jazz Band and, on the sporting front, captained the 1st Netball and 2nd Waterpolo teams. She also achieved a Silver President’s Award and managed to maintain a high standard of excellence in her academic work throughout her school days. Lauren has also excelled in many areas during her five years at Rustenburg. She played 1st Team Touch Rugby and was a member of the Under 19B hockey team. A very accomplished flautist, Laura was a committed member of the Orchestra and the Flute Ensemble. She also served on the Ignition committee and was a member of the 12 Club. Lauren achieved a Gold President’s Award and led the school as Deputy Headgirl (Juniors). Her academic performance was consistently outstanding.

Chris Murison Cup for Achievement in Mathematics Competitions

Lauren Denny was awarded this special Mathematics prize, for which Mr Murison donated a trophy, as recognition for her outstanding achievements in Mathematics Competitions during her high school career. Lauren has met the stringent criteria for this award with ease.

In the UCT Mathematics Competition she has been placed in the Top 10 every year since Grade 8. As the top girl student in Grade 11, she was awarded a trophy that honours the memory of Di Tucker, a former teacher at Rustenburg. Lauren has made the top 100 in the National Olympiad every year and was placed first in the country in the Junior Section in Grade 9. She has represented South Africa at the African Olympiad in 2012 and the World Olympiad in 2013.

Dr Moll Honour Prize

The Dr Moll Honour Prize is presented to the girl who has best upheld the traditions of Rustenburg. This is regarded as the most prestigious accolade which the school can bestow. The 2013 recipient was Kate Vlok. As Headgirl, she led the school with maturity and was greatly respected by her peers and educators. Always loyal to Rustenburg and with the school’s best interests at heart, Kate had a very positive influence on the school community.

EMV Smit Cup

The EMV Smit Cup is presented for personal achievement. The 2013 recipient was Kirsten Stevens. Kirsten was cheerful, positive and an

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inspiration to others as she coped so well throughout her school days with her visual disability.

Excellence in Leadership

The award is given to the Grade 12 learner who has displayed exemplary qualities in her role as a leader in the school. The 2013 recipient was Siphokazi Mbatani. Siphokazi was an excellent leader and excelled in her roles as Deputy Headgirl (Seniors) and Head of the Cultural Society. Her leadership was characterised by maturity, integrity and creativity. Siphokazi successfully managed to balance her work, extramural commitments and leadership positions through excellent timemanagement skills and a delightful sense of humour. She is a natural leader and was respected by her peers and educators alike.

Karin Wiese Trophy

Yomelela Nani and Kirsten Stevens were elected by their peers as the recipients of the Karin Wiese Trophy for overcoming great difficulty with dignity.

Lucia Jacobs Trophy

The Lucia Jacobs Trophy is awarded for organisational skills and initiative.

The 2013 recipients were Navya George and Jaimé Maher. Jaimé was the Head of Habitat for Humanity and showed commendable initiative and leadership skills by organising the 25-hour Cyclathon at the V&A Waterfront. She worked tirelessly and with dedication for Habitat for Humanity over the past five years and played a key role in the success of many other important ventures. As Head of Earth Children and Deputy Head of Interact, Navya demonstrated the rare leadership ability to delegate sensitively and encourage the individual strengths and growth opportunities within each member of the team. She oversaw the organisation of many exciting projects with positivity, humility, creativity and dedication.

Marchand Dux Trophy

Nicola Cilliers and Lauren Denny together were awarded the Marchand Dux Trophy for Outstanding Academic Achievement. Every term, since Grade 8, they were placed in the top two positions in their grade and they consistently achieved aggregates of over 90% in the Further Education and Training band (Grades 10 to 12). This award acknowledged the exceptional academic achievements of these two extraordinary and diligent scholars over their five years at Rustenburg.

Miller Cranko Award

The Miller Cranko Award was presented to Navya George for Service to the Community. In her capacity as Head of Earth Children and Deputy Head of Interact, she proved to be an extremely effective and compassionate leader. Over the last five years and through her tireless commitment to a variety of outreach projects, Navya devoted her spare time generously to helping the less fortunate, both in the social and environmental spheres, and inspiring others to do the same.

Nicola Barrett Cup

The Nicola Barrett Cup for All-Round Sporting Excellence, Good Sportsmanship and Team Loyalty was first awarded in 2012. The 2013 recipient was Jaimé Maher, a talented, hard-working and competitive sportswoman. She was a member of Rustenburg’s 1st Hockey, 1st Indoor Hockey and 1st Touch Rugby teams. Jaimé played in the Under 18 provincial Disa Hockey team and was a member of the PSI Under 18 Seals Indoor Hockey team. She was selected to the Under 19 WP Touch Rugby team to participate in the Junior Inter-provincial Tournament which took place in September 2013. Jaimé was a dedicated and loyal member of these teams and made a positive contribution to sport at Rustenburg.

Senior de Wet Prize

Nicola Cilliers was awarded the Senior de Wet Prize for English and Afrikaans bilingualism. Nicola is an exceptional student. Her argumentative skills are excellent and she shows great insight in her written and oral work. She is meticulous and very diligent. Nicola has mastered the English language and is able to use it to her advantage in 28

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explaining abstract ideas, building arguments and expressing emotion.

Nicola beskik oor die uitsonderlike vermoë om haarself in al die komponente van die taal keurig en korrek uit te druk. Haar skryfwerk is van ‘n hoogstaande gehalte. Nicola is ook ‘n uitstekende openbare spreker en dit was geen verrassing toe die vakadviseur 100% aan haar toegeken het vir haar verbale kommunikatiewe vaardigheid nie. Nicola is ‘n ware ambassadeur vir Afrikaans op wie Rustenburg baie trots is.

Preiss Floating Trophy

The Preiss Floating Trophy was awarded to Robyn Paterson for her leadership of Erinville Boarding House, in her role as Headgirl of Erinville, this year. Her courtesy, logical thinking, compassion for the girls and poise at all times made her an excellent role model.

Yomelela Nani

Do Yeou Ku

Jaimé Maher

Kate Vlok

Kirsten Stevens

Lauren Denny

Navya George

Nicola Cilliers

Robyn Paterson

Siphokazi Mbatani

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Grade 11 Matric Dance Committee The following Grade 11 girls, supervised by Ms Helene Swanson, served on the 2013 Matric Dance Committee: Aaliyah Ahmed, Rowan Banks, Emma du Toit, Alex Faber, Laura Hartmann, Lindsay Llewellyn, Michaela, McHugh, Kelsey Pike, Ella Potgieter, Sarah Shamley, Morgan Shelly, Nicole Sorour, Summer Thompson.

Matric Dance The three school leaders dazzled on 21 June at the Matric Dance held at Kelvin Grove. From left: Robyn Paterson (Headgirl of Erinville), Joycelyn Foster (Chairperson of the RCL), Kate Vlok (Headgirl of Rustenburg High School for girls)

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From the Head of Grade 11 Head of Grade 11: Ms Gail Wallace D1: Ms Gail Wallace D2: Mr Glyn Hewson, Mr William Haggard D3: Ms Leanne van Rensburg D4: Ms Louise Lawrence D5: Mr Gian Marneweck

This year brought about a change in form teacher for the D2 class.

Initially these girls were in the capable hands of Mr Glyn Hewson, who was holding the fort until Mr William Haggard arrived and took over in the second term. The other four form teachers were all promoted along with their classes, which ensured continuity in many areas.

Last year our girls could aptly have been termed “ladiesin-waiting,” this year, it was gratifying to observe their progress as they took on leadership roles and gained maturity as students.

The most exciting event of Term 1 was the leadership camp, held this year at the Mizpah camp site. This was a time of bonding and of flexing leadership muscles in two days of fun and hard physical graft.

In Term 3, a record 57 girl were elected as sub-prefects and were able to test the leadership waters first hand. It was an enriching experience for everyone.

Two Grade 11 learners, who are already leading the field as entrepreneurs, are Aaliyah Ahmed who launched her own accessories and clothing business, called “Black Milk” and Nuzhah Jacobs, who sells shoes, clothing and accessories online. Her business is called “The Ramp.” Aaliyah was invited to be the guest speaker at the Young Bucks Conference and addressed 200 enthusiastic young entrepreneurs-inthe-making, after which she was also interviewed for the television show, “Against All Odds.”

The Grade 11s are a gratifyingly diverse group. We are proud of our very own novelist, Monique Hollis, who launched her second novel, “Give and Take,” on 6 March this year. Two Grade 11 learners, Alyxé Rosenberg and Jennifer Oosthuizen, also tasted literary fame by having essays chosen for publication in “English Alive”.

A number of Grade 11 girls excelled in sporting codes not offered at school: Lauren Twiss represented Western Province this year in the Longboard Surfing Championships and ended third in the under 18 Girls’ division. Aneesah Wahab was promoted to First Dan Senior black belt at Seido Karate. Tanri de Lange was chosen to represent Western Province in the National Still-water Lifesaving Championships and did patrols on Saturdays whenever there were open-water events. Our grade group has three rhythmic gymnasts: Candice-Lee Uys has represented Western Province since 2006 and has been the National Champion three

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times, Shannon Hochfelden took first place in the Provincial Rhythmic Gymnastics Competition and Abigail Mallows was chosen to represent the Western Province in the Rhythmic Gymnastics Hoop group. Franki Lock participated in showjumping, Emma MacArthur was involved in eventing and Alexandra Hanson has been involved in horse riding for the past eight years and regularly participates in competitions. Franki continues to assist with the rehabilitation of abused horses, as does Alexandra.

These Grade 11s are also compassionate and dedicated young women, who are prepared to give up their spare time to assist the less fortunate. Sameenah Allie, Maxine Kleinschmidt, Ellen-Marie Trautmann and Laila Haffejee all volunteered at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

Sameenah also lent a hand at the Christine Revel Children’s Home and was part of the Newkidz Makeover team, an NGO that renovates homes, safe houses and orphanages. Taalia Crawley helped out at the Boundless Heart and Cape Town’s Angels charity organisations and tutored orphans at the Habibia Girls’ Orphanage. Roxanne Christian, a holder of an Allan Gray Scholarship, was part of the Enke Youth Development Programme and was involved in general community upliftment and development.

In May, Stefni Handt served as a volunteer photographer for the Western Province Youth Development Rugby Day and the organisers were not only very grateful for her assistance but wrote to the school to commend her for being a “fantastic representative of her school”.

There are also a number of dancers in the grade, who participate in different genres of dance. Emma du Toit has been doing Highland Dancing with the Celtic Dance Tapestry since she was eight years old and, besides winning numerous medals, has also represented Western Province in inter-provincial competitions. Michaela Schultz is an eager ballroom and Latin American dancer and Chelsea Muir does ballet.

Jaid Heesen is a self-taught Irish dancer who would love to join the likes of Colin Dunne and Jean Butler of “Riverdance” in the future.

In August, Saarah Asmal and Ferial Najaar participated in the KFM GK Teen Competition, where Ferial landed fourth place and Saarah, after coming first, was presented with the keys to her own car! Tanri de Lange and Michaela Schultz jetted off to Southern India as part of the World Challenge and came home exhausted but spiritually refreshed after being part of a team of people who certainly made a difference to the lives of others. Three of our girls, Morgan Shelly, Ella-Jayne Potgieter and Summer Thompson, often grace the fashion pages of the “Marie Claire” magazine as three of South Africa’s newest and most promising young models. Ella-Jayne and Morgan both spent time in Paris in the middle of the year, where they were involved in different shoots and met international clients. Summer is looking forward to spending time in the Big Apple in the coming months.

As can be seen from the diverse activities and interests, the Grade 11 group is interesting. They have minds of their own, they clearly favour out-of-the-box thinking and they appear to be excelling in their chosen fields. May they continue to be an inspiration to all as they travel to their final grade in 2014.

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From the Head of Grade 10 Head of Grade 10: Ms Lorraine Gardiner C1: Ms Zargielay Rabeh C2: Ms Lindy Waller C3: Ms Zélia Simpson C4: Ms Lorraine Gardiner C5: Ms Perdita Norval

It has been a very busy, exciting and fulfilling year for the Grade 10s in 2013. They have participated and succeeded in many different spheres and some of their achievements will be highlighted below.

This year’s Grade 10s are strong academically, led by Emily Roberts (86.43 %), Rebecca Haines and Tamsin Metelerkamp who placed first, second and third respectively at the end of Term 2 examinations. Other achievements on the academic front include Ursula Hardie and Tamsin Meterlerkamp who achieved Gold awards for their entry into the UCT Science Expo, while Bronze awards were attained by Kirsten Buchanan, Megan Frost, Rebecca Haines, Kirsten Pienaar and Marianne Schwellnus.

Many of the Grade 10 girls excelled on the sports field or in the pool, as the case may be. Half colours for swimming were awarded to Rebecca Haines and Chelsea van Rensburg. The latter also achieved Western Province colours for Open Water Swimming. Other provincial representatives included Haidee Davis (Western Province U16 Hockey and U18 Indoor Hockey Seals), Ziyanah Fredericks (Western Cape U19A Touch Rugby), Elle Mouton (Western Province U17 Touch Rugby), Keabetsoe Nchodu (nontravelling reserve for Western Province U17 Touch Rugby), Marianne Schwellnus (Western Province U17 Touch Rugby), Jessica Walters (U16 Hockey South Zone) and Michelle Winter (U16B Squash, U16 Hockey South Zone and U15 Indoor Hockey Sharks).

Other sporting achievers were Jihan Yasin who is working towards her black belt in Ninjitsu Martial Arts, and Shannon Lorimer who completed the Cape Argus Cycle Tour, while also being awarded Honours for both her solo and duet at the Cape Town Eisteddfod for Modern and Contemporary dancing. Caitlin Truter competed in the short-course

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gala for South African qualifying time swimmers in KwaZulu-Natal.

Another notable achiever was Julia Darke who completed the Bronze division of the President’s Award.

The Grade 10 girls have also excelled in the cultural arena. Most of the cast members of the school’s theatrical production of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” were in Grade 10: Amy Kunz, Julia Holzberg, Chloë Venter, Hannah Luxton, Gillian Williams and Aaliyah Vayez. René Zinn was kept super busy as the “Miss Brodie” production secretary, while Dominique Nothnagel served as the backstage manager. Ursula Hardie supervised the sound and lighting equipment for the show from high above in the technical box. Kirsten Pienaar achieved two Silver medals and a Gold medal in the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod for singing, Rebecca Haines attained Merit for her Grade 7 Violin examination and Stephanie Lawrenson was awarded South African colours for being invited to join the Youth Orchestra. Orissa Ramesar excelled in both Indian and African dancing. In the field of debating, Tamsin Metelerkamp has been chosen as one of the five representatives in the Western Cape schools’ team in the National Debating Championships to be held in Gauteng in December. She was also a member of the Forum Discussion team which placed second in this year’s SACEE Forum Discussion Competition.

Two exciting ventures were also undertaken by the Grade 10s. Fourteen participated in the internationally-recognized Outward Bound camp, held in the mountains near Grabouw during the March school holidays.

They were joined by fourteen girls from our Afri-twin school, Mfuleni. The girls enjoyed hiking, abseiling and canoeing, while braving the cold autumn nights in tents and cooking their own food. Another thirteen Grade 10 girls went on the World Challenge trip to India. They were involved in hiking, managing their own itinerary and money, and community work at a local school. The girls found this to be a worthwhile and unforgettable experience, which gave them exposure to a completely different culture.

The Grade 10s can be proud of their varied and diverse accomplishments during 2013.

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From the Head of Grade 9 Head of Grade 9: Ms Anita Pretorius B1: Mr Dean Laufs, Ms Monika van Duuren B2: Mr Sarel Olkers, Ms Zuleigah Galer B3: Ms Marieta Langenhoven B4: Ms Anita Pretorius B5: Ms Tarin Scharneck

“You may think that I am young and small, but actually I feel quite old and tall. You want to control me and tell me what to do, but I think I often know more than you” Ms Anita Pretorius, to the Grade 9s of 2013 These were the words addressed to the present Grade 9s at the annual parents’ meeting on 5 February. Several of these sayings proved to be true. In the school scenario this is an awkward year because the girls are neither beginners, nor seniors. So they indeed feel old and tall, but quite often we have to assist them when they are frail and small.

Fortunately, this grade faced the challenges of the GET phase successfully.

Our prefects made sure that the girls began 2013 positively when they organised a games evening on 31 January. The Grade presented a Human Rights Day assembly to remind us about our past and the important role that respect and caring play in our communities.

During the Market Day, on 25 March, the entrepreneurial skills of our future economists were put to the test. They successfully produced and sold everything, from hotdogs to hair clips, gatsbys to gum and jewellery to jam.

Soon after this business event, the girls packed their bags to attend a Leadership Camp at Habonim in Hermanus. The camp ran from 26 to 27 March. During this exercise they had the opportunity to bond as a grade in a beautiful setting. They learned much about teamwork when they had to support each other during obstacle courses. The girls also

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experienced that leadership brings responsibility when they led their groups during innovative activities. Onrus beach provided excellent entertainment for socialising, sport, swimming and games.

The girls obtained pleasing academic results at the end of the first two terms. Several learners achieved aggregates of 80% or more.

Our girls displayed some individual talent and we congratulate them on their special achievements: Hannah Clayton and Nicola McLachlan: Silver (piano duet) at Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod Hannah Clayton and Melissa Rossouw: Gold award at UCT Mathematics competition Kerryn Duff: Silver (recorder) at Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod Rebecca Terry: Honours plus (piano) at Cape Town Eisteddfod A few Grade 9 girls formed part of a group from Rustenburg which danced with disabled children in a Remix performance.

In the sport arena our Grade 9 girls were most successful. The following girls represented Western Province: Kristin Bellingan (Swimming), Roxi Francke (Touch Rugby), Ashley Howard (Waterpolo), Kiera Maher (Zonal Hockey), Leesha Melvill (Touch Rugby), Gabriel-Fay Morgan (Hockey Disa team), Kristen Naidoo (Hockey U16A), Rebecca Plaatjies (Touch Rugby), Lauren Pienaar (Touch Rugby), Tamarah Pike (Hockey Disa team), Emma Swart (Ice Skating), Kathleen van der Merwe (Squash U16B), Ashleigh Simonis (Cross Country), Lianne Verwey (WP and SA colours for Artistic Gymnastics and Tumbling).

In retrospect, this has been a very busy year for our Grade 9 girls. They worked hard and made a valuable contribution to life at Rustenburg.

“We trust you will know the difference between right and wrong and will, in the future, walk with confidence to stand strong.”

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From the Head of Grade 8 Head of Grade 8: Ms Helene Swanson A1: Ms Helene Swanson A2: Ms Norma Caesar A3: Ms Sarah Keevy A4: Ms Linda Mallon A5: Ms Stella Rossouw A6: Ms Zaandre Theron

Leaving junior school at the top of the ladder and commencing at the bottom rung at high school is always viewed by the Grade 8s both with apprehension and excitement.

However, the year ahead provided a new set of challenges and opportunities for them in every way.

On 15 January the Grade 8s (which have now expanded to include a sixth form class) were welcomed by the prefects and had the opportunity of familiarising themselves with the environment where they will be educated for the next five years. This day was also utilised to dispel fears and anxieties for the new recruits and to encourage the beginning of socialisation.

To further assist with the introduction of the Grade 8 learners in to the high school way of life, the traditional Gala and Sports Day was held on 18 January. After the fun of the Gala, a braai for parents, learners and staff was arranged and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

A new parents’ meeting was held in February. The purpose of this event was to provide information on the wide spectrum of opportunities available to the girls with regard to sport, music and arts and culture. Many of the Grade 8 learners have enthusiastically participated in a number of these activities and have become fully involved in multiple aspects of the school.

This year has seen the Grade 8s achieving well academically. Results indicate future academic success for the learners. Special mention must be made of Bianca Rijkmans (90.2%), Megan Tromp (87.6%) and Kauthar Parker (86.9%) who placed first, second and third respectively in the grade during their first high school formal examinations.

Once again, we were very pleased at the numbers of learners taking part in the various Olympiads. Several individuals and pairs participated in the UCT Mathematics Olympiad. We are very proud of Youn Sun Choi who achieved seventh place, and Megan Tromp and Robyn McKenzie who obtained ninth place in the pairs division. Furthermore, 62 Grade 8s entered the Harmony Mathematics Olympiad. Despite the difficulty level being much higher this year, 26 Rustenburg girls gained entrance into the second round. We applaud Youn Sun Choi and Bianca Rijkmans who finished in the top 103 juniors in the Western Cape.

Our Grade 8 group has shown an immense amount of talent on the sporting front. We commend all our girls who have represented their

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clubs, province and participated nationally in various sporting spheres this year. Caroux De Lange, Brittany Gouws, Kelly Van Vlaanderen and Casey Wheeler all represented the U14 Central Zone Hockey team. Special mention must be made of Caroux whose talents also extend to other sporting disciplines, representing Western Province at the National Synchronised Swimming Championships and Still Water Lifesaving. Caylan Bromley has also done Rustenburg proud with her sporting achievements which include those in swimming and lifesaving.

Caroux and Caylan also participated in the National Level 3 Swimming Championships. Caylan and Nosipho Abrams represented Western Province in U14 Surf Lifesaving.

This year’s Grade 8s have several surfing stars amongst the group. Caitlin October was included in the Western Province Junior Surfing Team and Natasha Van Greunen represented Western Province in the SA Grommet Games in Port Elizabeth earlier this year where she achieved fourth place overall. Natasha was also selected to represent Western Province in the South African Longboard Surfing Championships and she is a member of the surfing SA 2013/2014 Surfing Academy.

The multi-talented sporting abilities of the Grade 8s were further displayed in the sphere of Synchronised Ice Skating where Bianca Hill captained the team and also received two medals for figure skating and synchronised skating. Séanne van Horsten excelled in Karate, achieving 3rd position in the Western Province Karate Competition.

Our budding gymnasts Semónn Steyn, Adrienne Clynick and Emma McCrindle placed first, second and third respectively in the Rhythmic Gymnastics Western Province Trials. They achieved Western Province colours and attended Nationals.

From a cultural perspective, particular mention must be made of Gemma Hall, Stephanie Keyser and Jasmine Wyatt-Minter who achieved excellent results in various sections in the Kaapse Afrikaanse and Cape Town Eisteddfods. Rustenburg Grade 8s also have a top Irish dancer in their midst with Caitrin O’Sullivan attending the South African Championships in December.

The Grade 8s have proved to be a thoughtful and caring group of young ladies who show compassion toward others. We are very proud of our two girls, Nina Beckurts and Jade Smith who have been doing volunteer work for the Chaeli Campaign, a non-profit organisation that focuses on mobilising the minds and bodies of children with disabilities.

In conclusion, “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living” (Nelson Mandela). And in keeping with this worthy philosophy in life, this year already sees our Grade 8s grasping and beginning to realise the magnitude of their capabilities.

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Faculty of Languages Faculty Head: Ms Helene Swanson Subject Heads: Ms Gail Wallace (English), Ms Norma Caesar (Afrikaans), Ms Monelwa Mboma (isiXhosa), Madame Dominique Williams (French), Ms Renée Fourie (German)

“Keep your language. Love its sounds, its modulation, its rhythm. But try to march together with men of different languages, remote from your own, who wish, like you, for a more just and human world.” Hélder Câmara, “Spiral Of Violence” As the quote suggests, one must fully embrace the uniqueness and complexity of every language, be it your mother tongue or one which is less familiar. Only then can one truly relate to one another and draw deeper social and cultural commonalities.

Rustenburg appreciates the importance of this diversity and boasts a variety of outstanding language departments. The various language departments drew lessons from and collaborated with each other this year. It is envisioned that ideas about teaching languages are shared and that educators actively learn from each other’s methods of teaching, thereby relating to one another more closely and enriching their classrooms. It is evident that each language department has excelled in its own right and that the girls, as well as the teachers, have embraced all languages and cultures.

Today’s world is one in which multilingualism is not the aberration but rather a normal and unremarkable necessity for the majority (Edwards 1994). With today’s rapid transfer of information on a global scale, language has become more important than ever.

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English The English Department saw a change in staff as Ms Sarah Keevy and Mr William Haggard joined in the first and second terms respectively.

Sadly, Mr Glyn Hewson, who helped out in Mr Haggard’s post during the first term, passed away in August. Rustenburg was the last school at which he taught and his wife and children were so grateful for this time he had with the girls, as he had been so happy here.

The results of the 2012 Matric students are very pleasing. Not only did the group produce 38 ‘A’ symbols and an excellent average of 73,7%, they also had no fewer than five learners who made it to the top ten in the Western Cape with Chloe Kruger coming a remarkable second.

All of the Rustenburg entrants in the English Olympiad fared very well, each one achieving over 60% for this relatively challenging examination. Two Matric students, Nicola Cilliers and Michelle Dandara, did exceptionally well and were awarded gold certificates. During Term 2, ten learners took on most of the schools in the area in the Battle of the Books, a literary quiz that has become an annual fixture in the Southern Suburbs. This year, two teams were entered and it was delightful that one of the teams ended in fourth position.

Three learners, Layla Mohamed, Camilla Madikane and Haseena Solwa, entered the Martin Luther King Writing Competition and all received awards from the Consulate of the United States of America.

August saw Jennifer Oosthuizen and Alyxé Rosenberg, both in Grade 11, being selected for publication in the 2013 edition of “English Alive” which showcases the best student writing in South Africa every year. 2013 was the year in which many different writing competitions were launched and the girls are encouraged to participate in these.

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Afrikaans

isiXhosa

This year various educator moves took place in the Afrikaans Department:

Mandizibulisele kwakhona nakuloo unyaka ka-2013. Eli licandelo lesiXhosa elikhuthaza futhi lisonwabela ukufundwa kolwimi lwesiXhosa.

Ms Norma Caesar took over from Ms Helene Swanson as Subject Head and Ms Stella Rossouw joined the team. As a result of the increased Grade 8 numbers, help was needed. Fortunately the experienced Ms Liz Rynhoud was available to share the workload of the five permanent staff.

It is a privilege to teach learners who show a keen interest in this wonderful language. Despite generally having minimal contact with Afrikaans outside the classroom, the learners actively participate during lessons, showing a willingness to improve their skills. Afrikaans at Rustenburg is further promoted by its Afrikaans Society. It is pleasing to see the girls’ enthusiasm in coming up with innovative and creative ideas to bring Afrikaans to the foreground.

Every year, the excellent results achieved in the National Senior Certificate prove that the work done in the classroom is appreciated. In 2012 Rustenburg was awarded the certificate for the Best Public School for Afrikaans First Additional Language in the Western Cape. 53 candidates achieved ‘A’ symbols, with a 100% pass rate and an impressive average of 75.9% overall. Special mention must be made of Petruné Beattie who placed eighth in the top ten in the Western Cape.

It is encouraging to see the increase in participation in both the Bilingualism Examination and the Afrikaans Olympiad. The Olympiad saw 76 entries, with Lauren Denny excelling by coming third in the province.

Learning Afrikaans at Rustenburg is not only limited to the classroom and in competitions. It has become commonplace that well-known authors and artists regularly visit the learners to chat about their work. This year, the learners had the privilege of meeting poet/singer/writer Emile Minnie.

With such a positive outlook from both teachers and learners alike, Afrikaans at Rustenburg can only go from strength to strength.

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Kuluvuyo nochulumanco kum ukufumana eli thuba lokuba ndityatyadule ndizityande igila ndityibela umsebenzi omhle othe wenziwa leli candelo kulo nyaka. Ndiziva ndinegugu neqhayiya kukubona umsebenzi wamagqiyazana aseze ngobuso elizweni afunda olu lwimi kwaye ezimisele engazimiselanga kubuya ngamva.

2013 has been quite an exciting and event-filled year for the department of isiXhosa and the Jabulani Society which assists in promoting the language. IsiXhosa is offered at a First and Second Additional Language level for Rustenburg girls and presents a phenomenal opportunity to learn South Africa’s second most common home language.

One of the highlights of the year for the girls was the outing to Cape Town’s oldest township, Langa, attended by all learners doing isiXhosa.

This provided an enriching firsthand experience of the language and the underlying culture. The history of informal settlements such as Joe Slovo dating back to the Apartheid era, was discussed and traditional food, called Mzantsi, enjoyed.

The second and now annual isiXhosa assembly was enjoyed not only

by Rustenburg, but also by our brother school, Rondebosch Boys’ High School. The girls showed what they had learnt in the classroom by performing a skit about “Ukuthwalwa”, a custom of arranged marriages.

The popular, annual Jabulani Evening was joined by schools in the area which performed various acts involving poetry, dancing and singing.

Our Rustenburg ladies were polished and highly entertaining. During the interval, teachers and parents were served delicious traditional African dishes. Another event that the girls organised this year was the “Modern African” themed isiXhosa Dinner, hosted by the Grade 11 class, as a farewell to the Matrics.

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French

German

It is pleasing to report that French is alive and well at Rustenburg. The number of learners participating in the subject continues to grow and the results of the National Senior Certificate are outstanding, with the 10 girls who wrote achieving an incredible average of 80.6% and seven girls producing ‘A’ symbols. Fraiche Rosée Baloubeta did Rustenburg proud by placing in the top ten in the Western Cape.

Learning a foreign language requires action.

One must speak. One must write. One must read and understand, listen and understand.

Through various events, the girls are culturally enriched during the course of the five years spent at Rustenburg.

The Grade 8s, although limited in their knowledge, enjoyed the small roleplays that they were able to perform during the course of the year. They were also afforded the opportunity to taste their first French specialty known as ‘le macaron’. The three Grade 9 classes thoroughly enjoyed putting their knowledge to good use when the classroom was converted into a shopping mall with half of the learners acting as shopkeepers and the other half as customers.

The Grade 10 and 11 learners adapted well to the difficulties and intricacies of the French language and explored some serious topics this year. A Nutella and fresh baguette session convinced them that France is indeed an incredible place to stay. To celebrate five years of study, a French dinner was held for and prepared by the Matric learners. Amongst other very traditional French food, escargots (garlic snails), quiches, une bisque de crevette à la marseillaise, clafouti with cherries and crêpes with chocolate and caramel sauce were enjoyed by all. It was a royal and festive affair that will be remembered by the girls for years to come! It is very rewarding to witness how much the learners enjoy French, translating into outstanding achievements in the subject.

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These skills form the basis of classroom activities and learning. With 600 German firms in South Africa covering a wide range of fields and employing 90 000 workers, learners who study German are equipping themselves not only for ease in future travel but for furthering their careers too.

The eight girls who wrote the 2012 National Senior Certificate did Rustenburg proud by achieving a phenomenal average of 74.1% and three learners coming away with ‘A’ symbols. German has been taught in fun, innovative ways to make speaking the language in a practical manner, a reality.

The Grade 8s made excellent progress this year and have showed an ability to speak about themselves and their families quite comfortably in a relaxed environment. The Grade 9s created a German restaurant showing ease at ordering breakfast. They also planned and acted out a family train excursion to Hamburg. The girls did incredibly well, proving that one day they could quite comfortably travel to German-speaking countries. They also skillfully produced cartoons from the German poem ‘Die Ameisen’.

The Grade10s experienced German through song, enthusiastically learning to sing their Matric poem ‘Die Lorelei’. German was further encouraged in everyday life by creating a shop in the classroom that sold a variety of goods from sporting equipment to the latest fashion. Traditional food was made from German recipes which made for some very interesting and entertaining lessons. The Grade 11s learned a bit more about German history by visiting the Holocaust Centre and in preparation, watched the film ‘Nirgendwo in Afrika’ and “Sophie Scholl”. The girls had the opportunity to meet and learn from Rotary learners (also taking German in their countries) who visited the class.

The Matrics, as always, had a busy year where a number of supplementary texts were studied, as well as literature and poetry. They became very knowledgeable on sustainability, recycling and advances in renewable energy in Germany. Cultural and lifestyle differences and similarities, and links to subjects such as Geography and Science, became clear.

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Grade 11 author Monique Hollis, a Grade 11 pupil, published her second novel “Give and Take” this year under the pseudonym Moni Monsoon. “Give and Take” is a sequel to her first novel which was published when Monique was in Grade 8.

She had a successful book launch at the school with Rachel Irvine, a managing director well versed in the career of writing, as the guest speaker. Monique went to advertise her launch at many schools in Cape Town and gave a speech at San Souci. She also appeared on the television shows “Hectic Nine-9” and “Espresso.”

“Spud 2: The Madness Continues” Excitement filled the school on 12 June as Rustenburg welcomed an entourage from “Spud 2: The Madness Continues” as assembly guests.

The film, based on the sequel about the coming of age of Spud Milton, was partly filmed at Rustenburg. The group included the well-known author John van der Ruit (pictured), director and screen writer Donovan Marsh and four cast members: Troye Sivan (Spud), Sven Ruygrok (Rambo), Genna Blair (Mermaid) and Alex McGregor (Christine).

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Matric French Dinner Madame Dominique Williams prepared French snails as part of her farewell dinner to the pupils in her Matric French class.

ACADEMIC

Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics Faculty Head: Ms Bridget Cameron Subject Heads: Ms Helen Kleynhans (Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy), Ms Maureen Burchell (Physical Sciences), Ms Dianne Leonard (Life Sciences), Ms Monika van Duuren (Natural Sciences), Ms Brigid Ryan (Geography)

Staff changes The faculty welcomed Ms Dianne Leonard to the Life Sciences department and Ms Irene Adley to the Mathematics department. The faculty was sad to see Mr Laufs leave at the end of Term 1 after teaching Physical Sciences and Natural Sciences at the school for just over four years. He and his wife have gone to teach in England. We welcomed Ms Monika van Duuren who has taken over from him.

At the end of the year the Mathematics department said farewell to Mr Murison who has finally retired, again. He came for six months to help out and stayed for 14 years.

He will be sorely missed.

Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy On a cold evening in April at the University of Cape Town, 75 Rustenburg girls joined about 7000 competitors from over 160 schools for the annual Mathematics competition.

There was much excitement on the campus as all the learners found their way to their various venues and then a sudden silence as the competition commenced. With 25 individuals and 25 pairs competing, Rustenburg achieved six Gold awards and 33 Merit certificates, was placed sixth overall and was the top girls’ school for the second consecutive year. Gold award winners were:

Grade 12: Lauren Denny (4th) Grade 9: Melissa Rossouw (3rd), Hannah Clayton (8th) Grade 8: Youn Sun Choi (7th) Yi-Shin Yuan and Woohyun Lee (pair) (1st) This was Lauren Denny’s fifth Gold award in the UCT competition as she has achieved a position in the top ten every year since Grade 8. This is a remarkable achievement. Lauren Denny represented South Africa at the International Mathematics Olympiad in Santa Marta, Colombia in July. With 527 participants from 97 countries and extremely difficult problems to solve, Lauren did very well to achieve an Honourable Mention. It is interesting to note that there were only 52 girls taking part in the competition. In 2014 the International Mathematics Olympiad will take in Cape Town, organised by Professor John Webb of UCT. This is an exciting development for high school Mathematics in Cape Town.

All learners were encouraged to participate in the first round of the Harmony Gold Mathematics Olympiad and 232 took up the challenge on 14 March. Those who achieved 50% or more proceeded to write the considerably more difficult second round on 14 May. Lauren Denny (Grade 12) and Hannah Clayton (Grade 9) were placed in the Top100 in the country in their respective Grades and progressed to the third round which took place in September. Others who did well in the second round and were placed in the Top 103 in the Western Cape were Youn Sun Choi and Bianca Rijkmans (Grade 8), Hannah Profitlich (Grade 10) and Rowan Banks (Grade 11).

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Mr Murison’s regular problem solving sessions with all the Grade 8s and several Grade 9 classes produced puzzled frowns and then enlightenment on some faces as learners tackled problems that required different ways of thinking.

Mathematics at Rustenburg can also be fun, especially on Pi Day (14 March), when eating round food during the Mathematics lesson is encouraged and the Grade 12s sing the “Pi song” in the Kemp Hall quad.

Ms Cameron, Ms Adley, Ms Lawrence and Ms Kleynhans spent the first week of the July holiday attending the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa Congress which was held at the University of the Western Cape. It was a very worthwhile experience as they attended sessions on a variety of relevant topics and came away pondering the problems facing Mathematics education in South Africa. Ms Cameron, as the treasurer of the local branch of AMESA and a member of the organising committee, was very busy both at the Congress and in the time leading up to it.

Mathematical Literacy is intended to develop competencies and to allow the learners to acquire skills that help them to make sense of and participate in the real world. Every effort has been made to make the subject practical and relevant. In the finance section they studied topics such as SARS and taxation, budgeting or comparing cell phone contracts. They looked at maps, travel options and constructing models to name a few. Erecting a tent in the classroom without instructions was quite a challenge to the Grade 11 class. The Grade 10 Mathematical Literacy class went to Map Studio in Cape Town during May as they were studying maps and scale. A lot of a cartographers work is computerised these days so there was not as much hands on work to see, but they did have very impressive printers and explained in detail the sizing of the map as to the size of the real object. The 2012 class of 20 Grade 12 learners achieved an excellent set of results. There were fifteen subject distinctions of which eight were over 90%.

Physical Sciences Our Matrics were again very successful last year: 42% achieved more than 80% and the class average was 76%. Alexandra Mould was our top student, with a mark of 96%.

Michaela Scholtz and Yusra Modack, entered the Royal Society Essay Competition with their respective essays, “The Sustainability of the South African Coastline and Ocean are Under Threat – What is causing this and what can be done about it?” and “The Doping Debate: can science stamp out doping in South African sport?” Yusra Modack won second prize and was presented with a healthy cheque by Dr Graham Avery in an assembly. This is a major achievement, since the competition is open to all of South Africa. Lauren Denny, Nicola Cilliers and Yi-Shin Yuan entered the annual Mintek Quiz. Lauren Denny was awarded a certificate of distinction.

19 of our girls entered their Physical Science projects in the National Science Expo held in August this year. We were awarded 15 bronze and two gold medals. Ursula Hardie and Tamsin Meterlerkamp received gold for their project, “The effect of frequency on Newtonian and Non-Newtonian Liquids.” They had more than their fair share of judges gathered around them to watch the demonstration. They travelled up to Johannesburg in September to participate in the National Finals.

Samantha Culligan, Ayesha Korowlay, Yusra Modak, Chelsea Muir and Leila Haffejee attended the UCT Girleng workshop. They were exposed to the different types of engineering opportunities and their mentors could share first-hand experience. Their eyes were opened to the need for women in engineering in South Africa.

Advanced Programme Mathematics classes were held in the afternoons for small groups of Grade 11 and 12 learners and during the normal Mathematics lessons in Grade 10 for certain classes. Struggling Grade 8 and 9 learners attended Ms Van Rensburg’s extra afternoon classes and those in any grade who wanted a question answered could attend Ms Adley’s question and answer sessions on Wednesday afternoons. We hope to expand this type of intervention in 2014. All in the Mathematics department are eagerly awaiting the completion of the new Mathematics and Physical Sciences Centre. Planning is going on apace and we look forward to a spacious, inviting venue in 2014.

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Life Sciences

Geography

The Life Sciences department has had a busy, creative year, attempting new tasks and exploring new challenges.

We were pleased to have exceptional matriculation results once again, with 54 girls achieving over 80%, 22 getting over 70% and only 7 receiving ‘C’ symbols.

The emphasis for the year has been on matching up real life experiences to the theoretical component of the subject.

The Grade 11 classes were kept busy collecting micro-organisms from the various parts of the school building and growing these bacteria, in order to report back on the hygienic status of the school. The learners then took their knowledge of micro-organisms a step further and studied the fermentation process by making ginger beer. The Grade 11s were also fortunate to be able to visit the Tygerberg Medical Museum where they were shown, among other things, the dissection of a cadaver.

The Grade 10s were introduced to the real world of Life Sciences and started on their road to learning the variety of skills required of them. They were thrilled to go on an outing to Intaka Island, where they learned about ecology. They also started learning practical skills by conducting food tests, using the bioviewers and microscopes and generally getting used to the different aspects of the lab.

The Grade 12 class took up the academic challenge enthusiastically and threw themselves into studying and working hard. Practical skills were honed and the fine details of each topic of their syllabus were mastered and consolidated. They enjoyed listening to a guest speaker from the Down Syndrome Association who, being a mom of two children with the disorder, was able to share the human side of the condition with the learners.

The learners also took part in the Life Science Olympiad, with three of our girls, Sarah Donde, Ilhaam van der Schyff and Emely Köhler winning gold. We were very proud of them.

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The average for the class year was 82%, higher than in 2012 when it was 80,7%. There were six Rustenburg girls who earned positions in the provincial top ten: Sameera Mahomedy, Petrune Beattie, Simone van der Merwe, Catherine Shaw, Kayla-Paige Raper and Melissa Wood. Our top student was Sameera Mahomedy, who also came second in the province. Petruné Beattie, a few decimal points behind her, was third in the province.

The Geography staff did their best to cover the globe, with Ms Theron travelling to Namibia with the Orange River girls and later to Houston, Texas with the Springbok Sevens Team. Ms Schnetler was a tour leader on the Hamburger Tour of Europe, visiting nine countries, and attended the 11th Convention of the International Confederation of Principals in Australia. Ms Blackshaw and Ms Ryan took a group of girls to India, via Dubai, for World Challenge.

Several staff members attended CAPS training and everyone was extremely busy adapting notes and Smart Board presentations to comply with the new textbooks. Ms Ryan attended an inspiring day of TedTalks at the Baxter Theatre and Ms Theron, Ms Blackshaw and Ms Ryan all did a First Aid course.

The Grade 10s had a great day out studying the geological structure of the Peninsula, while the Grade 11s went to Cape Point Nature Reserve and looked at the fynbos growing on the cliffs and the way the waves have sculpted the landscape. It is a beautiful walk down to Diaz beach and up to the Cape of Good Hope.

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Faculty of Business and Life Skills Faculty Head: Ms Linda Mallon Subject Heads: Ms Anita Marshall (Consumer Studies and Technology), Ms Zuleigah Galer (Accounting), Mr Gian Marneweck (Economic Management Sciences), Ms Shannon Dowdall (Life Orientation), Ms Janine Myers (ICDL)

Staff news

ICDL

With the arrival of a sixth Grade 8 class, extra pressure was placed on this faculty, since the subjects of Economic and Management Sciences, Technology, Life Orientation and Information Technology teach all classes in Grades 8 and 9.

All credit to the faculty members, who embraced the greater numbers with characteristic vigour and energy.

An over-riding concern, affecting all grades, is the impact and demands of technology: with rapidly advancing technology and the ever-increasing number of digital devices that can do the most wonderful of things, our lives have seemingly become a lot easier than they used to be.

Ms Zaandre Theron, now in her second year of teaching the physical movement component of Life Orientation, involved all the girls in a programme that not only promoted physical fitness, but also the concept that exercise can be challenging and fun. This was clearly demonstrated on the day of the Inter-House Cross Country competition, where enjoyment of the process was clearly evident.

Ms Shannon Dowdall, Ms Perdita Norval and Ms Ingrid Weideman attended a number of teacher-development courses ranging from WCED curriculum training to a workshop on post-traumatic stress syndrome, social media and the law, and the effects of alcohol on females. Ms Weideman attended a Progro Seminar on producing dynamic lessons.

Mr Sarel Olckers helped out in the Accounting/EMS Department during Term 1 and Ms Zuleigah Galer joined the Accounting/EMS Department permanently (coming from Pinelands High School) in April. 2013 was a very busy year in the Technology Department.

An extra Grade 8 class meant the assistance of Mr Martin Altern of the Natural and Physical Sciences departments: he slipped into the routine very easily and says he is enjoying Technology very much. He would just like to do more baking.

Everything is within hand’s reach, whether it be communication, research, online banking, buying goods, entertainment or conducting business meetings. Teenagers especially are enjoying social media that allow them to talk to friends, upload and share pictures and get the latest gossip. There is a dark side to this great technology as well, however. The best tools to communicate have also become a medium to facilitate malicious acts and crimes. Even though teenagers have all the new media available to them and may possess good digital skills, they do not necessarily have the maturity, wisdom or judgement to protect themselves from the possible dangers of modern technology and social media, hence the decision to address these issues by working them into our ICDL curriculum.

This year ICDL lessons have taken a slightly different approach where we are still focusing on the technical computer skills of the girls but as importantly, we are also focusing on empowering the girls with knowledge on how to use social media and other websites in a responsible manner. There is a need now more than ever to keep our children safe online. We have focused on things such as the potential dangers of social networking, protecting oneself from online predators, guarding personal information, preserving one’s online reputation, cyberbullying, inappropriate content, looking out for warning signs, knowing what to do and to seek help if needed.

The ICT Department welcomed Mr Francis Vogts into their department and his calm and efficient approach, as well as his professional demeanour, immediately made an impact.

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Accounting and Economic Management Sciences The Accounting and EMS Departments have been busy in a variety of ways: 15 Grade 12 learners were entered into the SAICA Accounting Olympiad that took place in May, while four Grade 12 learners participated in the SAIPA National Accounting Olympiad.

The learners did well in both Olympiads, qualifying for certificates, and Amara Ebrahim went through to the second round of the SAIPA National Accounting Olympiad in August, an exceptional achievement, as one has to score 80% or above in the first round to proceed: she scored 84%. Four teams consisting of Grade 10 and 11 learners participated in the JSE/Liberty Investment Challenge, which gives the learners an opportunity to gain knowledge of the workings of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange by means of buying and selling shares in a simulated portfolio.

to count up the money that they had made. Prizes were awarded to the top four groups during an assembly in Term 2. The Market Day theme, Entrepreneurship, is designed to support curricular and syllabus demands. Each group was therefore required to draw up a business plan, compile a SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), construct a marketing plan and prepare a budget. Learners are always challenged by the content of Grade 9 EMS, but do benefit longterm from studying real-life business, learning how to calculate markups, studying cash and credit journals, and drawing up basic financial statements.

Grade 8 EMS studied the history of money, the scarcity problem that exits in society and how society can choose to distribute its resources. They learned more about the Proudly South African Campaign, how inflation works, the impact of International trade on the South African economy, and the role of the South African Reserve Bank. They were introduced to the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), discussed the standard of living in South Africa, and considered types of markets, levels of management and leadership styles and forms of ownership and franchising. In their introduction to Accounting, they studied service businesses, and learned how to draw up cash journals and how to post to the General Ledger. They discussed hair stylists, garden services and electricians as examples of service businesses.

25 March was the Annual Grade 9 Market Day. Despite very windy conditions, it was a successful day, with a good turnout of learners during long break (and well supported by teachers too). There were stalls selling cupcakes, chocolates, fudge, ice-cream, sweets and popcorn with others selling cool-drinks, curios, jewellery and even clothes. The girls learned invaluable lessons about entrepreneurship, and some groups made a nice profit, too. Afterwards the Grade 9s went to Charlie’s Hope

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Consumer Studies and Technology

Life Orientation

2013 was, once again, a very busy year in the Consumer Studies and Technology Departments.

The year began on a proud note when it was announced that Chloe Kruger (E12) had been placed 10th in the province for Consumer Studies.

The standard of the practical work done by the Consumer Studies girls continues to improve every year. The confidence and enthusiasm is tangible, and it is always a pleasure to observe growth in ability and finesse as the pupils progress from Grades 10 to Grade 12. This was no less evident when Emma van Zyl (E13) was placed second out of six finalists and a total of 650 entrants of all ages, in a national baking competition run by the “Sunday Times�.

With increasing demands placed on the Consumer Studies labs, it was necessary to purchase extra appliances. Thanks to the continued hard work of Ms Marshall and the Bon Appetit Society, Room 46 received a new fridge freezer and Room 47 now boasts a washing machine and tumble dryer.

The Grade 12 Consumer Studies learners produced a superb final practical examination, and made their teachers extremely proud. There is no doubt that they leave Rustenburg with fine culinary skills.

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The Life Orientation Department also began the year on a proud note when it was announced that Chloe Kruger (E12) had been placed ninth in the province for Life Orientation.

For the first time since the inclusion of Life Orientation as a compulsory subject, the current Matrics wrote the national Life Orientation preliminary examination.

Project work has once again been of an excellent standard. Topics ranged from study skills, time management and T-shirt design for social justice initiatives and national days in Grade 8, to powerpoint presentations on different religions to promote understanding of the diversity within South Africa in Grade 9. Grade 9s also completed tasks related to their subject choices for Grade 10.

Grade 10 learners participated in community service which was incorporated into a project on social responsibility, while the Grade 11s were encouraged to organise their own job shadows. They subsequently completed tasks on career research, constructed their curriculum vitae and underwent mock interviews to hone their skills. Grade 12s covered topics such as stress management, the world of work and labour laws.

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Faculty of Arts Faculty Head: Ms Jackie Chambers Subject Heads: Ms Elizabeth Sole (Music), Ms Karen Cronje (Visual Arts and Design), Mr Cedric van Dyk (History), Mr Adrian Skelly (Dramatic Arts)

Visual Arts and Design Our Matric class of 2012 produced some exceptional results in the NSC examinations.

Amber Stodel placed third overall in the Western Cape for Visual Arts.

In both Visual Arts and Design we achieved subject averages above 80% which is a testament to the hard work of the girls taking these subjects.

Each year, the Grade 10 Visual Arts, Design and Photography students visit the Design Indaba Expo. The aim of this excursion is to afford the learners the opportunity to see new products, meet professionals and ask pertinent questions about careers in the creative field. It is an invaluable and inspiring experience. One of the learners summed up her response as follows: “I feel so privileged to have experienced the Design Indaba 2013 as it opened my eyes to the variety of work done under the umbrella of Design and how the disciplines vary: photography, clothing design, industrial design, surface design, jewellery design and social and environmental design. It showed me how versatile creativity really is and that it is a way to express yourself openly and have your talent recognised. There was not one designer’s work that did not leave me breathless or inspired.”

Our annual Visual Arts and Design seminar was once again a thoughtprovoking and stimulating event. The number of speakers was reduced this year to allow for more in-depth contact time with the artists and designers, and also to prevent an information overload for the senior girls attending the event! Andrew Putter kicked off the day with an informative look at his working process as a conceptual, photographybased artist. Kelly Berman, curator of the Design Indaba Expo, discussed the process of selection for the Expo and focused on the work of some young, emerging creatives in order to illustrate how one goes about promoting one’s work in South Africa. We were then awed by the work of local fashion designer Suzaan Heynes. This young designer has a fresh, yet humble approach to the fashion industry, and views her clothing

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items as artistic sculptures rather than bland garments. Her talk was followed by the works of Robin Sprong, a photographer and founding father of Lomography in South Africa, who uses his medium as a means to develop and design wall papers. Perhaps the most amusing, yet simultaneously frustrating, was the last speaker of the day, Ed Young. His work takes the form of conceptual and often humorous performance pieces which challenge definitions of contemporary art and art-making.

The seminar is instrumental in exposing the Rustenburg Visual Arts and Design girls to real artists and designers, giving them the opportunity to ask invaluable questions regarding working processes, sources of inspiration and work experience.

The annual Visual Arts and Design Awards and Exhibition were held in August so that we might celebrate the hard work and achievements of our Visual Arts and Design girls. Patrick Ryan, a locally and internationally celebrated fashion photographer, shared his work and experiences with us, emphasising in his address to the girls that one should always seek to follow one’s heart and passion within the creative arts. He did this by becoming a volunteer fire-fighter and incorporating his new passion and subject matter into his work.

We are privileged to be encouraged to grow our professional skills as educators at Rustenburg. Within the Visual Arts and Design department we undertake to attend a number of workshops and events to stay abreast of developments and current issues within our ever changing fields. Ms Chambers and Ms Simpson attended the Design Indaba Conference simulcast which is a wonderful opportunity to examine contemporary issues within the Design context. Ms Simpson, Ms Chambers and Ms Cronje once again attended the MiFrank enrichment workshops for art educators held annually at Frank Joubert Art and Design Centre; and a new series of “Drawing Pleasure” Workshops presented by the Michaelis School of Art, University of Cape Town. These workshops offer teachers new approaches to the various aspects of Visual Arts and Design and are instrumental in maintaining an innovative spirit and approach within the Visual Arts and Design department at Rustenburg.

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History

Dramatic Arts

Grade 8: Apart from developing essential research and essay writing skills, Ms Scharneck challenged all six of her classes to fuse their research and dramatic skills to script short historical role-plays.

2013 began with a celebration of the achievements of the 2012 National Senior Certificate Dramatic Arts results.

The actresses excelled by achieving an aggregate of 90,1%.

They re-enacted protests held by female child labourers against the injustices of the Industrial Revolution in South Africa and Britain. Their first high school research assignments led them to explore a wide range of aspects of the First World War from the specifics of the Schlieffen Plan to social historical aspects like “life in the trenches” and “songs sung in the trenches.”

Their original productions, “Soldier On” and “Miss Conception” were highly commended by the external adjudicators. Four of the 2012 Drama matriculants earned positions in the Western Cape Top Ten subject ranking: Simone van der Merwe (97%), Kayla-Paige Raper (94%), Courtney Wallace (94%) and Aisha Najjaar (93%). 2012 also concluded with Robyn Paterson, then in Grade 11, being awarded Full Colours for Drama and announced as the recipient of the Alston le Roux Drama Cup for the greatest contribution to the development and service to the theatrical genre at the school.

Grade 9: Every year the Grade 9s add something different to the annual Grade 9 Human Rights Day Assembly and Monday 18 March was no exception. Not only were their posters informative, bright and appealing but there was more music. Dilshaad Nazier and Gia Aitken opened with a rap, “Let your voice be heard!” By far the most inspirational piece was Roxanne Bolzonello’s version of Pink’s “Dear Mr President” sung by Roxanne, Jordan-Leigh Hartland and Daniellé Lund. Finally, there was the grade’s take on Just Jinger’s, “What he means”, which had “peace, love, more tolerance” echoing down the corridors all day.

Grade 10: “In the footsteps of the Cape Slaves: Urban Slavery in Cape Town,” produced excellent research in appreciation of those who laid the foundations for the development of the Cape Town we know today.

Once again, the annual heritage investigation at the Iziko Slave Lodge proved inspirational in their contribution to the Heritage Day Assembly.

Grade 11: The success of their personal heritage investigations: “What is my heritage and how has it influenced my life?” formed the background to many of the modules studied and inspired their input at this year’s Heritage Day Assembly. There is no doubt that they will emulate the successes achieved by previous Grade 11s when they enter their powerfully emotive artistic and written responses to the Holocaust Centre’s competition topic “Resisting Injustice.”

It would be unfair not to highlight Robyn’s extensive commitment to the Dramatic Arts Department in 2013. Cast as the lead actress in the school’s first major production in seven years, “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”, Robyn spent approximately 11 hours each week rehearsing and refining the nuances of her complex character. She was joined by Morgan Shelly (Grade 11) in the other lead role as Sandy. Together they made a formidable acting duo. The entire cast was a delight to direct and was an honour to be part of the team which worked to return “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” to the Kemp Hall stage. The production was originally presented by Rustenburg in 1996.

Creating their own productions remained the focus of the senior actresses in the department. The Grade 12 girls presented their shows, “Hit the Road” (journeys) and “When I have Fears” (fears), on 8 October to their parents, friends and the Drama Curriculum Advisor. Writing a script is no mean feat, as they discovered. The Grade 12s also attended a number of professional shows this year: “Voices Made Night” (Baxter), “Kat and the Kings” (Fugard Theatre) and “Dirty Dancing” (Theatre on the Bay).

Grade 12: The traditional highlight of the Grade 12 History class remains the Women’s Day Assembly. In collaboration with the Grade 12 isiXhosa class and members of Jabulani they reminded us all of the importance of this national holiday. Right from Jabulani’s hauntingly beautiful opening, “Thula Sizwe”, through the informative speeches and comments, to Maisie Williams-Sales’ composition, “Worthy”, this was another showcase of the many talents our learners possess.

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The Grade 11s were divided into two casts and laid the groundwork for their own productions too, “Sieves and Elephants” (memory) and “Lost in Thought” (loss). They were especially privileged to receive a series of masterclasses offered by accomplished Rustenburg Old Girl, Gabriella Pinto, who has been acknowledged as one of South Africa’s top emerging young playwrights.

They described the experience of being able to receive criticism and learn from a talented industry professional as invaluable.

The focus of the Grade 10 actress remained Theatre Realism. To this end the class studied two Realist scripts: “Master Harold . . . and the Boys” (Athol Fugard) and “The Glass Menagerie” (Tennessee Williams). Special thanks must go to Julia Holzberg who, with initiative, organised a class excursion to see “Master Harold . . . and the Boys” performed at the Fugard Theatre. All who attended benefitted greatly from seeing on stage the words which they had read during lessons. The Grade 10 actresses were thereafter required to present Theatre Realism dialogues of their own as part of their midyear performance examination, and their parents were invited to watch and enjoy evenings in the Drama Room. The adjudicator was Rustenburg Old Girl, Ms Carey Hickson-Mahony, now of the Cape Academy of Dramatic Arts, who expressed afterwards just how impressed she was by the skills shown.

“The Directors’ Project” in Term 3 was designed to challenge and inspire the Grade 10 girls to explore another aspect of the subject: directing. They were required to select a Grades 8 or 9 actress and then train and prepare her for performance. A set of ground rules was established by the girls themselves and all had to direct according to these guidelines.

The Grade 9 actresses learned about the historical events of the year 1066 and the development of Medieval Liturgical Drama. They enjoyed reinterpreting Biblical parables by applying Grotowski’s Poor Theatre techniques.

In Term 3 the classes were faced with their most taxing performance brief yet: to perform a traditional Zulu “isibongo” (praise poem).

Mr van Dyk awarded by Holocaust Centre Ms Tracey Petersen, Director of Education, congratulated Mr Cedric van Dyk on being awarded the Cape Town Holocaust Centre prize for the teacher who submitted the highest standard of entries for this year’s Writing and Art competition.

New course material was designed especially for the Grade 8s of 2013. They were the first group of Rustenburg actresses to study the earliest origins of drama by examining the cultural practices and rituals of many indigenous communities. Many of the girls were amazed to discover the drama existed in the ceremonies of the Australian aborigines, the Baka pygmies and the North American Indians. Fun was had when, as one of their performance tasks, the actresses were asked to invent an indigenous performance of their own. They had to imagine themselves as a tribe, stealthily stalking through a jungle, and using the technique of Sympathetic Magic to enact what they hoped would come true when they finally encountered the animal they were hunting.

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From the Director of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”- Mr Adrian Skelly It is my belief that teachers have a tremendous impact. Their words and actions can change how learners feel about the world, the future and about themselves. We can all perhaps remember our own personal Miss Brodies, those memorable teachers who helped to shape our identities.

“The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” was first staged by Rustenburg in 1996.

Now, some 17 years later, it was exciting to revisit the famous script by Jay Presson Allen (adapted from the novel by Muriel Spark) which proposes so much about the value of education, the importance of learning beyond the curriculum and the powerful influence which teachers have on impressionable minds.

Our interpretation of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” was based on the concept of a memory play in which the plot events are recalled in retrospect, long after they have transpired. In this case, an elderly Catholic nun is reminded of her youth and schooldays. Memory is subjective and flexible. It distorts and exaggerates in response to emotions. This unique phenomenon formed the premise of our version of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” We wanted to convey to the audience only how the events and characters might have been, as perceived by the curious mind of a schoolgirl. Memory is not always factual or, even at times, accurate.

The setting for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” is the fictitious Marcia Blaine School. In keeping with the concept of a memory play, the challenge was to present an evocative and surreal venue which corresponds with Sister Sandra’s recollection. Miss Brodie’s encouraging Mary McGregor to “run off to Spain” to fight in the Spanish Civil War reveals the events probably take place during the time of Franco’s regime (1936 – 1939).

It was decided to design a primarily dark stage set for two reasons: firstly, because it suggested the murkiness of time and memory and, secondly, because it brought to mind the chalky effect of a traditional school blackboard.

“The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” lived with the production team and cast for over a year. The initial proposal for a theatrical production was presented to the School Management Team in May 2012. Ever since then the script was almost a daily topic of conversation: in research of the historical era, in styling and conceptualising, and in developing characters according to the idea of a memory play. We were exceptionally proud of our production.

Robyn Paterson

Morgan Shelly

Robyn Paterson was Miss Jean Brodie

Robyn Paterson (Grade 12) first represented Rustenburg in drama when she was selected as a cast member in Rondebosch’s 2010 footballthemed show, “Zigger Zagger.”

In 2011 she was chosen to perform in Rustenburg’s submission to the National Girls Schools’ Festival. “Who’s your Daddy?” was announced as Best Overall Production in East London’s Guild Theatre. “Who’s your Daddy?” was later staged in Cape Town at the Bishops Drama Festival. Also in 2011 Robyn was chosen as Best Supporting Actress at the Inter-House Drama Competition. She played She-Wolf in the Marchand production.

In 2012 Robyn played the lead in “Bride’s Head, Revisited,” which not only won the National Girls Schools’ Festival, this time in Potchefstroom, but was also credited with a further six awards. In 2012 her portrayal of Humphrey in Marchand’s “The pen is mightier than the sword” saw Robyn recognised as Best Actress at the Inter-House Drama Competition. Later that year Robyn performed as the Sweet Transvestite from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at Erinville’s Fancy Dress.

At the 2012 Celebration of Excellence ceremony Robyn was announced as the recipient of the Alston le Roux Cup for Drama, to the pupil who offered the greatest contribution to the development, promotion and service to the theatrical genre at Rustenburg in that particular year. She currently holds Full Colours for Drama. Despite the demands of her extracurricular commitments and her responsibilities as Headgirl of Erinville, Robyn consistently achieved outstanding academic results.

Morgan Shelly was Sandy

Morgan Shelly (Grade 11) began her career in drama at Rustenburg Junior School where her clear voice resulted in her being chosen to perform as narrators in two productions. She remembers in Grade 1 (2003) being trained by Ms Buckle to act in “The Cabaret of Letters.”

In 2011 Morgan was cast in “Bride’s Head, Revisited,” the production which competed and was victorious at the National Girls Schools’ Festival in Potchefstroom. Morgan said that this show allowed her to develop individually, as well as understand more about the ensemble dynamic.

Cast of “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”

Third row, from left: Catherine Sonnenberg (Mary Mc Gregor), Lauren Pienaar (Miss Lockhart), Jordannah Leach (Sister Sandra), Amy Kunz (Chairman of the Marcia Blaine School Board of Governors), Alyxé Rosenberg (Charlotte) Second row, from left: Chloe Venter (Monica), Gillian Williams (Alice), Siphokazi Mbatani (Miss Perry), Kendra Saunders (Janet), Lauren Smithie (Miss Mackay), Hannah Luxton (Hannah) Seated, from left: René Zinn (Production Secretary), Julia Holzberg (Jenny), Robyn Paterson (Miss Jean Brodie), Mr Adrian Skelly (Director), Morgan Shelly (Sandy), Aaliyah Vayej (Bonnie), Kelsey Bloom (Patsy) Absent: Edward Bester (Mr Teddy Lloyd), Nathan Rens (Mr Gordon Lowther), Dominique Nothnagel (Backstage Manager), Jennifer Oosthuizen (Prompt) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

Morgan is represented by Boss Model Management in Cape Town and has, under their guidance, already achieved as a local model. She has been featured in a many fashion magazines, such as “Cosmopolitan,” “Marie Claire” and “Glamour”, as well as doing more catalogue work for Edgars Club. Her foray into modelling has allowed Morgan the opportunity to perform in a number of television commercials, such as for Levi’s Jeans and Identity. Morgan regards as the greatest credit, currently on her résumé, being selected as South African ambassador for Guess Jeans. She is also proud of shooting an international television commercial for Clear Hair for Men, which was screened both in the USA and Europe.

She is currently also rehearsing towards her final Matric Dramatic Arts Performance examination, for which she will present to the adjudicators a Workshop Theatre production entitled “Sieves and Elephants.”

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The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

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First row: from left: Hannah Abdoll (Grade 10), Julie Chandler (Grade 10), Hannah Wilson (Grade 10) Second row, from left: Kerry-Ann Couperthwaithe (Grade 10), Chloe Venter (Grade 10), Kiana Neethling (Grade 12) Third row, from left: Ursula Hardie (Grade 10), Olivia Bloomer (Grade 10) Fourth row, from left: Stephane Lawrenson (Grade 10), Megan Teubes (Grade 10), Ursula Hardie (Grade 10) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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First row: from left: Courtney Brown (Grade 12), top: Ashleigh Prinsloo (Grade 9), bottom: Georgia Satchwell (Grade 9), Abigail Melvill (Grade 12) Second row, from left: Caitlin Fleming (Grade 9), Mikera Bassuday (Grade 9), Aatiekah Solomons (Grade 12), Robyn van Bergen (Grade 11) Third row, from left: Robyn van Bergen (Grade 11), Julia Cooke (Grade 12), Jessica Slater (Grade 9) Fourth row, from left: Lona Bam (Grade 12), Lona Bam (Grade 12), Sarah Ekron (Grade 12) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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First row: from left: Caragh Farrell (Grade 12), Courtney Brown (Grade 12), Paige de Chazal de Chamarel (Grade 12) Second row, from left: Mbali Ntintili (Grade 12) , Caragh Farrell (Grade 12), Jamie Rose Masters (Grade 12) Third row, from left: Jamie Rose Masters (Grade 12), Courtney Brown (Grade 12), Robyn Fester (Grade 12) Fourth row, from left: Mbali Ntintili (Grade 12), Tasneem Wilkie (Grade 12), Jamie Rose Masters (Grade 12) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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First row: from left: Shana-Lee Ziervogel (Grade 12), Chloe le Roux (Grade 12), Emma Macarthur (Grade 11) Second row, from left: Jessica Zietsman (Grade 11), Oriana Esau (Grade 12), Daniela Savoia (Grade 12) Third row, from left: Jesse Jason (Grade 12), Shana-Lee Ziervogel (Grade 12), Kiana Neethling (Grade 12) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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Revisited

The noise of the aeroplane’s propellers suddenly awakens me. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have started our descent into Gaborone. Please make sure your seatbelts are securely fastened,” says the airhostess. Peering out of the small window, I see undulating plains streaked with streams of lime green fever trees. In a second, I am transported to my childhood.

I feel free and light as I turn and whirl down the dusty tar road. The braying bleats of the goats accompanied by the plaintive lowing of the cows reverberate in my ears. Children are joyously cartwheeling down the street. The world belongs to me. An ancient gnarled and twisted baobab tree arthritically casts a shadow on the road. The trees bleed red flowers and bring the landscape to life.

I see a scrawny trail of smoke rising in the distance, reaching up to the cumulonimbus clouds. They stack up ominously and bulbously, in preparation for the humid showers and shafts of lightning. The taste of earth fills my mouth. I skip and dance, energised by the warm, fat drops splattering over me, through the steam rising from the tar road.

The wheels of the aeroplane on the tarmac jolt me back into the present.

I leave the airport building for the hot, humid air of Gaborone. Home at last! While I drive into the shimmering mirage, the baobab trees appear upside down and kiss the horizon.

What used to be my home and street are now unrecognisable. Abject poverty is eating away at the pure beauty of my home town. The beautiful, traditional mudhuts are no longer an earthy red but an ugly, decayed brown. The children playing in the dusty roads wear ragged, torn clothes and drag their dirt-stained feet. My country is suffering and seeing it like this hurts me. The sullen stares and furtive movements around me depress me. I no longer feel safe in my “heimat.”

The freedom I remember is gone. Botswana is trapped in the shackles of fear and depression. However, my childhood memories are intrinsically a part of me and can never be taken away. I will always cherish these special moments. In the blink of an eye I can travel back to my idyllic mirage and relive it. I will always be proud of my heritage despite life’s twists and turns and the decaying reality of my home town.

Tanri de Lange (Grade 11)

Alyxé Rosenberg’s prose was selected for inclusion in the prestigious “English Alive” publication this year.

The Absent Tulip

She walked into the room, unnerved by the unusual silence. Nothing appeared to be out of place. Just as she started to breathe more easily she saw it, the clear outline in the dust on top of the piano where the photo frame had always been.

A tear escaped her as she thought of her Yaniv missing in action. Her eyes absent-mindedly darted towards the photo frame, and her heart skipped a beat as she realised that it was gone. She stared at the clear outline in the dust and at the empty vase that now held the stem of a single white tulip, head bowed in a modest greeting. Sarit froze as her eyes roamed the room until they rested upon the slightly ajar patio door.

With shaking legs she approached the door and stepped outside. He sat on a metal chair with his photograph balanced on his knee. Sarit placed her hand on her painfully beating heart as a cry of shock escaped her lips.

She stared at him. His eyes were a flat black after six years of witnessing and experiencing human tragedy and destruction at its raw intensity.

Despite this, he was still her Yaniv. Her son, that for so long they had thought to have parted this life and to be basked in the presence of Hashem.

“Ani kaniti lecha prachim levanim,” he whispered, “I have brought you white flowers.”

Alyxé Rosenberg (Grade 11)

Jennifer Oosthuizen’s prose was selected for inclusion in the prestigious “English Alive” publication this year.

My Uncle Godfrey

Does one manage to acquire a gene as one grows old that enables one to fall asleep at the drop of a hat?

I look at my Uncle Godfrey as he sleeps soundly in the matching rocking chair opposite mine. He seems to fall asleep more and more often these days. I examine his face, the deep-set wrinkles that begin at the corners of his mouth and eyes and migrate south, down his face, until they reach the end of my line of sight as he rests his chin on his chest.

He seems to suit the old house whose stoep I am sitting on; an old, worn, wooden house that sits on the edge of a hill in what seems to be the middle of nowhere. I study his clothes, clothes that were obviously bought many years ago. Their age shows in the softness that emerges only after constant washing and the faded creases where someone has taken the time to iron the clothes of a man who will never leave his house.

I can smell the fynbos that grows seemingly everywhere, with no-one to tame or watch over it. The strong smell of varnish which covers all sides of the house fills my nostrils. I can also detect the smell of the sea some kilometres away over the sweet-scented ericas that attract all sorts of insects and birds. I can also smell what seem to be the remains of my uncle’s breakfast, oatmeal it appears to have been, clinging to his beard and shirt.

Sarit’s house had been in mourning for the last six months of the war.

Mirrors once gleaming in their bold brass frames remained closed and hidden behind cotton cloths of white. The house was a dismal array of bare couches, a kitchen that was no longer entered, a make-up box left forgotten and unopened and a wardrobe bathed in the colours of the night. A series of mourners gathered around the piano, where the last photo of her Yaniv lay. Together they recited the Kaddish; together they recited their prayers of mourning.

I can almost taste the sunlight, it’s so hot. It seems to me that the breath I exhale every few seconds is cooler than the air I breathe in.

Her Yaniv, Yaniv Faine Rosenberg, standing so proudly in his smart uniform and smiling broadly up at her through the photo frame. His last bouquet of white flowers, he had brought home for her, in the background. Beside his photograph lay the crystal vase, waiting expectantly for the next bouquet that it would never receive.

Suddenly the sound of a lone cricket startles me. The sound may be small, but it is the only one I’ve heard since settling down on the stoep.

It’s as if all the birds and insects are too lazy on this perfect summer’s day to gather up the strength to move or make a sound. This cricket obviously feels it his duty and again emits a noise that sounds like a kindergartener playing an obscure musical instrument. I hear the gentle snores of my uncle, telling me that he is still conscious. The creaking of his rocking chair seems to emphasise the seclusion of the house.

Sarit paced the eerie halls that were once filled with music and laughter, but now, seemed to reflect her melancholic mood. The war was over, yet what was she to celebrate? Her Yaniv could not be bathed in a hero’s honourable glory. She had no body to lay to rest in a polished wooden casket and ceremoniously lower into a hero’s bed of earthy soil.

The usual period of mourning can last up to seven days, but after days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, Sarit could not bring herself to return to the world, a world in turmoil. Her neighbours, who had in turn lost sons of their own, told her that, “Closure will come, and with time your pain will dull.”

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I feel the sweating Coke can in my hand and hold it against my forehead for what little relief it can give. My jeans are uncomfortably scratchy and my shirt is sticking to my body. And yet my uncle sits, completely unaware, dozing in a long-sleeved flannel shirt, with a vest underneath, and jeans with socks and shoes, as if he is immune to the heat.

I feel my eyelids drooping closed. I revise my earlier statement and decide that it is not just older people, but everyone. Sleep suddenly becomes too big a lure to resist and I join my uncle in a deep, cool fall to nothingness.

Jennifer Oosthuizen (Grade 11)

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First row: from left: Kate James (Grade 11), Alexandra Hanson (Grade 11), Sarah Ekron (Grade 12) Second row, from left: Sarah Ekron (Grade 12), Lona Bam (Grade 12), Courtney Ravell (Grade 11) Third row, from left: Ilhaam van der Schyff (Grade 11), Kirsty Schlemmer (Grade 12), Sara Raciet (Grade 11) Fourth row, from left: Lona Bam (Grade 12), Katy Chan (Grade 11), Sarah Harris (Grade 12) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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First row: from left: Ellen-Anne Williams (Grade 10), Hannah Wilson (Grade 10), Emily O’Ryan (Grade 10) Second row, from left: Mubeenah Gangraker (Grade 10), Ashleigh Joubert (Grade 10), Caitlin Truter (Grade 10) Third row, from left: Tatum Skriker (Grade 10), Emily O’Ryan (Grade 10), Ashleigh Joubert (Grade 10) Fourth row, from left: Paige de Chazal de Chamarel (Grade 12), Ellen-Anne Williams (Grade 10), Tatum Skriker (Grade 10) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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Tienerliefde

Al die meisies op die Sonvallei Hoërskool-pawiljoen snak kollektief na asem. Jak Fourie, die rugbyheld, waai sy goudgeel kop en is besig om sy rooi t-hemp uit te trek! Die klein meisietjie langs Helena skreeu en twee sekondes later word die stadion ’n Justin Bieber-konsert.

Helena Koekemoer probeer om haar voete te vind. Om haar is gillende meisies wat “Jak!” uitroep. Sy kan nie glo dat almal so mal word oor ‘n seun op hoërskool nie.

“O, Jak! Wees myne!” skreeu die klein meisietjie langs Helena.

Helena skud haar kop. Sy kan nie verstaan hoekom een seun soveel aandag kry nie. Jak se hare is seker mooi en sy blou oë is asemrowend ... Miskien is die feit dat hy die kaptein van die rugbyspan is die rede?

Sy onthou die vorige jaar toe hy meer as twee honderd kaartjies op Valenstynsdag gekry het. Verbeel jou!

“Helena Koekemoer, kom vorentoe, asseblief!” hoor sy oor die luidspreker.

Haar hart begin vinniger klop en sy voel senuweeagtig. Sy stap vinnig oor die veld, half verleë. Jak kom stadig in haar rigting gestap. Hy kou aan ‘n hoop rosyntjies in sy hand en gee haar ‘n breë glimlag. Dan kniel hy op die grond voor haar en vat die mikrofoon. Die pawiljoen raak doodstil. Helena raak nog stiller. Sy kyk vlugtig op: elke meisie op die pawiljoen se gesig is asynsuur. Hulle kyk Helena stip aan; die haat in hul oë duidelik.

“Helena Koekemoer, sal jy saam met my na die matriekdans gaan? Ek sal die gelukkigste seun by die skool wees as jy instem,” basuin Jak dit in sy diep stem uit. Helena se hart het gaan staan ... Sy kyk om haar rond.

Skielik word alles kristalhelder. Die gras word groener. Die son skyn warmer en haar hart ... haar hart klop vinniger.

“Ja,” antwoord sy saggies.

Michelle Dandara (Grade 12)

Swakopmund, hier kom ek!

Ek haal diep asem en ruik die sout in die wind. Ek hoor die branders wat hard teen die sand slaan en my nader roep. Dít is my gunstelingvakansieplek!

mense onder my soos miere gelyk het en ek gevoel het asof ek die hemel kon raak. Ver onder soen die duine die strand.

Swakopmund is een van my gunstelingdorpe. Dit is ‘n rustige plek. Die kos is heerlik omdat dit deur die Duitsers beïnvloed word en die mense is vriendelik. Dit het sy eie akwarium en die strand is net om die draai!

Geen wonder dat die Duitsers in Swakopmund sê: “Auf wiedersehn!

Tot ons jou weer sien!” nie. Ek gaan elke jaar terug en elke jaar is dit fantasties.

Ellen-Marie Trautmann (Grade 11)

Kan alles in die lewe met geld gekoop word?

Party mense het eenvoudig alles; hulle is ryk, suksesvol en gelukkig. Dit blyk soms dat geld enigiets in die lewe kan koop. Mense is bereid om hul geldjies op ‘n Lotto-kaartjie (of selfs in Casino’s) te spandeer om hul drome te laat waar word. Tog is daar ryk mense wat sielsongelukkig is.

Geld kan geluk bring. Nie alleen kan geld jou in die vorm van kos en klere aan die lewe hou nie, maar dit verseker ook die beste mediese sorg, die duurste skoolopvoeding en die nuutste tegnologie. As jy ‘n blaaskans nodig het, kan geld jou ook ‘n luukse vakansie besorg.

Is die plesier wat jy kan koop genoeg om volkome geluk te beleef?

Maslow dink nie so nie. Volgens hom, kan ‘n mens slegs ware geluk vind as jy die liefde en respek van ander geniet en jou talente ontwikkel. Jy moet ook jouself liefhê. Dit is dus onwaarskynlik dat geld ware geluk bring.

In ‘n groot mate kan geld jou help om verhoudings aan te knoop. Baie mense wys hul liefde deur geskenke te koop. Natuurlik is dit maklik om iemand te bederf as jy geld het! Verhoudings met vriende kan ook gekoester word; om uit te eet of te gaan fliek is nooit ‘n probleem as jy dit kan bekostig nie.

Vriendskappe wat gevoed word deur die geld wat jy spandeer, is oppervlakkig. Geen geskenk gaan genoeg wees om ‘n mens se liefde en lojaliteit te wen as jy nie ‘n aangename persoonlikheid het nie. Die feit dat jou vriende (heelwaarskynlik) slegs in jou geld belangstel, doen ook min vir jou selfbeeld; daarom sal hierdie sosiale interaksie nie jou behoefte aan liefde en vriendskap vervul nie.

My fiets ry vinnig op die grondpad, die wiele sing. Ma ry langs my en ons praat oor wat ons alles vandag gaan doen. Ons begin met ontbyt: soetgestroopte pannekoek met roomys en later sal ons op die strand gaan loop. Heerlike vis en skyfies met baie asyn is beslis op die spyskaart!

Geld kan deure vir jou oopmaak en dit makliker maak om jou drome te verwesenlik. Tog het elkeen ‘n behoefte aan sinvolle persoonlike verhoudings en selfrespek en dít kan geen geld vir jou koop nie.

Die duine steek hul koppe agter die dorp uit en gooi groot skaduwees in die pad. Ek dink terug aan die wonderlike tye wat ek op die duine met my vierwiel gehad het. So hoog was ek op die sandberge dat die

Nicola Cilliers (Grade 12)

First row: from left: Brogan Poulton (Grade 11), Catherine Sonnenberg (Grade 9), Hannah Wilson (Grade 10), Iman Kathrada (Grade 9) Second row, from left: Kiana Neethling (Grade 12), Phumzile Konile (Grade 9), Sarah Donde (Grade 11), Ursula Hardie (Grade 10) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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First row: from left: Alexandra Dill (Grade 9), Tara Panton (Grade 9), Ammaarah Kagee (Grade 9) Second row, from left: Sarah Gerber (Grade 9), Amber Thorndike (Grade 9), Vanessa Langton (Grade 9) Third row, from left: Jane Lineveldt (Grade 9), Megan Kode (Grade 9), Ashleigh Simonis (Grade 9) Fourth row, from left: Jessica Jamieson (Grade 9), Gia Aitken (Grade 9), Tiffany Sprout (Grade 9) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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First row: from left: Brittany Gouws (Grade 8), Mila Welter (Grade 8), Daniella Attfield (Grade 8) Second row, from left: Nureen Mahmood (Grade 8), Celine Truter (Grade 8), Holly Hawthorne (Grade 8) Third row, from left: Insaaf Dhansay (Grade 8), Lauren Searle (Grade 8), Julie Albertyn (Grade 8) Fourth row, from left: Talia Novella (Grade 8), Ylva Hultkrantz (Grade 8), Jenna Doveton (Grade 8) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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The Storm

Lightning illuminates the abandoned, rain-washed driveway where, minutes before, our family’s aged Toyota had been resting. Mom had sat smiling in it, her kind face distorted by the iridescently-flecked windshield, as Dad had reversed onto the slick dark road. I was not to worry. Their meeting would be over within the hour. However, even as I waved them goodbye, I knew that my anxiety for their safety could be curbed no more than the oncoming storm could be prevented.

The lightning that briefly illuminated the sky is fading and the scene outside my window becomes blurred and moody once more. The clammy smell of rain infiltrates my room. I can almost taste the moisture in the air, it is so damp.

A steaming mug of hot chocolate rests snugly against the battered pencil case on my desk, but this cosy composition is unwelcome, as it reminds me of the warm image of a smoking chimney attached to a dilapidated cottage. This is an image which contrasts too sharply with the cold, deserted house around me.

The crash of the collateral thunder makes the glass pane of my window shudder, and I mimic the action as I remember the haunting echo of the antiquated Toyota’s rattling windows.

After I had completed the dare and noticed the unveiled envy in your eyes, I felt imprudently proud of myself. You were furious that your friends considered me brave than you, so you climbed onto the railing and asked me to hold your hand as you walked. My heart started beating manically as I felt myself lose my grip, feeling the material of your shirt brush against my fingers, knowing that I wasn’t holding flesh anymore.

I’ll never forget your deafening scream as you hurtled into the traffic below, the sound of flesh against metal and the screams of pedestrians circling the air above me like lassos about to drop down and take hold of my throat. Your gang told the police that I pushed you. I’m likely to be found guilty of murder or manslaughter. Three other people died in a pile-up because of what you made me do. The journalist says that I have to take responsibility for my part in what happened, for I allowed myself to be influenced.

I hope that somebody will come forward with the truth, so that I might be absolved of the blame and disparagement I am faced with. So that I won’t have to be moved to a young offenders’ unit and I can move forward with my life. “That isn’t likely to happen,” the journalist says. I nod in agreement, feeling my spirits deflate like air whooshing out of a halfblown balloon.

Lauren Hogg (Grade 12)

From my window I can see that the garden is coping better with the storm than I am, as it soaks up each litre of rain like an oversized, mouldy sponge. I can also see the colossal tree that dominates our garden. Its voluminous foliage has obscured the sun ever since I was a little girl, and I rested in the bow-shaped cup above its trunk while its burly arms shielded me from the bite of the wind. Today, however, the wind is avenging itself as it strikes the old oak with such force that it cowers. Its branches wave wildly in a pitiful attempt to defend itself, not unlike the instinctive action of passengers before an accident.

As I watch, the storm becomes even more unforgiving as the scenery outside dissolves and becomes a wash of colour. My eyes lose focus and, as if in protest to this, my thoughts sharpen and the image of the aged Toyota skidding uncontrollably across a drenched road fills my mind. I hear the thud of a car door closing and I can’t help but jump a little from the surprise. The knot of anxiety leaves my stomach as I realise my parents are home safely, but as I run from my room I glimpse the time. Only fifteen minutes have passed.

As it turns out, Dad has simply returned to fetch his umbrella, but as I roll my eyes at his forgetfulness, he becomes defensive and explains, quite ironically, that he will need it because, “Haven’t you noticed that the storm is getting worse?”

Yi-Tin Yuan (Grade 11)

The Reckoning

A journalist is asking me questions about my trial. The journalist is a woman. Her grey roots are beginning to intrude rudely on her otherwise ashen mane and her red lipstick is bleeding into the smoker’s lines around her mouth. She asks me, “Perhaps you came under the influence of a particular person – a friend, perhaps?” I hadn’t planned to tell her about your part in the incident, but why keep that information to myself? The truth will emerge soon enough, I hope. Why protect you any longer than I already have? I begin to tell the journalist what really happened that day.

You were always a wild child, even by the standards of the Cape Flats. I always admired your fearlessness, although now I wonder if it was just an utter disregard for your own safety and that of others. I was thrilled when you took me under your wing, let me join your gang and made me your chief partner-in-crime. We would roam the streets, go into shops and steal sweets and cans of beer. We were twelve years old and already into petty theft. Our mothers didn’t care. They were usually too drunk to get out of bed. You and I had a lot in common. That’s why I liked you, why I never challenged you, let you drag me down with you. So it isn’t surprising that I agreed to your dare game even though I knew it was dangerous and someone was bound to get hurt. We were smoking on that fateful day, trying not to cough so it would seem as if we always smoked. Maybe it was boredom that made you dare me to walk across the railing of that bridge, or maybe you had finally lost your mind. I was foolish to agree to it, but nevertheless, I walked across the railing, with the traffic roaring past below me, my steps propelled by a feeling of buoyancy, of being lighter than air.

Do Yeou Ku (Grade 12) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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From the Media Centre Teacher-in-charge: Ms Marilyn Peters Head Monitress: Azraah Hendricks Deputy Head Monitress: Rahma Dalmau Secretary: Sheraya Erickson Social Secretary: Aatiekah Solomons Media Monitresses: Jenna Adams, Najma Yusuf, Sonia Mataramvura, Michelle Dandara, Yi-Jou Chen, Laila Haffejee, Bianca Da Molo, Shasthra Naidoo, Ayesha Korowley, Roxanne Christian, Shannen-Lee Beukes, Nuzhah Jacobs, Jarita Kassen, Kirsten Buchanan, Natalie Davidson Incumbent Media Monitresses: Isabella Meyer, Susan Wu, Jamie McMullen, Annie Ou Yang, Gabi Munkes, Mila Truter, Laila Korowlay

“Do you read a lot Mrs Peters?”

“Hmm, well yes, it’s the nature of my job.”

“So can you tell me: what’s the difference between a novel and a book?”

A school librarian’s job is never dull, but I wouldn’t trade its charms for anything.

Dictum from the Education Department: “The first requirement of a School Library is to support the school curriculum and reading, by providing a quality, current, relevant, appropriate and interesting range of fiction, non-fiction and reference material.”

Bearing this in mind, we strive to maintain and expand an amazing collection that our girls can devour, while reflecting a desirable balance between supporting the curriculum and meeting the individual needs and interest of teenagers’ minds. School libraries should develop to meet the needs of their students, but they also need to preserve the valuable resources that have been collected over time, getting the best of both print and digital worlds. In line with this has been our trial transition to several online encyclopedias this year: expensive, but “much more nimble and up-to-date than print, and loaded with hyperlinks that become a gateway to other authoritative sources,” especially appealing for young minds used to working online.

The year since our last report has been significant for many reasons, but the most satisfying and celebratory must unquestionably be the installation of air-conditioning throughout the Media Centre! Gone forever are the sweltering afternoons of February/March when classes, and their teachers, would be jolted awake by the home-time bell.

Another fantastic highlight was the selection of our library for the filming of the extra chapter in the latest “Spud” movie with John Cleese. When last spotted at the end of the day of shooting, John still had his head buried in a large tome he had found on our shelves, oblivious to the mayhem around!

Our close-knit band of sisters, aka the library monitress family, is what enables the heart of the school to pulse so smoothly and efficiently.

In August however, we always have to say farewell to our much-loved Matrics, and welcome the newcomers with a fun and games pizza evening. Breaking with tradition this year, we sat down to a stylish and delicious banquet served by Bon Appetit. The event was so successful it has set a precedent, thanks to Azraah, Rahma, Sheraya and Aatiekah

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for the wonderful idea. These four committee members and their fellow Matrics are owed a huge debt of gratitude by the school. They have enthusiastically given two (and in one case, Najma, three) years of dedicated and incredibly valuable service to staff and students alike.

They leave us armed with an awesome arsenal of inter-personal and research skills, and a warm place in our hearts. Filling the committee’s shoes are Laila Haffejee (Head), Bianca da Molo (Deputy Head), Shasthra Naidoo (Secretary) and Roxanne Christian (Social Secretary), a competent foursome indeed. Heartfelt thanks are also due to our volunteer library angels, Ms Sally Michell and Ms Judy Paul. These stalwarts ease the annual (dreaded) stock-take, the never-ending accessions, and are very fondly-held, firmly established members of the Rustenburg Library family.

In closing we’d like to pay tribute to a fine patron too briefly lent to us. The late, legendary English teacher, Mr Glyn Hewson, was a constant Library visitor, a bonus for anyone present, as he shared vastly entertaining and sometimes acerbic observations on matters current, or a book or movie he had enjoyed. He leaves a gaping void. We are poorer for the loss now, but so enriched by his time with us.

A parent, reflecting on the unique “magic” interaction that takes place between the users, the librarians and the materials in the physical space of a library, mused: “I think there’s something so magical about being literally surrounded by books, able to browse and wander and discover independently. I love the community of it; we are literally borrowing/ sharing these books, and the librarians are excited to help you discover and learn.”

We hope our girls echo these sentiments!

Media Centre Community Projects

Our monitresses visit Vrygrond Community Library on a regular basis to share their expertise, resources and fellowship there. As a result of funds raised on our civvies day, 50 disadvantaged children will be treated to a December holiday camp again: this time five days at Gordons Camp in GlenCairn. A bumper Easter-egg collection driven by Interact brought delight to many of the little Vrygrond faces earlier this year too. We continue to support Capricorn Primary School in Vrygrond with teaching equipment and supplies, Tufcat at UWC with books and magazines for their campus sales, and in future the fledgling community library in Village Heights will be gaining more of our attention as their mothership in Vrygrond becomes increasingly self-sufficient.

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From the IT Manager Mr Francis Vogts: Dip. IT

Rustenburg High School for Girls has taken the stride to adopt and integrate technology openly within the teaching environment, choosing to integrate and expand technology and its adoption within the curriculum.

We strive to utilise technology to enhance learning and not replace the teacher, thus affording our girls the ability to gain a balance in learning and a healthy respect for technology. We continue to offer the ever successful and openly accepted ICDL programme to afford our girls the prospect of being capable and computer literate when leaving our doors. We believe they will gain good skills, greater knowledge and a responsible respect for technology.

Technology has become an essential part of the educational process, bringing knowledge from the furthest corners of the universe directly to our fingertips. At Rustenburg, we are fortunate to have a very skilled staff of teachers, many of whom have adopted technology in the classroom so that the teacher rather than the technology leads discovery and knowledge adoption. At the same time technology and ICT remain an important part of the evolving environment in which we live and part of our girl’s social development. As a school, we need to model the appropriate use of technology and ensure that we are providing the skills needed to be a productive citizen of our community, not necessarily for today but with the evolving needs of the next ten to 30 years. To support these developments requires greater commitment and costs to running and maintaining an infrastructure that can support such an ever changing environment.

We all know that “with great power comes great responsibility,” and one of the challenges of this year has been the ease of access to media and interactive content on the Internet and how to appropriately control this access. The school’s Acceptable Use Policy guides pupils and staff in this regard, and we have instituted a registration programme for mobile devices (tablets, smartphones, etc.) which are becoming the most common way for young people to connect to the Internet. The Wi-Fi

capacity of Erinville Boarding House has been upgraded, and the girls living there have become the first registered users of what will one day become a campus-wide wireless network, with the capacity to support a “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) strategy for the use of mobile devices in the classroom. BYOD is becoming a popular strategy to enhance learning and access to information, but is not without its challenges and controversy and is not something to be rushed into without careful forethought and planning.

Another challenge this year was change. With growth comes change and in our case with additional complexity. We relocated the servers and ICT office to a more central location, which brought us some eventful surprises. We fortunately had the capacity to deal with the negative effects, but need to also attend to some point of weakness within the network. Thereafter we focused on cleaning up and removing redundant cables and facilitated structural planning for growth. Thankfully the past experience and foresight of former ICT Manager, Mr Gareth Milne (who left Rustenburg in April), had aided the school in dealing with system failure as well as supporting further institutional growth. We are planning to add a new Mathematics and Physical Sciences Centre. This is a key area where technology tends to be adopted the most. We are looking forward to see our new centre completed hopefully this year.

On the whole it has been a rewarding and successful year. We continue to support the utility and education of ICT as an important part of our curriculum. We look forward to 2014 and further new developments.

Computer Monitresses

Fourth row, from left: Shakeela Banderker, Nazneen Khan, Shannen-Lee Beukes, Amelia Dionisio, Samantha Pelteret, Jehaan Obaray Third row, from left: Nabeelah Mahatey, Firdous Khan, Nicola Engelbrecht, Sabeegah Davids, Haley-Anne Box, Couthar Sakir, Jehaan Armien Second row, from left: Boniwe Nyati, Tiana Hansraj, Aleyah Dollie, Tashreeqah Brown, Mishqah Heynes, Alexandra Nel, Anika Ebrahim, Samantha Chamisa Seated from left: Aqeelah Benjamin, Nishaat Karjiker, Shifah Abrahams, Ms Janine Myers, Aatiekah Solomons, Tharah Bassier, Amina Vallie Absent: Emma Grobbelaar, Yusra Modack

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MUSIC RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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From the Head of the Music Department Teacher-in-charge: Ms Elizabeth Sole: BMus, MA, TLD

With the announcement that we had produced the top Music candidate in the Western Cape, Alexandra Mould, and first positions in the Grade 12 Music Accreditation examinations, (Yohan Chun for Trinity Grade 8, Nahyun Pak for Trinity Grade 7 and Yejin Hur for ABRSM Grade 6), we set forth into the new year with renewed vigour and determination. Added to which, with the opera heavyweights, Verdi and Wagner’s bicentenaries, Britten and the Polish composer, Lutoslawski’s centenaries, and the 16th century lute composer, John Dowland’s 450th, we were set for another adventurous year.

Celebrating Benjamin Britten’s 100 with a feature on musical programmes throughout the world, Rustenburg was in the forefront, with our Chamber Choir performing the “Ceremony of Carols” with Jane Theron on the harp at St Andrews in a concert of Britten’s music promoted by conductor Dr Barry Smith and the St Georges Singers in March, and in a second celebratory concert in October of the “St Nicolas” cantata. Both were highly memorable events and probably the only performances of their kind in the whole of Southern Africa this year. The Music Department also marked the Britten centenary with a Workshop in March, entitled “A Bit of Britten,” with an introduction by Dr Smith followed by the film “Moonrise Kingdom,” which includes a considerable amount of Britten’s music.

In February, all 130 subject music pupils, armed with worksheets, undertook their annual pilgrimage to the Cape Town City Hall to hear the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra in rehearsal. The programme this year comprised the Franck “Symphonic Variations”, Chopin’s Piano Concerto no 2 in E minor and Rachmaninov’s last work, the “Symphonic Dances”, op 45, conducted by Victor Yampolsky with Yulianna Andeeva as the piano soloist. This outing is an important training ground for all our musicians, from beginner to advanced level. Other outings included the final dress rehearsal and special reduced tickets to operas at Artscape and the Baxter Theatre, such as “Otello,” “Don Giovanni” and “Madama Butterfly”. Our Grade 10s had the chance to hear Willy Haubrich’s Brass Ensemble lunchtime concert in the Baxter Concert Hall and our Recorder players attended both Stefan Temmingh’s exhilarating concert of Baroque Recorder Concertos in the Hugo Lambrechts Auditiorium as well as Carin van Heerden’s concert of Baroque music on original instruments at St Andrews Church, and we visited the Kirby Collection of African Instruments with our Grade 11s at the South African College of Music Our enterprising Jazz Band under the directorship of Ms Robyn Jepson, performed in a Battle of the Bands concert in the amphitheatre at the V&A Waterfront, on a lovely warm summer’s evening in March, proving to be a prelude to their performance at the Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festival at the Baxter Theatre in May. They were fortunate to have been offered a masterclass with leading UK Jazz musicians, Ian Darrington and the young singer and saxophonist, AJ Brown, who has recently released his first CD. Our Jazz Band also participated in FACETS at Sans Souci and in the Cape Town Eisteddfod, achieving excellent reports, as well as some players who attended the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival in Grahamstown during the July holidays.

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A piano masterclass with Dr Yossi Reshef of Berlin, promoted by the SA Zionist Association was most inspiring, involving pupils from Bishops, Rondebosch, Rustenburg and SACS, and was followed by our annual Piano Festival, this year including Old Girls Coila Enderstein (08) and Yohan Chun (12). The Grade 11 wiz-kid from Paul Roos, Roelof Temmingh participated, as well as our very own pianists, Rouzanna Coxson and Caitlin Grüning who performed a work by Benjamin Britten and Peter Klatzow respectively. Peter Klatzow was our invited guest, who spoke very eloquently about the art of composing. Both Rustenburg pianists also participated in a masterclass offered by the UCT Piano Department in June.

A string of medals were achieved by several individual players at the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod: Silver Medals were awarded to Robyn McKechnie (piano and violin), Kerryn Duff (recorder), Kirsten Pienaar (voice), Hannah Clayton and Nicola McLachlan (piano duet) and Rouzanna Coxson (Recorder), and Gold Medals were achieved by Kirsten Pienaar (Senior Vocal) and our String Ensemble. Joo-Young Kim (flute) was selected as one of the eight semi-finalists in the Pieter Kooij Music Competition to perform in the Final Round in the beautiful Welgemeed Saal at Jan van Riebeeck Hoerskool on 31 August, the night of the Beau Soleil Gala concert in the City Hall, at which a number of our RGHS performed. Two of our Rustenburg Music Scholarship holders, Pearl Jung (violoncello) and Stèphanie Lawrenson (violin) were selected to attend the SA National Youth Orchestra course held in Port Elizabeth this year and performed in the NYO conducted by Gerard Korsten. Pearl Jung was also selected to play in the Festival Orchestra at the International Chamber Music Festival, with Julia Cooke, another of our Rustenburg cellists leading the Concert Orchestra in a performance of Peter Louis van Dijk’s “The Selfish Giant”, which was narrated by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in the Endler Hall, Stellenbosch.

Ms Gordon, who not only directs a very active and competent Orchestra that participated and achieved excellent results in the Cape Town Eisteddfod this year, was heavily involved in the organisation of the Summer Sunset Picnic concert in an effort to raise a sizeable amount to support a group of our orchestral musicians to attend the Tutti World Music Festival in Beijing in 2015. The fundraising will continue with a similar concert in 2014. With her indefatigable determination and energy, she is bound to achieve her goals.

The “African Sanctus” and supporting programme of Rimsky-Korsakov, Holst and Whitacre dominated much of our rehearsal time in the first half of the year, involving Choir, Orchestra and Concert Band, and was rewarded with two “absolutely awesome African Sanctus” performances at the City Hall. We are still basking in its glory.

Dumbledore’s words, “Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here!” (J.K. Rowling, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”) comes to mind in summing up the extraordinary and unifying power of music that is present at Rustenburg.

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African Sanctus The annual choral work performed this year by the combined choirs and musicians of SACS, Rustenburg and Rondebosch was a spectacular event. It comprised a performance of David Fanshawe’s “African Sanctus”, an energetic and honest work of traditional African music integrated with a Western setting of the Latin mass.

The annual choral work performed this year by the combined choirs and musicians of SACS, Rustenburg and Rondebosch was a spectacular event. It comprised a performance of David Fanshawe’s “African Sanctus”, an energetic and honest work of traditional African music integrated with a Western setting of the Latin mass. Armed with a rucksack and a stereo tape recorder, Fanshawe journeyed up the Nile between 1969 and 1973, recording indigenous African music from over 50 tribes in Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya that is played throughout the work, alongside his setting of the mass, with the Sanctus as the unifying factor.

The performances took place on 30 and 31 July in the Cape Town, City Hall, hosted this year by SACS. The school choirs dedicated many months and many hours to rehearsing the work both separately and in combined rehearsals prior to the first performance. Under conductor Leon Starker, the combined choir flourished with his enthusiasm and dedication towards the work and to the performing singers and musicians. On questioning Mr Starker on his opinion of the work, he said that he had first found it to be “too busy with a whole lot of noise,” but as he became more acquainted with the music, he was “completely bowled over” by it. He also added that it was wonderful to work with such RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

a well-disciplined group of young musicians and encouraged pupils to use the musical opportunities offered to them at our three schools.

We were extremely fortunate to work both with him and with our guest soloist, Magdalene Minaar, a widely acclaimed and award-winning South African soprano.

The combined choirs also performed Eric Whitacre’s “Sleep”, an exquisite piece that moved many members of both the choir and the audience.

In addition to the works performed by the choirs, Gustav Holst’s “Military Suite” and Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Concerto for Trombone” were performed by the Concert Band conducted by Terence Scarr (Head of Music at Rondebosch) and the Orchestra conducted by Gerhard de Jager (SACS High School), respectively.

Those who were involved wore t-shirts in the vibrant colours of the South African flag. This seemed to reflect how participating in “African Sanctus” was a rich and rewarding experience for all.

Kirsten Pienaar (C1)

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General Choir

Seventh row, from left: Lerato Ntsime, Nina Stodel, Sahlah Davids, Hannah Bridgens, Emily O’Ryan, Cassandra Cranfield, Bianca Da Molo, Terttu Newaka , Orlssa Ramesar, Estine Everson, Cara Lothaller, Stéphanie Pereira, Nicole Mehnert Sixth row, from left: : Lily van Rensburg, Nokukhanya Zondi, Marianne Schwellnus, Tahira Abrahams, Alice-Sandra Kesselaar, Annemieke Lourens, Roxanne Christian, Sarah Gerber, Ashleigh Barnard, Ellen-Marie Trautmann, Nina Beckurts, Saiyuree Sewchuran, Sasha Marais, Hannah Lambe Fifth row, from left: Mila Truter, Olivia Stanton, Caitlin Lange, Caitlin Millard, Chloë Allison, Kate James, Brogan Poulton, Aimée la Kay, Claire Denny, Brittany du Preez, Syan O’Connell-Richards, Stephanie Keyser, Robyn Smith Fourth row, from left: Mikera Bassuday, Megan Kode, Musa Makhoba, Nikita Sofute, Hannah Karodia, Caitlyn Abdoll, Katrin van der Merwe, Séanne van Horsten, Nicole Nel, Kerry-Ann Couperthwaite, Rebecca Plaatjies, Kelly Bang, Eden Howard, Jenna-Leigh Swart Third row, from left: Rachel Couperthwaite, Emma Swart, Aaliyah Ahmed, Amy Joy Stöhrer, Nuhaa Soeker, Claudia Schlettwein, Tauhira Samsodien, Tayla McGregor, Yonela Katsha, Thania Koopman, Leilah Jacobs, Madeleine McClellan, Reabetswe Khanyane Second row, from left: Logan Ryklief, Cynthia Augustine, Evashna Pillay, Yusrah Hartley, Shameez Phillips, Alexa Rabeling, Razaan Phillips, Angela Mibey, Andrea Pienaar, Laila Salie, Riancha Schoombie, Zay-yaan Hamza, Emma McCrindle, Jodi Rogerson Seated from left: Buhle-Bemvelo Zimba, Abigail Wood, Nicola Cilliers, Michelle Dandara, Kirsten Jaftha (Head), Ms Elizabeth Sole, Yi-Shin Yuan (Deputy), Ms Maileen Jamey, Kayla Albertyn, Aleyah Dollie, Tara Dunlop, Rebecca Norris, Ashlynn Wessels Absent: Abigail Mallows, Mary-Kate Oosthuizen, Melissa Rossouw

Chamber Choir

Fourth row, from left: Amy Long, Zara Mitchell, Caitlin Fleming, Hannah Abrahams-Crocker, Anja Mühr, Catherine Smith, Kirsten Pienaar, Imke Mühr, Emma Bergh Third row, from left: Ashleigh Curtis, Sesuthu Mdlungu, Nicola McLachlan, Phumzile Konile, Hannah Clayton, Maria Cupido, Kerryn Duff Second row, from left: Grace Crocker, Robyn McKechnie, Hayley-Anne Box, Ifeoluwa Alaba, Samantha McCrindle, Irena Nolte, Rouzanna Coxson, Sheree Stewart Seated from left: Lindiwe Le Brasseur, Corné Odendal (Deputy), Ms Elizabeth Sole, Joycelyn Foster (Head), Ms Judith Dernier, Aimèe George, Isabella Cupido Absent: Caitlin Grüning, Pearl Jung, Tamsin Metelerkamp, Marianne Schwellnus, Ellen-Anne Williams RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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Orchestra

Sixth row, from left: Catherine Smith, Roxanne Christian, Megan Frost, Anja Mühr, Megan Denny, Samantha Ma, Ashleigh Barnard, Thandi Mettler Fifth row, from left: Daniellé Lund, Ashleigh Joubert, Jessica-Lee Meeser, Lauren Pienaar, Marianne Schwellnus, Imke Mühr, Isabella Cupido Fourth row, from left: Neo Ramagaga, Stephanie Keyser, Chené Chang, Claire Denny, Olivia Stanton, Jaime Newdigate, Alexandra Wittenberg-Scott, Nicola McLachlan Third row, from left: Robyn Mckechnie, Amy Joy Stöhrer, Lindiwe Le Brasseur, Kerryn Duff, Katrin van der Merwe, Robyn Smith, Irena Nolte Second row, from left: Kirsten Buchanan, Bronwen Barratt, Jenna Bryden, Shifah Abrahams, Tracey-Ann Arendse, Lauren Denny, Jenna Adams, Nureen Mahmood Seated from left: Do Yeou Ku, Joo-Young Kim, Rania Davids (Head), Ms Olivia Gordon, Kirsten Barratt (Deputy Head), Julia Cooke, Woohyun Lee

Jazz Band

Third row, from left: Marianne Schwellnus, Catherine Smith, Roxanne Christian, Megan Denny, Lauren Pienaar Second row, from left: Kerryn Duff, Neo Ramagaga, Pauline Shrosbree, Hannah Profitlich, Jessica-Lee Meeser, Jaime Newdigate, Imke Mühr, Aimèe George Seated from left: Claire Denny, Michelle Ashwin, Azraa Parker (Head), Ms Robyn Jepson, Kate Vlok (Deputy), Maisie Williams-Sales, Robyn Smith

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String Ensemble

Third row, from left: Emily Malherbe, Alexandra Wittenberg-Scott, Chené Chang, Imke Mühr, Isabella Cupido, Stephanie Keyser, Lindiwe Le Brasseur Second row, from left: Kirsten Buchanan, Nureen Mahmood, Amy Joy Stöhrer, Katrin van der Merwe, Irena Nolte, Robyn McKechnie Seated from left: Anja Mühr, Woohyun Lee, Kirsten Barratt (Head), Ms Maria Raynham, Rania Davids, Tracey-Ann Arendse, Nicola McLachlan Absent: Pearl Jung, Stéphanie Lawrenson, Nurain Mahomed

Wind Band

Fourth row, from left: Samantha Pelteret, Megan Frost, Lauren Pienaar, Walda van der Merwe, Nina Beckurts, Samantha Ma, Ashleigh Barnard, Kirsten Pienaar, Catherine Smith Third row, from left: Olivia Stanton, Jenna Frost, Shannon Lorimer, Cara Lothaller, Jessica-Lee Meeser, Claire Denny, Kauthar Firfirey Second row, from left: Ashton Sims, Michelle Winter, Neo Ramagaga, Sharfaa Kalam, Ifeoluwa Alaba, Bronwen Barratt, Emma Swart, Chloe Mallows Seated from left: Do Yeou Ku, Michelle Ashwin, Joo-Young Kim (Head), Ms Robyn Jepson, Shifah Abrahams (Deputy), Azraa Parker, Anastasia Stergiou

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Music Society Teacher-in-charge: Ms Maileen Jamey Head: Do Yeou Ku Deputy: Azraa Parker Outgoing Grade 12: Rania Davids

The annual Grade 8 Music Quiz was the first event that was organised by the Music Society committee this year.

Besides arranging guest speakers and other events, the Music Society committee is actively involved in the smooth-running of the Rustenburg Music Department’s concerts and other evening events.

Small Ensembles

Our Small Ensemble programme continues to offer great variety and opportunity for our instrumentalists, from Baroque to African, Jazz to Contemporary, silver flute to saxophone and much more.

Berocca G and the Recorder Ensemble were involved in the masterclasses at the 8th Recorder Symposium hosted by Rustenburg in association with Trinity Guildhall and the Stellenbosch Music Department in March, with the world-renowned South African recorder player, Stefan Temmingh. The Recorder Ensemble won the R1 000 first prize in the Ensemble category at FACETS in April, and both groups later participated in the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod. Berocca G continued, in its 10th year, on its annual pilgrimage to Stellenbosch in September for the National Ensemble Competition, offering a varied programme of JS Bach, Gluck, Handel, Hoffmann and Sammartini – which proved to be challenging as always.

Music Society

Standing, from left: Rania Davids, Roxanne Christian, Caitlin Grüning, Aimee La Kay Seated, from left: Aimèe George, Do Yeou Ku (Head), Ms Maileen Jamey, Azraa Parker (Deputy), Anja Mühr

The quiz serves to introduce our new Grade 8s to the Music Society and to meet other musicians in the ensuing grades. John Rojas, Head of Woodwind at the Beau Soleil Music Centre, presented a lecture-demonstration on the oboe and bassoon (two `endangered’ instruments) as our second event, and encouraged our young musicians to try out the instruments after the demonstration.

In Term 2, the events included an inspiring jazz performance by double bassist, Romy Brauteseth and saxophonist, Dan Shout, which was promoted by the SAJE (South African Association for Jazz Education).

The members of the Society also had the privilege of hearing talk given by a South African music therapist, Sunelle Fouche, who is one of the co-founders of the Music Therapy Community Clinic, a non-profit organisation that seeks to provide an avenue of healing through music to the various communities in Cape Town.

Term 3 was our busiest, offering two percussion performances presented

by Mr David West, our part-time percussion teacher and teacher at Beau Soleil. The first was the beat-pumping performance for two drum kits performed by Mr West and guest drummer, Mike Horn, sponsored

by Paul Bothner. The second was a performance by the UCT Percussion Ensemble directed by Frank Mallows, that featured a Concerto for timpani played by ROG, Yohan Chun (E 12). Other events included a solo piano performance by ROG Coila Enderstein (E 09), a semi-finalist in the SAMRO Overseas Music Scholarship Competition, improvisation performances by the Grade 10 Subject Music pupils, and jazz vocalist and saxophonist currently living and working in New York, Nicky Shrire, who spoke about her experiences of studying Music abroad.

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The Brass Ensemble achieved an Honours award at the Cape Town Eisteddfod, and all credit to Ms Rosemary Davis for believing in her fledgling ensemble. They also performed at the Junior Music Spotlight concert and the Annual Music concert.

The Clarinet, Saxophone and Flute Ensembles were all actively involved in the Spotlight and the Annual Music concerts. This is valuable training ground for the Jazz and Wind Bands and the Orchestra.

Our Guitar and Keyboard Ensembles have been equally active, with the Guitar Ensemble achieving a Diploma at the Cape Town Eisteddfod, and the Keyboard Ensemble participating in the Huis Lückhoff concert in October.

With Mr David West’s continued perseverance, he has developed an active Percussion Ensemble, having some of our players taking a leading role in the “African Sanctus” Percussion Band and others preparing for the “Carmina Burana” performances in 2014, besides providing reliable percussion accompaniments in the Jazz and Wind Bands, Orchestra, Choir and other Ensembles.

Congratulations to the members of Savuyisa Senior who performed in the Marimba Festival at the Baxter Theatre on Friday 12 April. It was a most successful event and our Savuyisa Senior performers, all Grade 12s, showed their skill in their individual and ensemble performances.

Special thanks to their director, Grant Adams who has recently taken over the running of our two marimba ensembles.

Finally, our String Ensemble, under the directorship of Mrs Maria Raynham, did us proud this year winning the Walter Swanson Prize and a Gold medal for the Best Orchestra at the Cape Town Eisteddfod and also achieving a Gold Medal at the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod in August.

Well done to all our wonderful String players.

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Percussion Ensemble

Second row, from left: Bronwen Barratt, Neo Ramagaga, Claudia Schlettwein, Bronwyn Kode Seated, from left: Olivia Stanton, Jessica-Lee Meeser, Ashira Yodaiken Absent: Ashleigh Curtis, Amy Franz, Caitlin Grüning

Recorder Ensemble

Second row, from left: Lisa Harris, Catherine Smith, Kerryn Duff, Gemma Hall Seated, from left: Roxanne Christian (Head), Ms Elizabeth Sole, Rouzanna Coxson (Head)

Savuyisa Junior

Second row, from left: Stefni Handt, Aaliyah Davids, Mubeenah Gangraker, Chelsea Bam Seated, from left: Haley-Anne Box, Azraa Kannemeyer, Rebecca Haines, Mr Gavin Bolton, Lauren Abbott, Tasneem Bawa, Sarah Dalvie

Savuyisa Senior

Standing, from left: Rebecca Norris, Kirsty Schlemmer, Corné Odendaal, Mr Grant Adams, Jamie Rose Masters, Olivia Benetton, Joo-Young Kim Absent: Amy Hand, Robyn Paterson

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Clarinet Ensemble

Standing: Ms Robyn Jepson Seated, from left: Jaime Newdigate, Megan Frost, Walda van der Merwe, Samantha Ma, Bronwen Barratt

Guitar Ensemble

Second row, from left: Maisie Williams-Sales, Ms Maileen Jamey, Kristen Naidoo Seated from left: Caitlin Abdoll, Haley-Anne Box, Michelle Ashwin Absent: Roxanne Bolzanello

Keyboard Ensemble

Second row, from left: Sakeenah Jaffer, Ms Maileen Jamey, Kristen Naidoo Seated, from left: Amber McHugh, Cassandra Cranfield, Rolivuha Madiba

Saxophone Ensemble

Second row, from left: Sharfaa Kalam, Lauren Pienaar, Roxanne Christian, Shannon Lorimer, Michelle Winter Seated, from left: Ashton Sims, Shifah Abrahams, Ms Robyn Jepson, Azraa Parker, Zay-yaan Hamza

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Berocca G

Third row, from left: Caitlin Grüning, Catherine Smith, Kirsten Pienaar, Isabella Cupido Second row, from left: Rania Davids (Head), Stéphanie Lawrenson Seated, from left: Woohyun Lee (Deputy), Rouzanna Coxson, Anja Mühr, Pearl Jung

Brass Ensemble

Second row, from left: Olivia Stanton, Imke Mühr, Catherine Smith, Lauren Pienaar, Hannah Profitlich, Pauline Shrosbree Seated, from left: Caitlyn Abdoll, Emma Swart, Thandi Mettler, Ifeoluwa Alaba, Jodi Rogerson Absent: Emily Shuttleworth (Head)

Flute Ensemble

Third row, from left: Nokukhanya Zondi, Ashleigh Barnard, Nina Beckurts, Jenna Frost Second row, from left: Coralie Shrosbree, Andrea Pienaar, Da Eun Lee, Daniellé Lund, Celia Beyers, Hannah Clayton, Rebecca Terry, Zimkhitha Kasana Seated, from left: Bianca Da Molo, Joo-Young Kim, Lauren Denny, Ms Olivia Gordon, Jenna Bryden, Do Yeou Ku, Kauthar Firfirey

Lisa Hellenberg Music Bursary for 2014

Grade 11 subject Music pupils, Rouzanna Coxson and Aimèe George were elected as joint recipients of the Lisa Hellenberg Music Bursary for 2014.

Rouzanna Coxson, a pianist and recorder player, achieved Distinctions for her Trinity Guildhall Grade 7 piano and recorder examinations in 2013, two Diplomas in the piano section at the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod, as well as a Silver Medal for her performance in the recorder sonata section. Rouzanna was elected as Head of Berocca G and the Recorder Ensemble, and the Deputy of the Chamber Choir in 2013. She participated in the National Ensemble Competition in Stellenbosch in 2012 and 2013 and achieved Full Colours for Music in 2013.

Aimèe George, a jazz vocalist and pianist, achieved two Diploma awards for her solo vocal performances as well as one in the trio category at the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod in 2013.

Aimèe was elected as Head of the Chamber Choir and sang in the school’s Jazz Band.

She obtained a Distinction for her Grade 4 Rockschool voice examination in 2013. Aimèe performed the vocal items accompanied by the Jazz Band at the Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festival at the Baxter Theatre in May and attended the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival in Grahamstown in 2012 and 2013.

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Summer Sunset Picnic Concert There really is no way to describe the resulting excitement of hundreds of screaming teenagers as they wait for their favourite artist to appear on stage. Throw in a perfect summer evening, some amazing music and a breathtaking view of Devil’s Peak, and you have something truly magical.

We’re not referring to international superstars such as Justin Bieber or Coldplay – but to electric performances by local artists at the first ever Summer Sunset Concert hosted by Rustenburg High School for Girls, that took place this past weekend. Eight quality acts performing on one stage, they took this “school concert” to a whole new level of performance.

The concert was a fundraiser, held in aid of the Delft Big Band, which forms part of a development programme targeted at vulnerable youth from high schools in Leiden, Rosendal and Voorbrug. More than one thousand learners from the area participate in the programme, initiated by jazz trumpeter Ian Smith, and the most advanced musicians form the Delft Big Band which has performed to great acclaim at events such as Sekunjalo Edujazz and The Cape Town Big Band Festival.

Sponsorship of the stage by Coca-Cola and media promotion by KFM helped make the concert possible, and a host of other sponsors meant that the goal of raising money for the Delft Big Band to tour with the Rustenburg Orchestra to Beijing in 2014 became attainable.

MacStanley, veterans of the South African music scene, opened the concert with songs from their new album “Lucid, Alive and Dreaming,” reminding us all why they are one of South Africa’s top rock bands. The early arrivals relaxed on their picnic blankets in the warm sunshine as Natasha Meister followed with a masterclass in acoustic-electric guitar playing, showing that simplicity too can achieve perfection.

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The Delft Big Band showed everyone there just why they deserve to represent South Africa at the Music World Tiutti Festival in Beijing in 2014, with an incredibly tight, confident and professional performance. The Oxygen Thieves, a local youth band, were up next and, un-awed by the occasion, got the constantly swelling crowd up on their feet and dancing to their energetic sound. The reggae beat of the Rudimentals came next and their infectious enthusiasm and pounding rhythms kept the energy high as the sun began to set.

Newcomer Matthew O’Connell surprised the crowds with an enthusiastic performance of his debut single “Take it Slow” and gained a whole lot of new fans in the process. The highlight of the evening for many of those present was undoubtedly when local Cape Town boy, Jimmy Nevis, appeared on stage with the crowd roaring in anticipation of his hit single “Heartboxing”.

The Arrows drove the concert towards its climax with their electro-tinted pop renderings, aided by a surprise return to the stage by Jimmy Nevis for an impromptu duet with lead singer, Pam de Menzes. The legendary GoodLuck ended the evening off in a suitably spectacular manner with a virtuoso performance of their unique electro-swing style.

As the crescent moon set behind Devil’s Peak, the happy crowd danced their way home, leaving behind what was once just a hockey field, now indelibly marked as the site of the first annual Rustenburg Summer Sunset Picnic Concert.

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Elizabeth Sole Cup

Janet Kirk Trophy

Ivan Kilian Book Prize

Music Scholarship

Aimèe George was the recipient of the Elizabeth Sole Cup for Singing.

Aimèe was a subject Music pupil in Grade 11, the newly elected Head of the Chamber Choir, the vocal soloist in the Jazz Band and a member of the Music Society Committee. In 2012, she was awarded a Gold Medal and Diploma in the Folk Song category at the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod, and in 2013 she achieved two Highest Honours’ awards in the folk song and musicals’ categories and jointly achieved a Highest Honours’ certificate in the trio category. Aimèe performed as the soloist in the Jazz Band at the Battle of the Bands’ concert in the amphitheatre at the V&A Waterfront, the Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festival, the FACETS Competition at Sans Souci, the Cape Town Eisteddfod in 2013 and has attended the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival in Grahamstown over the past two years. Besides being actively involved in singing and achieving successful results in the Rockschool Vocal examinations, Aimèe holds a Merit certificate for the ABRSM Grade 4 piano examination. She is keen to pursue a career in Jazz Vocal Performance after matriculating, in 2015.

The Ivan Kilian Book Prize for Commitment, Dedication and Service to Music was awarded to Do Yeou Ku. As a Grade 12 subject Music pupil, Do Yeou was a dedicated and enthusiastic Head of the Music Society and a committed member of the Orchestra, Flute Ensemble and the Wind Band over several years. She achieved a Distinction for her Grade 7 ABRSM flute examination, Full Colours for Music in 2013 and a Distinction for her Grade 5 ABRSM theory examination in 2012. As a highly talented artist, Do Yeou produced many fine programme covers for the Music concerts held at Rustenburg. .

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The Janet Kirk Trophy for service and dedication to Rustenburg’s orchestra was awarded to Rania Davids. Rania, a Grade 12 subject Music pupil, was a dedicated member of the Orchestra and String Ensemble for the past five years. She was also a committed member of Berocca G and the Music Society committee. Rania obtained a Merit certificate for her Grade 6 Trinity Guildhall violin examination in 2011, achieved a Pass in the Grade 7 ABRSM violin examination in 2013 and a Distinction for the Grade 5 ABRSM theory examination in 2011. She performed in the Cape Town Eisteddfod and the Kaapse Eisteddfod regularly in a solo capacity and as a member of Berocca G. She also participated in two National Ensemble Competitions at Stellenbosch University as a member of Berocca G, when together they achieved third prize in the Schools’ category in 2012. Rania achieved a Half Colours award for Music in 2012 and 2013.

Joo-Young Kim was awarded the Rustenburg Music Scholarship in 2008, in her Grade 7 year. As a flautist and a Grade 12 subject Music pupil, Joo-Young was a member of the Orchestra, Flute Ensemble and the Wind Band for five years. In Grade 12, she held the position as Head of the Wind Band and also participated for four years in the school’s Senior Marimba Band, Savuyisa Senior. Joo-Young achieved a Distinction for her Grade 8 ABRSM flute examination in 2012 and a Highest Honours’ certificate from the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod in 2013. In August 2013, she was selected as one of eight finalists to perform in the Gala Concert for the Pieter Kooij Music Competition at Jan van Riebeeck Hoerskool. She achieved Full Colours for Music in 2012 and 2013.

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Sport Achievers Emma also participates in Solo Figure skating. She placed third in her section at the Western Province Championships this year.

Sport Achiever: Lianne Verwey

Lianne has excelled in two different disciplines of Gymnastics this year: Tumbling and Artistic Gymnastics.

She was awarded her South African Federation colours for Tumbling at the South African Gymnastics Games Competition held in Pretoria. She went on to represent South Africa at the Zone 6 International Tumbling competition which was held during the December/January holidays in Pretoria. The Zone 6 competition includes gymnasts from 6 African countries. Lianne achieved the top score in the preliminary rounds and won an overall Gold Medal in the finals. The South African team also won the overall Gold Medal.

In August, Lianne also competed for her Western Province colours in Tumbling, where she won Gold. She also represented Western Province at the National Tumbling competition in Pretoria in September. In May, Lianne received her Western Province colours for Senior Artistic Gymnastics. She won overall Silver in the Level 9 Women’s Artistic Gymnastics.

Sport Achiever: Emma Swart

Emma is a member of Team Silhouette. This team is the current Novice National Synchronised Ice Skating Champion. It represented South Africa at the Trophy De Ecosse in Dumfies Scotland from 11 to 18 March 2013 and placed third overall.

At the South African National competition, which took place in May, Team Silhouette placed first, winning the Gold Medal. Emma is also a member of the Junior Synchronised skating team, Team Rainbow. Both of these teams won the Gold Medals in their respective categories at the Provincial and National Championships.

At the South African Gym Games held in Pinetown, KZN, which took place mid-June, Lianne did extremely well in the trials for the International Rose Bowl Competition. She qualified for the South African team and was awarded South African Federation colours for Artistic Gymnastics as well. Lianne represented South Africa in the Junior Olympic category in London in October.

Sport Provincial Representatives

Fifth row, from left: Caylan Bromley (Surf Lifesaving, Open Water Swimming), Ti-Jou Chen (Squash), Kelly van Vlaanderen (Hockey), Kathleen van der Merwe (Squash), Natasha van Greunen (Surfing), Elle Mouton (Touch Rugby), Kelsey Pike (Indoor Hockey) Fourth row, from the left: Zenobia Hendricks (Touch Rugby), Natalie Luyt (Hockey), Caroux de Lange (Hockey, Still Water Lifesaving, Synchronised Swimming), Michelle Winter (Hockey, Indoor Hockey), Ashley Howard (Waterpolo), Kristen Naidoo (Hockey), Lianne Verwey (Artistic and Tumbling Gymnastics), Kiera Maher (Hockey) Third row, from the left: Brittany Gouws (Hockey), Nosipho Abrams (Surf Lifesaving), Séanne van Horsten (Karate), Keabetsoe Nchodu (Touch Rugby), Marianne Schwellnus (Touch Rugby), Iman Allie (Waterpolo), Rebecca Parsons (Waterpolo), Candice-Lee Uys (Hockey, Indoor Hockey, Rhythmic Gymnastics), Tamarah Pike (Hockey) Second row, from left: Courtney Brown (Squash), Tanri de Lange (Still Water Lifesaving), Gabriel Morgan (Hockey), Jessica Walters (Hockey), Emma Swart (Synchronised Ice Skating), Lauren Jansen (Touch Rugby), Kirstin Shaw (Tennis), Ziyanah Fredericks (Touch Rugby), Casey Wheeler (Hockey) Seated, from left: Ms Zaandre Theron (Touch Rugby, Boland Netball and SA 7s Rugby), Kristin Bellingan (Swimming, Open Water Swimming), Moerieda Daniels (Touch Rugby), Gretchin Davids (Hockey), Jaimé Maher (Hockey, Indoor Hockey), Haidee Davis (Hockey, Indoor Hockey), Danielle Austin (Hockey), Lindsay Llewellyn (Hockey, Indoor Hockey), Mr Clement Schlosz (Ten Pin Bowling) Absent: Jessica Thompson (Badminton), Ms Gillian Blackshaw (Touch Rugby), Ms Vivienne Williams (WP and SA Biathlon), Chelsea van Rensburg (Open Water Swimming) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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Sport Awards and Colours The Rustenburg Sport Awards Assembly was held on 18 September. The guest speaker was Mr John McInroy of ‘SchoOops’ fame. He was the founder of ‘SchoOops’ and the Unogwaja Challenge. He brought a very positive message to the learners, to “set themselves goals and to follow their hearts and dreams.”

Nicola Barrett Cup For all round sporting excellence, showing team loyalty and good sportsmanship: Jaimé Maher Rustenburg Sport Team of the Year U16 Netball Team, winners of the PGSGU Tournament: Annemieke Lourens (Captain), Ellen-Anne Williams, Julia Darke, Buhle-Bemvelo Zimba, Hannah Abrahams-Crocker, Talia Botha, Alexandra Heiberg, Emma Köster, Kayla Wheeler Cricket Moraig McLeod Award, to the player who has shown enthusiasm and encouraged the game of Cricket at Rustenburg: Saeeda Bassardien Cricket Half Colours: Megan Denny Cross Country Best Senior Runner: Kristi Lanser Best Junior Runner: Ashleigh Simonis Most Promising Runner: Eden Paarwater Football Marek Mayer Trophy, for top goal scorer of the season: Lauren Abbott Rustenburg 1st Team Football Shield for players’ player of the season: Lauren Jansen Hockey Tracey Hall Trophy, for most outstanding U14 player: Casey Wheeler Pietersen Hockey Trophy, to the player who displayed outstanding and consistent enthusiasm, reliability, loyalty and good sportsmanship: Jaimé Maher Most Improved Hockey Player: Lauren Abbott Most Versatile Hockey Player: Rebecca Parsons Most Promising Hockey Player: Tamarah Pike Hockey Player of the Year: Haidee Davis Hockey Half Colours: Danielle Austin (re-award), Natalie Luyt, Lindsay Llewellyn, Jaimé Maher, Haidee Davis Hockey Full Colours: Candice-Lee Uys Indoor Hockey Indoor Hockey Player of the Year: Jaimé Maher Indoor Hockey Half Colours: Gretchin Davids, Kelsey Pike Indoor Hockey Full Colours: Natalie Luyt, Candice-Lee Uys, Haidee Davis, Jaimé Maher, Lindsay Llewellyn

Swimming Most Promising Senior Swimmer: Rebecca Haines Most Promising Junior Swimmer: Kristin Bellingan Barbara Marais Trophy, to the swimmer who has shown hard work and team spirit: Tatum Beppo Swimming Half Colours: Rebecca Haines (re-award), Tiana Hansraj, Caitlin Truter, Chelsea van Rensburg Swimming Full Colours: Kristin Bellingan Tennis Best Senior Tennis Player: Kiana Neethling Best Junior Tennis Player: Emma-Marie Strauss Tennis Full Colours: Kirsten Shaw Touch Rugby The player who has excelled, shown enthusiasm, loyalty and good sportsmanship in the game at Rustenburg: Danielle Austin Touch Rugby Half Colours: Moerieda Daniels, Elle Mouton, Marianne Schwellnus Touch Rugby Full Colours: Lauren Jansen (re-award), Danielle Austin (reaward), Ziyanah Fredericks Waterpolo Laura Barrett Trophy, for the most passionate waterpolo player: Rebecca Parsons Lisa Stirrat Trophy, for the most improved waterpolo player: Samantha McCrindle Waterpolo Half Colours: Rebecca Parsons

Senior Sportswoman of the Year Michelle Winter was the Senior Sportswoman of the Year in 2013. She is a Grade 10 learner and is a member of the Rustenburg 1st Hockey, 1st Indoor hockey, 1st Squash and 1st Touch Rugby teams. Michelle received provincial colours in three disciplines. She played in the WP U16 South Zone Hockey team, the U15 PSI Sharks Indoor Hockey team and she was also a member of the WP U16B Squash team. Michelle comes from a very successful sporting family.

She shows huge talent and dedication in her chosen sports.

Netball Most Promising Junior Netball Player: Emma-Marie Strauss Most Improved U16 Netball Player: Annemieke Lourens Baguley Trophy, for the most improved Netball player: Karla Lützeler Netball Player of the Year: Chelsea Gibson Best Goal Shooter: Emma Köster Squash Francois Botha Trophy, for the most enthusiasm for the game and has encouraged greater interest in the sport at Rustenburg: Yi Jou Chen Rustenburg Best Squash Player (Number 1 Player): Courtney Brown Squash Half Colours: Michelle Winter (re-award), Yi Jou Chen Squash Full Colours: Courtney Brown (re-award)

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Aquatics Teacher-in-charge: Ms Vivienne Williams Coach: Ms Vivienne Williams Captain: Tatum Beppo

The swimming season began in earnest in October. We participated in three galas during the fourth term, with mixed results.

On Thursday 5 November, Rustenburg hosted five girls’ schools and five boys’ schools to a relay gala. Rustenburg placed third behind winners Rhenish and Springfield. Term 1 of 2013 saw results improving vastly for our swimming team. On Thursday 31 January we participated in an individual gala held at Rondebosch. Our swimmers swam superbly, winning a number of races. Rustenburg placed second overall behind Rhenish. Mention must be made of our U14 and U16 freestyle relay teams for winning these events. On Thursday 7 February, we won our first gala in many years. This was a relay format gala held at SACS. Two Rustenburg teams swam, with our B team placing sixth overall.

Thursday 21 February saw two Rustenburg teams compete at an Individual gala hosted by Bishops. Swimming superbly yet again Rustenburg A team placed first and the B team placed fifth.

The A-League Gala, which took place on Wednesday 27 February, was hosted by Rondebosch and took place at the Newlands pool.

This gala is a very popular annual event for both our swimmers and supporters. The stands were full of Rustenburg Blue. Our swimmers, cheerleaders and supporters were fabulous ambassadors for Rustenburg. We placed third overall which is our best result in many years. Rustenburg race winners were: the U14 freestyle relay team (Cassandra Erasmus, Saskia van der Merwe, Caroux de Lange, Caylan Bromley) and Caroux de Lange (U14 50m Breaststroke).

The PGSGU swimming gala took place on Tuesday 5 March at Herschel.

Rustenburg placed second overall, narrowly losing by just one point to Herschel, with Springfield placing third overall. Rustenburg’s race winners were: Caroux de Lange (U14 50m Breaststroke), the U16 4x 50m freestyle relay team, Rebecca Haines (U19 50m Freestyle) and Rebecca Parsons (U19 50m Backstroke). The U16 swimmers, Chelsea van Rensburg, Kristin Bellingan, Caitlin Truter and Rebecca Haines, won their section, thus winning the trophy. The U14 girls placed second and our U19 swimmers placed third.

Rustenburg had eight swimmers who qualified and participated at the Level 3 National Championships this season. They were Kristin Bellingan, Rebecca Haines, Caitlin Truter, Chelsea van Rensburg, Alex Faber, Caylan Bromley, Caroux de Lange and Cassandra Erasmus.

Notable performances from this National Gala were:

PGSGU Tournament Winners: U16 Swimmers

Kristin Bellingan (age 15): fifth in the 400m Freestyle; sixth in the 200m Freestyle; sixth in the 200m Butterfly and seventh in the 800m Freestyle.

Caroux de Lange (age 14): eighth in the 50m Breaststroke final.

Caylan Bromley (age 13): eighth in the 200m Backstroke semi-final

From left: Chelsea van Rensburg, Kristin Bellingan, Rebecca Haines, Caitlin Truter

Tiana Hansraj (age 15/16) participated in the Level 1 National Championships. She won Gold in the 50m Butterfly; Silver in the 100m Butterfly and Bronze in the 50m Backstroke.

Kristin Bellingan (swimming) and Caroux de Lange (Synchronised Swimming) also participated at the South African Senior National Aquatics Championships.

Notable Rustenburg results from the South African Open Water Swimming championships were: 3km Age 12-13: second Caylan Bromley and fourth Cassandra Erasmus 3km Age 14 and over: fifth Kristin Bellingan

1st Aquatics Team

Third row: Rebecca Haines, Caylan Bromley, Caitlin Truter Second row, from left: Tiana Hansraj, Alexandra Heiberg, Caroux de Lange, Stephanie Collins, Cassandra Erasmus, Saskia van der Merwe Seated, from left: Alex Faber, Tatum Beppo (Captain), Mrs Vivienne Williams, Kristin Bellingan, Rebecca Parsons Absent: Chelsea van Rensburg RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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Cricket Teacher-in-charge: Ms Tarin Scharneck Coach: Ms Sibulele Tuswa Captain: Saeeda Bassardien

With the arrival of eight new members, the 2012 / 2013 cricket season was one of great change in team dynamics for the 1st team.

We narrowly lost the first match of the season, against Bergvliet High School, by four runs. The second match of the season was against Pinelands High School. This was another close game, the 1st team losing by only seven runs. Towards the end of the season, however, in true triumph-over-adversity fashion, the girls won the remaining games of the season. The third match was against Norman Henshilwood. The 1st team set the visitors a total of 92 runs to chase and managed to bowl them out for only 54 runs. This match saw the debut of two new players, Tiana Pena and Laura de Klerk. Tiana took two wickets and Laura scored 10 runs and was not out at the end of the innings.

The 1st team won the last match of the season against Bergvliet. This game clearly demonstrated the strong bowling side that the team had developed into since the first game of the season. It was during this match that ZoĂŤ Naude, in Grade 8, made her debut in the 1st team, taking three wickets for only six runs. Ammaarah Gamieldien took two wickets and Sameenah Allie and Tiana Pena took one wicket each.

The top run scorer of the season was Lauren Abbott with 44 runs and the top wicket takers were Ammaarah Gamieldien with a total of six wickets and Megan Denny with three wickets.

The girls showed tremendous growth as a team this season, especially in terms of bowling ability and team spirit. There is every confidence that the 1st cricket team will be a force to be reckoned next season.

1st Cricket Team

Third row: Laura de Klerk Second row, from left: Ayesha Korowlay, Lauren Abbott, Megan Denny, Tiana Pena, Ammaarah Gamieldien, Jenna Lovegrove Seated, from left: Tsepiso Seheri, Dominique McFall, Ms Tarin Scharneck, Saeeda Bassardien (Captain), Ms Nolundi Blayi, Azrah Bassier, Sameenah Allie

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Cross Country Teacher-in-charge: Ms Helen Kleynhans Coach: Mr André Williams Captain: Kristi Lanser Vice-Captain: Amina Vallie

Every Wednesday in Terms 2 and 3 a small but enthusiastic team of cross country runners participated in races all over the Peninsula from Fish Hoek to Milnerton, and from Tamboerskloof to Princess Vlei.

The races were a great chance to meet runners from many different schools, to get to know girls from different grades and age groups and to experience parts of Cape Town that the team members might not have visited before.

Usually cross country races continue whatever the weather, but the very wet winter conditions this year led to the cancellation of three races due to dangerous slippery conditions. Other races took place on sunny afternoons although both relay events, at Pinelands and at Fish Hoek, were muddy, windy and cold. However, whatever the conditions at a race, the runners returned smiling and cheerful having enjoyed their run.

Runners who did well in the Southern Zone Races were Eden Paarwater and Bianca Rijkmans (U14), Kathleen Holcroft (U15) and Kristi Lanser (U19). Ashleigh Simonis (U15) had a particularly good season and was selected for the Western Province team for the National Cross Country Championships in Potchefstroom in September. It has been many years since a Rustenburg Cross Country runner has been chosen to run at a National event so we were very proud of Ashleigh’s achievement.

The annual PGSGU interschool’s race took place at St Cyprians on 6 September in glorious sunny conditions. A notable result was Ashleigh Simonis, who finished second in the U15 section. Rustenburg placed fourth overall.

Cross Country

Third row, from left: Eden Paarwater, Sarah Donde, Jaime Gray, Krisitin Bellingan, Ashleigh Simonis Second row, from left: Rebecca Norris, Alexa Hall, Shannon Sissons, Jade Smith, Alexandra Wittenberg-Scott, Layla Mohamed Seated, from left: Kathleen Holcroft, Amina Vallie (Vice-Captain), Mr André Williams, Kristi Lanser (Captain), Ms Helen Kleynhans, Julie Chandler, Bianca Rijkmans

Running Club Teacher-in-charge: Ms Helen Kleynhans, Ms Linda Mallon, Ms Stella Rossouw Captain: Rebecca Norris Vice-Captain: Aqeelah Benjamin

The members of the Running Club started the year with a timed run twice around the school grounds.

This was repeated at the end of Term 1 and most runners were happy to see how much faster they were after a term’s training. Running Club membership increased in 2013 and approximately 150 girls from all grades ran regularly, either once or twice a week. A small group of quicker runners enjoyed the hills of the UCT route and the rest explored new routes in the vicinity of the school and further afield. We ran along the Liesbeek canal towards Newlands, along the Liesbeek Parkway path towards Mowbray, around the Rondebosch Common and along the streets near Keurboom Park. The runners were split into several groups according to their speed and the distance to be run so that everyone could be accommodated. Running after school was a very enjoyable way to relax after a busy day, make new friends and become fit.

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Football Teacher-in-charge: Mr William Haggard Coach: Mr Robin Falken Captain: Sheraya Erickson Vice-Captain: Emely Köhler

This season has been a building season for the Rustenburg Football team. Rustenburg entered a different football league this season.

This brought about much change and many tough matches, unlike previous years where the opposition was not very strong. The new league gave the team the exciting opportunity to play a total of eight matches.

Although the results fluctuated, the girls showed enormous amounts of determination, diligence and character throughout the entire season.

The season started with the annual five-a-side tournament hosted by Rustenburg and held at UCT. There were eight teams, from six schools, that entered this tournament. The tournament started with a round robin consisting of two pools of four teams each. Each game consisted of seven-minute halves with a short two minute interval between each half. This was followed by the quarterfinals, semi-finals and the finals.

Rustenburg entered two teams, of which one went on to play in the finals against Mondale High School. Rustenburg unfortunately lost this final match and had to settle for second place. Mention must be made of Jessie Miller who played outstanding football and was rewarded with the Top Goal Scorer of this event.

The first league match of the season was played against Edgemead where we lost 0–4. This was followed by a succession of losses, but among these Rustenburg was able to claim impressive victories against Milnerton High School (5–0) and Leap School (4–0). The top goal scorer of the season was Lauren Abbott.

The football team also had the opportunity to play a match on 27 July, against a visiting team, Victoria Park High School from the Eastern Cape.

We hosted this match on our school field and, despite the pouring rain, good football and much fun was had. Rustenburg lost this match 0–3.

This was a wonderful opportunity for the girls to develop their skills and connect with a team from another province.

1st Football Team

Third row, from left: Lauren Abbott, Alice-Sandra Kesselaar, Ilhaam van der Schyff, Taalia Crawley Second row, from left: Sara Raciet, Hannah Karodia, Tasmyn Baxter, Celia Beyers, Robyn Blench, Lauren Jansen Seated, from left: Tiffany Sprout, Emely Köhler (Vice-Captain), Mr Robin Falken, Sheraya Erickson (Captain), Mr William Haggard, Jamie Newdigate, Sameenah Allie Absent: Emily Shuttleworth, Raeeqah Kilshaw, Jessie Miller

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Hockey Teacher-in-charge: Ms Vivienne Williams Coach: Colleen Matthews Captains: Natalie Luyt, Gretchin Davids Vice-Captain: Amy Hand

Rustenburg’s 1st team was selected at the end of Term 1 after numerous trials and trial matches.

The first matches of the season were at the National Girls Schools’ festival in Johannesburg. It was clear that this special group of girls would work well together and bond, both on and off the field. The tour proved to be a very valuable experience which pinpointed the team’s potential and areas that needed work. We played some fantastic hockey in Johannesburg against some very tough schools, but unfortunately did not walk away with the results that we would have liked to. Rustenburg won just two of the six matches played.

The rest of the season was very similar to our tour. We continued to play some fantastic sporadic moments of hockey, but lacked consistency. Through this difficult period the girls continued to show dedication and commitment. Although our Grand Challenge league results were disappointing, we managed to re-focus our goals for the PGSGU tournament.

The PGSGU hockey tournaments were hosted by Wynberg at the Wynberg astroturfs, with all three age groups playing tournament matches simultaneously. The 1st team played superbly and remained undefeated in this tournament. With a tie in points at the end of the tournament, goal averages were taken into account and Rustenburg had to be content with second place behind Herschel.

This was a fitting way to end the season, as the team was able to execute and display the skills that they had gained.

The U14A team had to be content with second place, after five matches at this tournament, while the U16A team placed third overall. Mention must be made of both the U16D and U14C teams who remained unbeaten in their respective leagues throughout the season, ending with a 100% win ratios.

Congratulations to the following Rustenburg hockey players who were included in various provincial teams this season: Western Province teams: Gretchin Davids (U18), Haidee Davis and Kristen Naidoo (U16) Zonal teams: U18 South Zonal teams: Natalie Luyt, Candice-Lee Uys U16 South Zonal teams: Kiera Maher, Jessica Walters, Michelle Winter U14 Central Zonal teams: Caroux de Lange, Brittany Gouws, Kelly van Vlaanderen, Casey Wheeler U18 Disa teams: Lindsay Llewellyn, Jaimé Maher U16 Disa teams: Gabriel-Fay Morgan, Tamarah Pike Thank you to LPH Chartered Accountants for sponsoring the Rustenburg 1st team with kit for the past two seasons and to Bidvest Bank for sponsoring the 1st team hockey-stick bags this season.

1st Hockey Team

Standing, from left to right: Rebecca Parsons, Haidee Davis, Lauren Abbott, Kelsey Pike, Megan Denny, Lindsay Llewellyn, Candice-Lee Uys, Michelle Winter Seated, from left: Danielle Austin, Natalie Luyt (Captain), Mr Andrew Winter (Head of Hockey), Gretchin Davids (Captain), Ms Vivienne Williams, Olivia Benetton, Jaimé Maher Absent: Amy Hand (Vice-Captain)

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Indoor Hockey Teacher-in-charge: Mr Sarel Olckers Coaches: Mr Sean Parker, Mr Adrian Abrahams, Ms Lenore Fuller Captain: Gretchin Davids Vice-Captain: Jaimé Maher

The indoor hockey season commenced in Term 4 of last year, although league matches only began in 2013.

This additional preparation time, along with the knowledge and skills of the coaches and enthusiasm of the players, ensured that the 1st and 2nd teams were well prepared for the Indoor Hockey season ahead. Westerford High School’s Indoor Sports Hall was a regular venue for our Indoor Hockey matches.

Rustenburg’s 1st team started the season off with a bang. This was evident in our match results with two wins, four draws and only one loss. One of the highlights of the season was the 1–0 victory over Springfield, thus making it an exciting season for Rustenburg’s 1st Indoor Hockey team.

The 1st team gained a lot of experience from their matches this season and definite progress was made. Many players showed their progress and improved skills at the PGSGU Interschool’s Hockey tournament. Rustenburg gave their all, played well but unfortunately placed fourth behind Wynberg, Springfield and Hershel.

With only three Matric girls in the 1st team this season, the players that remain can look forward to an exciting, successful season ahead.

Five Rustenburg learners played in the PSI tournament which took place in Durban in December 2012. Haidee Davis, Lindsay Llewellyn, Kelsey Pike and Jaimé Maher represented the U18 Cape Seals team and Michelle Winter represented the U15 Peninsula Sharks team.

Congratulations to Candice-Lee Uys and Lindsay Llewellyn who have been included in the U18 Cape Seals team and to Jaimé Maher who has made the Peninsula Sharks team. These girls will be participating in the PSI tournament in April 2014.

1st Indoor Hockey Team

Standing, from left to right: Michelle Winter; Lindsay Llewellyn, Haidee Davis, Laura van Rensburg Seated, from left: Candice Uys, Gretchin Davids (Captain), Mr Sarel Olckers, Jaimé Maher (Vice-Captain), Natalie Luyt

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Netball Teacher-in-charge: Ms Zaandre Theron Coach: Ms Zaandre Theron Captain: Kate Vlok Vice-Captain: Lauren Middleton

The 2013 netball season was an enjoyable one, mainly because of the great sense of teamwork and enthusiasm displayed by our teams.

The atmosphere of determination and intensity allowed the teams to achieve some excellent results across all age groups.

The season began with the 1st team training hard in preparation for the annual FNB National Girls’ Schools Festival which was hosted

by Parktown Girls’ High. The tour was a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and build character before we started the season. We were accompanied by our coach and team manager, Ms Theron, who constantly encouraged us and kept us motivated for each game. The National Girls’ Schools Festival is always a tough competition as our country’s best netball schools compete in this tournament. Although Rustenburg was placed in a challenging pool, we kept our heads up, fought hard in every game and came home better equipped for the season.

Once back on home ground, the 1st team was off to a positive start with a close 23–22 win against Westerford High School. The remainder of the season was tough. One of the highlights was a challenging game against Springfield. It was a proud moment to see how the team never gave up, a true reflection of our team’s dedication and determination. We unfortunately lost this close game 17–18.

The U19A, U19B, U16A and U16B were challenged by touring teams from Sedburgh, Pates Grammar School and Shrewsbury. This was a lovely opportunity to play first-class netball and make friends from overseas.

The season concluded with the annual PGSGU Netball Tournament held at Herschel Girls’ High School on the 23 and 24 August. It was an exciting two days of netball. The U14As placed third and the U19As placed fifth in their respective age groups. The U16A team were unbeaten at the tournament. One of the highlights was the nail-biting pool game against Herschel. The U16A team won this game 6–4 and therefore won the tournament, bringing home the PGSGU Netball trophy.

1st Netball Team

Second row, from left: Samantha McCrindle, Chelsea Gibson, Caitlin Solomons, Jessica Zietsman, Sarah Shamley, Stefni Handt, Emma-Marie Strauss Seated, from left: Lauren Middleton (Vice-Captain), Ms Zaandre Theron, Kate Vlok (Captain), Ms Nolundi Blayi, Ammaarah Gamieldien

Congratulations must also go the U14C team who won their league.

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Squash Teacher-in-charge: Ms Louise Lawrence Coach: Mr André Naude Captain: Courtney Brown Vice-Captain: Yi-Jou (Elina) Chen

The Rustenburg squash season began in earnest with many enthusiastic new players.

Practices took place at the Kelvin Grove Squash courts.

These were well attended with much enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Our new coach, Mr Andre Naudé, was able to teach us a range of new skills and techniques.

Rustenburg fielded two teams in the girls’ schools squash league.

Matches were played on Friday afternoons at Kelvin Grove, which we used as our home courts. Both teams played eight matches each. The 1st team had a good season, winning seven matches and drawing one against Herschel. The 2nd team won two matches and lost six.

The 2nd team unfortunately struggled with injury and illness, resulting in some of our beginners filling in for this team.

We had five players represent Western Province Squash this season.

Courtney Brown (U19A–number 1 player), Elina Chen (U19B–number 1 player), Michelle Winter (U16B–number 2 player), Kathleen van der Merwe (U16B–number 3 player) and Cassandra Erasmus (U14A– number 1 player). The U16 tournament was held in Bloemfontein, while the U19 tournament was hosted by Western Province in Cape Town.

Cassandra Erasmus won the U14 Western Province and South African Championships and is the number one seeded player in the country in her age group.

The PGSGU Squash tournament was hosted by Rustenburg on 7 September at the WPCC squash courts. Courtney Brown, our number one player, fared the best, placing second in her division. Rustenburg placed third overall in the tournament.

Our new coach, Mr André Naude was pleased with the core group of players who performed well throughout the season. The 1st team was led by Courtney Brown, who was a solid number one player and will be sorely missed next year.

1st Squash Team

Second row, from left: Michelle Winter, Kathleen van der Merwe, Cassandra Erasmus Seated, from left: Yi-Jou Chen (Vice-Captain), Mr André Naude, Courtney Brown (Captain), Ms Louise Lawrence, Tara Dunlop

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Tennis Teacher-in-charge: Ms Marieta Langenhoven Coaches: Ms Meghan Goncalves, Mr Jason Blakey-Milner, Mr Louis Neethling Captain: Kiana Neethling Vice-Captain: Amy Hand

Rustenburg’s tennis teams really excelled this season. We entered five teams into the Southern Senior league and two teams into the sixth league (U15).

At the start of the season, in Term 4 2012, the teams were coached

by Meghan Goncalves, a past pupil and member of Rustenburg’s 1st tennis team in 2011. In 2013, the season unfortunately started without a coach, but the girls maintained their commitment and continued to attend practices on Thursday afternoons.

Morning practices were introduced on 13 February. A new coach, Jason Blakey-Milner, held practices on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.

The dedication of this season’s tennis girls was visible in the many girls who got up early and were ready to practise from 06h10. The new tennis drills resulted in an improvement in the girls’ games.

In February, coach Louis Neethling held Thursday afternoon practices for the girls participating in the PGSGU Tournament. This is a doubles tournament, so these practices helped all the couples to improve their doubles skills and play as a combination.

The PGSGU Tournament was hosted by Rustenburg on 2 March. The senior players representing Rustenburg were Kiana Neethling, Leanne Biccari, Kirstin Shaw, Amy Hand, Georgina Firth and Lauren Hales. The junior tennis players representing Rustenburg were Emma-Marie Strauss, Kendra Saunders, Jessica Jamieson and Emily Malherbe. The senior tennis players placed third overall. The highlight of the season was when the junior players won the U15 PGSGU tennis title for the third year in a row. Kendra Saunders and Emma-Marie Strauss proved to be the strongest couple in the junior tournament, winning all of their matches.

Congratulations to Kirstin Shaw, who was selected for the U19 WP Schools team which toured to Pretoria at the end of March.

1st Tennis Team

Back row, from left: Kiana Neethling (Captain), Ms Marieta Langenhoven, Amy Hand (Vice-Captain) Front row, from left: Leanne Biccari, Kirstin Shaw

PGSGU Tournament Winners: U15 Tennis Players

From left: Jessica Jamieson, Kendra Saunders, Emma-Marie Strauss, Emily Malherbe

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Touch Rugby Teacher-in-charge: Ms Gillian Blackshaw Coach: Ms Gillian Blackshaw Captain: Danielle Austin Vice-Captain: Lauren Jansen

Touch Rugby is a relatively new sport at school level in South Africa and it is therefore difficult to compare the achievements of our teams to the more traditional school sports.

Regardless of this, it is clear that many Rustenburg girls have a passion for touch rugby. This is seen by the number of girls competing for places in one of our three touch teams as well as the number of girls that achieved Western Province colours this season.

In September 2012, six Rustenburg girls represented Western Province in various age groups at the Junior Interprovincial tournament in Johannesburg. Elle Mouton, Keabetsoe Nchodu and Marianne Schwellnus represented Western Province at U15 level, Zenobia Hendricks and Moerieda Daniels at U19 level and Lauren Jansen at U21 level. The Western Province U21 team went on to win their division in the tournament. Ziyanah Fredericks was part of the Western Cape U17 team which won the U17 division of the tournament.

The 1st and 2nd team were fortunate to have the opportunity to play a touring team from All Hallows School in Australia. Touch is a popular sport in schools in Australia so this match provided both teams with the opportunity to really test their ability and skill. The 1st team’s game proved to be the highlight of the 2012/2013 season, the final score 1–1.

At the end of 2012 Rustenburg’s 1st team won the school league beating Pinelands 3–1 in the final. The 2013 season was particularly difficult as the 1st team had quite a few new players. However, the 1st team managed to continue its unbeaten record and won the league yet again.

On 1 March, Rustenburg 1st and 2nd Touch Rugby teams took part in the Century City Schools’ Touch Rugby tournament. This was a round robin tournament and each team played four games. The top two teams at the end of the round robin stage played each other in the final. Rustenburg 1st team finished the round robin stage unbeaten, winning their games against Harold Cressy 1–0, Milnerton 4–0, Vista 2–0 and Rustenburg 2nd team 5–1.

In the final, Rustenburg’s 1st team played Harold Cressy. At the end of the game the scores were tied 1–1. This meant the teams had to play a drop off (after each minute a player from each team leaves the field and play continues until a team scores a try). The game went down to four players per team when Jaimé Maher scored the winning try.

Rustenburg have now won this tournament for four consecutive years.

1st Touch Rugby Team

Standing, from left: Jaimé Maher, Moerieda Daniels, Elle Mouton, Marianne Schwellnus, Cassandra Cranfield, Lauren Denny, Michelle Winter Seated, from left: Jessie Miller, Danielle Austin (Captain), Ms Gillian Blackshaw, Lauren Jansen (Vice-Captain), Ziyanah Fredericks

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Waterpolo Head of Waterpolo: Mr Ian Melliar Teacher-in-charge: Mr Gian Marneweck Coach: Ms Laura Barrett Captain: Anja Mühr Vice-Captain: Alex Faber

This year, Rustenburg had a very young 1st team, made up mostly of Grade 11s.

As Rustenburg does not have a waterpolo pool, the various teams trained at Westerford and at Newlands as well as having fitness training before school at Rustenburg.

In Term 4 2012, the 1st team participated in two social tournaments held at Reddam House College and Somerset College. These were great fun and a good learning experience for the team.

In 2013, the 1st team participated in the annual Old Petrians Waterpolo tournament, hosted by St. Peters in Johannesburg. We played many matches over the course of the three-day tournament, so we were quite exhausted by the end of the tour. We gained a lot of experience playing against teams from other parts of South Africa and our team improved tremendously over the three days. Unfortunately we lost a close game against St. Stithians, 4–3 and narrowly missed out on a place in the top eight positions. We ended up finishing 16th overall, a huge improvement from last season’s 22nd place.

U16 Waterpolo Tour Team

Third row, from left: Haidee Davis, Megan van Westenbrugge, Jenna Wood, Jessica Banks Second row, from left: Ashley Howard, Melissa Rossouw, Rebekah Perren, Jessica Walters, Francesca Cassar, Samantha McCrindle Seated, from left: Mr Ian Melliar (Head of Waterpolo), Ms Louise Lawrence, Mr André Williams (Coach), Catherine Torrington (Captain), Ms Vivienne Williams

In preparation for the tour, the team participated in a series of matches held on Tuesday evenings at Herschel, held in the same format as the matches would be on tour (four, five minute chukkas, running time), as well as the normal league matches on Friday afternoons.

The U16A team, captained by Catherine Torrington and coached by Mr Andre Williams, participated in the Alexander Road Tournament in Port Elizabeth. They did extremely well, despite this being a 1st team tournament. Rustenburg usually competes in the B division, but were entered into the A division this year, because of our success in 2012.

Despite this tough competition, the team achieved excellent results, winning five matches, drawing one and losing five.

Our Rustenburg U4A and U16A teams both lost their playoff matches in their respective leagues which resulted in no Rustenburg team advancing into the semi-finals.

Congratulations to the following girls who played in various Western Province teams at the South African Schools tournament held in December 2012: Rebecca Parsons and Iman Allie (U16B), Catherine Torrington (U15B), Ashleigh Howard (U14A) and Rebekah Perren (U14B).

1st Waterpolo Team

Third row, from left: Stephanie Perreira, Geordie Gottgens Second row, from left: Tanur Faber, Jessica Zietsman, Karla Lützeler, Michaela Hablutzel, Michaela Cox, Rebecca Parsons Seated, from left: Alex Faber, Mr Ian Melliar, Anja Mühr (Captain), Mr Gian Marneweck, Iman Allie

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Inter-house Drama Competition The Inter-house Drama Competition, organised by Ms Gail Wallace, took place on the evening of 11 March. The theme issued to all directors and scriptwriters was “The Voice.”

The three adjudicators were Ms Danielle Buise, Mr William Haggard and Mr Siv Ngesi. They concluded the festivities in the Kemp Hall by making the following awards:

Best Overall Play: “The Marchand Resistance” (Marchand)

For the third year running Marchand was awarded with the top prize of the competition. “The Marchand Resistance” starred Kirsten Pienaar as Marchelle, a young girl who felt frustrated by the dogma of parliamentarians, who was stirred to defend the rights of children everywhere. The slow motion fight sequence with Pop Art poster sound effects held above the heads of the performers was particularly effective. The adjudicators were impressed with the originality of the production’s central premise, as well as by the slickness of the scene changes.

Best Director: Siphokazi Mbatani for “The Cell Block Tango” (Michiel Vos)

Siphokazi Mbatani (Grade 12) used various dramatic elements to give life and dimension to her house’s production.

A multimedia insert at the beginning gave reference to the famous jailhouse scene from the musical “Chicago.” This was then extended as a metatextual link throughout. Song lyrics and dance routines combined powerfully with compelling dialogue.

Best Script: Ashlynn Wessels for “Cat got your tongue?”

(Cambridge)

“Cat got your tongue?” was explicit in its message to the audience: that remaining silent and not standing up for what is right is tantamount to the cruelty itself.

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Best Actress: Sarah Ekron as Rene in “The Cell Block Tango” (Michiel Vos)

Sarah Ekron (Grade 12) found her voice as a wife who did not need affirmation or validation from her husband. She learned from others how important it is not to be submissive or subservient in relationships. Her character’s catharsis was met by applause from the appreciative audience.

Best Producer: Nicole Ferrar for “Cat got your tongue?”

(Cambridge)

Nicole Ferrar’s excellent organisational skills and consistency were recognised with the Best Producer award.

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Best Supporting Actress: Katherine Sharp as Cinderella in “Cat got your tongue?” (Cambridge)

Katherine Sharp (Grade 8) did well to garner this award when still only in her first term of high school. She was the abused and victimised young relation of two cruel sisters. The production was brought up-todate by incorporating elements of cyber-bullying. Katherine’s strong projection and articulation earned her the admiration of the judges.

Best Production Design: “The Adventure of Hero and Elf” (Innes)

Detailed attention was paid to clever costuming and stage design by the Innes director, Daniela Savoia. The production included a troop of fictitious dragons and a talking fountain, as well as a highly animated forest of trees. One of the highlights for the audience was the small role played by Yi-Shin Yuan as a rock.

She pocked her face through a brown cardboard cut-out which had wittily been labelled “I Rock.”

INTER-HOUSE EVENTS

Inter-house Forum Discussions Teacher-in-charge: Mr Cedric van Dyk Senior adjudicators: Ms Linda Mallon (Chief), Ms Jackie Chambers, Ms Tarin Scharneck, Ms Ingrid Weideman Junior adjudicators: Ms Anita Pretorius (Chief), Ms Sarah Keevy, Ms Stella Rossouw, Ms Norma Caesar

All the adjudicators agreed that there was a definite improvement in the overall quality and content of the discussions held at this year’s competition, especially by the top two teams in both competitions.

Only three points separated Innes and Cambridge in the junior section.

Enthusiastically chaired by Daniellé Lund, the Innes’ speakers (Caitlin Millard, Nicole Nel, Cynthia Augustine and Alexandra Wittenberg-Scott) dealt confidently with a wide range of issues on the disturbing topic: “Violent video games and movies lead to behaviour problems”, and just edged out Cambridge in one of the most closely contested junior competitions in years.

The Junior results were as follows: 1. Innes: 228 2. Cambridge: 225 3. Bleby: 168 4. Michiel Vos: 159 5. Marchand: 141

The Junior Speaker Awards were as follows: Best Chairperson: Daniellé Lund (Innes) Best Speaker: Lauren Pienaar (Cambridge) Second Best Speaker: Megan Tromp (Cambridge)

It was just as tight in the senior section of the competition with a mere four points separating first and second place. Courtney Ravell, Pepua Karamata, Dominique McFall and Robyn Fester of Bleby, were well directed by Nicola Cilliers on the topic: “The image of South Africa in the eyes of the outside world may be deteriorating.” However, it was the Michiel Vos team (Kate James, Chloë Le Roux, Siphokazi Mbatani, Tumelo Moloto), chaired by Morgan Shelly, whose more in-depth and fuller treatment of the topic “Strikes end up doing more harm than good for all concerned”, influenced the adjudicators’ final decision.

The Senior results were as follows:

1. Michiel Vos: 231 2. Bleby: 227 3. Cambridge: 189 4. Marchand: 161 5. Innes: 147

The Senior adjudicators made the following awards:

Best Chairperson: shared by Nicola Cilliers (Bleby) and Morgan Shelly (Michiel Vos) Best Speaker: Siphokazi Mbatani (Michiel Vos) Second Best Speaker: Courtney Ravell (Bleby)

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Inter-house Gala The Inter-house Gala was held on 1 February. Much fun was had by all who attended and participated in this very enjoyable and positive event. The house captains came up with wonderful themes for their houses.

Michiel Vos won the Spirit Cup

Bleby won the Inter-house Gala

Staff Relay Team

School Leaders at the Inter-house Gala

For the second year in a row, Michiel Vos (red) swept the coveted Spirit Cup right from under the feet of the other houses. Dr Seuss’s “Cat in the Hat” was chosen as the house theme for this year’s Inter-house Gala. The Michiel Vos girls looked fantastic in their black stockings, black tails and cat’s red and white hats. House Captain, Sarah Ekron, said about winning this year’s trophy, “We all worked so hard to emphasise every detail. It’s down to the difference between being good and being great.”

The teachers were represented by two teams and again won the relay swum against the prefects, house and sports captains.

Back, from left: Mr Sarel Olckers, Ms Gillian Blackshaw, Ms Karen Cronje, Mr Graeme Broster, Ms Vivienne Williams, Mr Martin Altern Front, from left: Ms Sarah Keevy, Ms Jackie Chambers, Ms Stella Rossouw

MARCHAND (yellow): “Hawaiian Punch” MICHIEL VOS (red): “Cat in the Hat” BLEBY (pink): “Pink Bunnies” INNES (blue): “Sexy Sailors” CAMBRIDGE (green): “Army Troops” There was a narrow victory for the Grade 10 swimmers over the Grade 8 swimmers in the Grade Relay. The 2013 gala saw many of Rustenburg’s younger swimmers re-writing the record books.

Individual Overall positions:

U14 Champion: Caylan Bromley, 2nd Caroux de Lange, 3rd Cassandra Erasmus U16 Champion: Kristin Bellingan, 2nd Rebecca Haines, 3rd Caitlin Truter and Chelsea van Rensburg

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The pink bunnies of Bleby won the 2013 Inter-house Gala with 113 points. Michiel Vos placed second, Marchand placed third, and Innes and Cambridge fourth and fifth respectively.

The three school leaders met before the 2013 Inter-house Gala commenced. Both Kate Vlok (Headgirl) and Joycelyn Foster (Head of the RCL) dressed in gigantic red stripped hats according to the Michiel Vos theme, “The Cat in the Hat”. Robyn Paterson (Headgirl of Erinville) wore layers of yellow Hawaiian leis to suit Marchand’s interpretation, “Hawaiian Punch”.

U19 Champion: Rebecca Parsons, 2nd Tatum Beppo, 3rd Karla Lutzeler and Alex Faber

Individual record breakers:

U14 100m Individual Medley: Cassandra Erasmus U14 50m Freestyle: Saskia van der Merwe U14 50m Breaststroke: Caroux de Lange U14 50m Butterfly: Caylan Bromley and Caroux de Lange U14 50m Backstroke: Caylan Bromley U16 100m Individual Medley: Kristin Bellingan U16 50m Freestyle: Kristin Bellingan U16 50m Butterfly: Kristin Bellingan U19 50m Breaststroke: Alex Faber

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Inter-house Cross Country The Annual Inter-house Cross Country event was held on Thursday 20 June. The main race started at 13h30 and the weather played along nicely. The main race is a timed event and is open to any learner who wants to race this 3km event. Thereafter the girls may jog or walk the 3km course. All learners are encouraged to participate and earn participation points for their respective houses.

The teaching staff, the grounds staff and the school cleaning staff all get involved with the marshalling of the event.

Age-group results were as follows: U14 1st 2nd 3rd

Cassandra Erasmus (13.58) Zoë Naudé (14.02) Kristeen Swanepoel (14.17)

U15 1st 2nd 3rd

Ashleigh Simonis (11.53) Amy McConnell (14.04) Kristin Bellingan (14.31)

U16 1st 2nd 3rd

Elle Mouton (13.24) Samantha McCrindle (14.32) Lauren Hales (14.48)

U17 1st 2nd 3rd

Kelsey Pike (15.27) Rebecca Parsons (15.32) Sarah Donde (15.37)

U19 1st 2nd 3rd

Kristi Lanser (12.44) Natalie Luyt (13.37) Rebecca Norris (15.10)

Winning Class – Participation A4: Ms Mallon 100% B1: Ms Van Duuren 96.9% A1: Ms Swanson 96.7% Winning Class – Performance E5: Mr Skelly 73 points C4: Ms Gardiner 69 points D5: Mr Marneweck 59 points Winning House – Participation and Performance 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

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Bleby 318 points Marchand 247 points Innes 223 points Cambridge 197 points Michael Vos 182 points

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Interact The Interact Committee have had another very busy year, starting with the Annual Christmas Party for disadvantaged children in December. Approximately 40 children between the ages of five and 12 attended.

Different school societies organised fun-filled activities for the children, such as finger painting, cupcake and biscuit icing, throwing wet sponges at targets and jumping castles. Food was provided by Spur and cold drinks by Just Juice. The party ended with Santa Claus handing out presents to the children.

Our collections this year included Easter eggs, blankets, food and we sold Sunflower Bandanas. We managed to collect over 1000 Easter eggs during the course of our Easter Egg Drive. These eggs were delivered in large decorated boxes to the children of Vrygrond Primary School. The 89 blankets went to Masiphumeleli and our regular nonperishable food collection went to Carehaven, a home for abused women and children.

Yi-Tin Yuan and Leila Haffejee attended the Adventure Into Citizenship – 2013 camp during the June holidays. Besides participating in workshops and interacting with young people from all over Cape Town, they visited the High Court, Parliament, the Planetarium, Cape Town Science Centre, UCT, UWC, had lunch with the mayor and enjoyed a barn dance.

Interact made a valuable contribution to Blisters for Bread and the Stop Hunger Now Campaign. Rustenburg’s young Interact members have learnt that giving without expecting anything in return is extremely rewarding.

The money raised at the Talent Show went to The Christine Revell Home for Abused Children. It is a registered home that cares for 49 abandoned, abused, neglected or orphaned children from birth to five years, irrespective of their gender, race, religion or HIV status. This donation, together with two boxes of stuffed toys, was handed over by Interact Committee members. Members enjoyed a special afternoon playing with and being entertained by the children. The money went towards covering food, medical and cleaning costs.

On 18 July, Madiba’s birthday, the school spent their 67 minutes of community service making peanut butter sandwiches. There was an incredible buzz as girls worked alongside each other and the number of girls who contributed bread, peanut butter or their time was encouraging.

We started off Term 3 with a morning tea for Huis Lückhoff. It was a huge success and really appreciated by the ladies and gentlemen who attended. The committee baked delicious eats and some of the Talent Show entrants provided entertainment. Interact was able to donate a gift voucher worth R2500 to the home, which will go towards buying new chairs.

Lerato’s Hope

Oriana Esau and Yi-Tin Yuan were the first two girls elected as Brand Ambassadors for Lerato’s Hope. This is a NGO that helps families infected and affected by HIV Aids. This year we added two new ambassadors, Lily van Rensburg and Kelly Bang. The ambassadors have organised several food drives at Westerford Spar and have been very successful in raising funds and a large amount of non-perishable food.

At the annual One-to-one Day, 15 Rustybugs were each paired with an intellectually-disabled person from the Oasis workshops. The afternoon was spent accompanying our new friends to various stalls where they could play games and win small prizes and treats.

Interact Talent Show

Interact

Third row, from left: Laila Haffejee, Dominique McFall, Stephanie Pereira, Ashlynn Wessels, Hana Kabat, Emily O’Ryan, Saaliha Jaffer Second row, from left: Laura Hartmann, Yi-Jou Chen, Abigail Wood, Julia Darke, Alyxé Rosenberg, Yi-Tin Yuan Seated, from left: Daniela Savoia, Navya George (Deputy Head), Ms Maureen Burchell, Kate Vlok (Head), Ms Tarin Scharneck, Samantha Culligan, Yi-Shin Yuan

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On 1 March the Rustenburg Interact Society produced a slick and entertaining talent show to raise funds for the Christine Revell Home for Abused Children. The performances were of a very high standard and the judges had an unenviable task. The judges were Ms Christiaan Savoia, Ms Debbie Welman-Minter and Mr Jeff Batt. There were many excellent performances deserving of an honourable mention.

Candice-Lee Uys mesmerised the crowd with a rhythmic gymnastics routine. After all the impressive acts, Carla Scholtz (Grade 10) walked away with first prize. Her electrifying Hip-Hop dance, engaging stage presence and cheeky confidence had the audience screaming for more. A close second was Samantha Chamisa (Grade 11). Her rendition of “Stay” by Rihanna was soulful and expressive. Third prize went to the duo, Maisie Williams-Sales (Grade 12) and Emma Bergh (Grade 11), who sang a medley of their favourite songs.

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From the Head of Habitat for Humanity

This year, Rustenburg, Bishops Westerford High School and Herschel welcomed Rondebosch Boys’ High School to the Habitat for Humanity fundraising team, BRIC. The continuous efforts and many given hours by the team were evident by the R105 768 raised by BRIC this year.

Habitat for Humanity is a world-wide, non-profit, non-governmental organisation that is aimed at eliminating substandard housing in South Africa. The BRIC committee hopes to raise funds for this organisation as well as highlight the need for social awareness among young people.

Habitat for Humanity does not give houses away but requires that the learners, habitat staff, community and homeowners-to-be are all involved in the construction of these homes, participating in the process financially and physically. The cost to build one house is R88 000.

Apart from Habitat’s main fundraising event, the 25-hour Cyclathon, BRIC hosted “Slight of Mind”, an illusionist and comedian show which was very well supported.

Both the committee and society, have worked hard to make a commendable contribution to the elimination and awareness of inadequate housing in South Africa. Being a part of Habitat has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience, especially knowing that when the house is handed over to the new homeowner it becomes a home for a deserving family.

Thanks must go to all our sponsors for partnering with us as we aim to become a powerful force in the movement for change in our community.

Jaimé Maher (E2)

Cyclathon In February 2013 one of Rustenburg’s biggest society events was held: the BRIC 25-hour Cyclathon. Rustenburg, together with Bishops, Herschel, Rondebosch Boys’ High School and Westerford High School form the BRIC (Bishops and Rustenburg in Community) committee, which is part of a larger organisation, Habitat for Humanity.

On 22 February, the annual 25-hour Cyclathon, BRIC’s main fundraiser, was held at the V&A Waterfront. Over two days, for 25 hours, eight stationary bicycles graced the amphitheatre stage, ready to be put to work to raise money. Cyclists included BRIC committee, learners from schools in the area, members of the public, various celebrities and representatives from the businesses that sponsor the event. All in all, there were 74 BRIC committee members involved at the event. One indefatigable cyclist, Mr André Cupido, pedalled for 25 hours straight.

To raise money, the committee members sold raffle tickets for R20 each, which were drawn every hour, on the hour. Prizes included tickets to Justin Bieber’s concert (won by Amy Stöhrer in Grade 11), a sharkcage diving adventure and a weekend stay at the Table Bay Hotel.

The preparation for Cyclathon involved hard work and dedication from the high school committees and R50 000 was raised from the Cyclathon! Rustenburg Girls’ Head of Habitat, Jaimé Maher explained, “Although there was financial success at the Cyclathon, it comes second to the emotional reward of knowing that the money goes to building someone a house and a home.”

Habitat for Humanity

Second row, from left: Chelsea Muir, Haidee Davis, Summer Thompson, Samantha Culligan Seated, from left: Rebekah Perren, Jaimé Maher (Head), Ms Lorraine Gardiner, Kirsty Schlemmer, Ayesha Semaar

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Earth Children During Term 4 of 2012, Earth Children organised an inter-house competition in which each form class, led by their eco rep, created an existing or imaginary creature using recycled materials.

This project was launched to commemorate World Animal Day (October 4) and was the first project undertaken by Earth Children, which now includes Paws (the school animal society). One of the aims of the competitions was to use the girls’ creativity and enthusiastic spirit for healthy competition to raise awareness about the ability to convert waste into something awe-inspiring.

2013 proved to be one of Earth Children’s most productive years.

The girls, under the leadership of Ms Chambers, Navya George and Saeeda Bassardien, and the dedicated committee took up the policy of “less talk, more action.”

Weekly routines included recycling every Wednesday and Friday after school, eco rep meetings discussing issues regarding the environment, responsible electricity usage and sustainability. Eco reps and committee members brainstormed how to raise awareness and encourage responsible environmental citizenship within each class, increase the bread-tag drive to sponsor wheelchairs and plan future events.

In February, the Earth Children led by Mr Altern visited TEARS in Fish Hoek where they helped to paint the kennels to improve the environment where the dogs are adopted. Girls also assisted with walking the dogs.

It was a successful day and the beginning of many joint projects with SACS’ Interact. In June, society members and committee walked down to the Liesbeek River to help for the third time with the ongoing clean up and rehabilitation project run by the Friends of the Liesbeek organisation. Project manager, Jason Mingo, was impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment from the girls. The society has also been involved in planting indigenous vegetation along the river banks.

Earth Children’s efforts are being recorded in our Eco Schools portfolio in which schools from around the world record their contribution to creating a sustainable environment for the future. Having only joined the project in Term 3 of 2012, we were proud to be awarded a bronze certificate. This project includes not only working with the natural environment but also the social environments and the intricate links between the two. This is why the girls created outings such as the workshop at Oasis during Term 3.

In July the girls visited Oasis in Elsies River where they ran a craft workshop, which they had designed, for 40 mentally challenged adults who work at Oasis’s recycling sorting project. This project was to demonstrate skills and inspired ideas on how recycling can be transformed into beautiful objects that could generate income as well as develop a sense of personal worth. The participants’ appreciation and enjoyment of those two hours of craft with the Rustenburg girls was overwhelming. The manager said that our workshop brought about a dynamic energy and a creative side to the adults that she

had never seen before.

Another relationship Earth Children built this year was with The Mary Kihn School for the Deaf and Partially Hearing in Observatory. In August, the new committee and members made their way to the school to help establish a herb and vegetable garden which the children of Mary Kihn will maintain. We hope that the relationship will grow so that the girls can continue helping with other projects of an ecological and social nature.

Our motto, thanks to Ms Fourie is: “Remember there is no planet B.”

Save the Rhino Concert On 15 March, Rustenburg’s Earth Children held their second concert in support of Rights for Rhinos. It was largely an acoustic line-up, including our own Rustenburg girls singing and dancing, ex-Rustybugs, neighbouring boys’ schools, as well as older up-and-coming musicians.

We were able to raise R10 000 to be donated to numerous deserving charities in aid of their efforts to protect rhinos from poachers. The committee made use of their recycling facilities and bins that had been decorated by the different houses. The Eco Reps were extremely helpful and were thanked for their positive contributions.

Earth Children Committee

Third row: Leanne Biccari Second row, from left: Sarah Donde, Tracey-Ann Arendse, Jessica Zietsman, Mubeenah Gangraker, Musindosi Kalula, Tennile Liddle Seated, from left: Tasneem Wilkie, Lutho Sobuza, Navya George, Ms Jackie Chambers, Saeeda Bassardien, Jodi Walker, Zeenat Jacobs Front, seated: Mbali Ntintili Absent: Jaime Gray, Sikelelwa Stemele

Remix This year ten Rustenburg girls were given the opportunity to work with The Remix Dance Company, an initiative established in 1999, in which able bodied and physically challenged people dance together. The girls trained together with their partner school, Astra (a school for the physically challenged), at a series of intensive workshops. This prepared them for the final integrated dance performances, held at the two schools as well as at the Magnet Theatre in Observatory. Malcolm Black, the Artistic Director of Remix Dance Company together with other Remix teachers of all physical abilities worked with the learners to promote an awareness and understanding of those with physical challenges. These passionate teachers promoted movement, integrated dance and performance skills for all involved. Most importantly, the teachers facilitated a fun, safe and creative space in which friendships could be formed based on mutual respect and the recognition of all strengths.

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The President’s Award The President’s Award programme at Rustenburg continues to attract new participants every year and the girls use many of the activities offered at the school to fulfil the requirements.

The mission statement of The President’s Award is to empower young people between the ages of 14 and 25 by providing a balanced, non-competitive framework for self-development that will increase their self-esteem and enhance their capacity to achieve in whatever context they find themselves. This will enable them to become responsible active citizens within their communities.

This year Monique Hollis and Emily O’Ryan served on the Western Cape Youth Committee and regularly attended meeting with learners from other schools.

Through The President’s Award the girls are offered opportunities to participate in different types of events. For their service component, a group of Grade 9s spent time during the June holidays helping at the13th African Senior International Fencing Championships held at the UCT Sport Complex. Other award participants attended a beach clean-up where

they served their community and met other Award participants.

The most exciting opportunity this year was taken up by Emily O’Ryan, Jaime Newdigate, Monique Hollis and Tamsin Metelerkamp. These girls attended a week-long film workshop as part of the Films Without Borders project. The project, which has run in Israel, Palestine and Rwanda, was brought to South Africa by two award-winning British directors: Ms Jill Samuels and Mr Richard Blanchard. Mr Branchard is a director and photographer and has worked on films such as “Mission Impossible” and “Braveheart” and has photographed the likes of Johnny Depp and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The team of 10 young participants had to conceptualise a short drama or documentary, research it and then film it. Their documentary is based on the theme of uBuntu and will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

We are proud to award two Gold badges this year and the recipients attended a gala function at parliament where President Jacob Zuma and HRH Prince Edward made the presentations. Olivia Benetton was the first Rustenburg girl to attain this honour and Lauren Denny submitted her logbooks in time to qualify this year too. These young ladies have set a wonderful example and inspired others to take up the challenge.

World Challenge Southern India During the June holidays, Ms Blackshaw and Ms Ryan accompanied 16 Grade 10 and 11 girls to Kerala in southern India for a World Challenge adventure.

The girls were responsible for every aspect of the trip, beginning immediately with changing money into rupees and deciding how to get the group from the airport to our accommodation in Fort Kochi.

The trip comprised a three-day trek in the mountains of the Munaar region, followed by five days of project work at a small school in Varkala. Here the girls did fairly heavy manual labour including building pathways, filling in foundations for flooring and laying tiles. They were also responsible for budgeting for the building materials and going to buy them. In between the work, however, there was plenty of laughter as we mixed with the children and teachers. Once the work was over, the group had time for rest and a houseboat trip in Kollam. The journey was a life-changing adventure for many of the girls and it is clear that they have developed in self-confidence.

“World Challenge provided an opportunity to travel and see other parts of the world with being ‘touristy’; instead we hiked and helped a school in the community. The idea of travelling with friends and learning so much about myself and others in a team attracted me to the challenge.” (Julia Darke) “I was surprised that the teachers weren’t allowed to say anything about where we had to go or how we were to get there, so we had to make ALL the decisions. Because of World Challenge we were able to experience India as a local. We were able to see the places that others wouldn’t see.” (Kirsten Shaw)

“The best part of the trip was learning to be independent and creating friendships that I wouldn’t have made. One of the toughest parts was learning to believe in myself, to trust myself and to go with it, and to make choices that my parents would normally make for me.” (Abigail Tudge) “I learned that I can plan ahead and that I do have confidence.”

(Bianca Blair) “The best part was learning leadership skills by being responsible for overseeing the budget for the entire trip.” (Buhle-Bemvelo Zimba “The toughest part for me was the project phase. Having to work for fjve straight days doing extreme (for girls) manual labour and then having to organise and plan the rest of our trip was so very tough. After each day I was physically and emotionally exhausted. What kept me going was the kids I was doing it for, and their smiles of joy I saw each day that we arrived at the school.” (Estine Everson) “The best part of the trip was the time I spent with the beautiful children at our community project phase. It was the way that we connected even though there was a language barrier. I made incredible friendships that grew each day I spent with the girls and boys. They taught me that a smile can say so much.” (Jessica Banks) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

Bronwen Barratt’s memory of southern India “I took this picture at the very beginning of the second day of the three day hike. This is my favourite picture because it reminds me of so many memorable experiences. The socks remind me of the many leech encounters I had and how I have overcome my fear. The mud makes me laugh when I think of the many occasions of us struggling through the deep mud. The wet leaves remind me of the heavy rains that we experienced throughout our trip. The mountains in the distance remind me of the beautiful region that we hiked through and all the exotic vegetation that we encountered. Lastly, seeing our group walking together reminds me of our exceptional team work and our many friendships built.”

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Jabulani Rustenburg’s Jabulani Society hosted their annual evening event, themed ‘Africa legends’.

It was a tribute to inspirational Africans, such as Brenda Fassie and Lebo Mashile, who have shown a deep connection to their African roots. The funds raised by the event go towards needy crêches in townships and other areas of South Africa.

On 3 May, the Kemp Hall came alive and celebrated a sharing of cultures and African traditions through engaging performances. Rustenburg, Wynberg Girls, Wynberg Boys, Rhenish, Rondebosch, SACS and Malibu High School took part in creating an exciting evening.

The soulful performances stunned the audience and at times, spectators took to their feet to dance! Dacia Hassan was the bubbly MC and created a sense of anticipation for each act. Particularly excellent acts included Revolution, a Hip Hop group, who danced up a storm, the TK boys who performed a choreographed routine merging hip Jabulani Committee Third row: Tumelo Moloto, Pepua Karamata, Yomelela Nani hop and Kwaito, the Rustenburg Savuyisa Junior Marimba band, and the Rustenburg Jabulani Choir who shocked the audience into silence with their melodic singing.

Second row, from left: Siphokazi Mbatani, Mbali Ntintili, Lutho Sobuza, Sikelewa Stemele Seated, from left: Lona Bam, Thenjiwe Mabuto (Head), Ms Monelwa Manjiya-Mboma, Nokulunga Mvandaba (Deputy), Dacia Hassan

The evening was a special journey through African culture and poetry recitals throughout the night enhanced the spiritual mood.

International Exchanges Rustenburg girls have the privilege of going on exchange internationally with Rotary International and to Germany with the FSA-Youth Exchange.

During August 2012 Julia Wintersohl from Ople, Germany, visited us and stayed with Ayesha Kaprey.

Ayesha had the opportunity to visit Julia in December 2012, where she attended school and experienced Julia’s home and town life.

Karla Lützeler (Grade 11) is hoping to visit a family in Germany at the end of this year and during 2014 more learners of German hope to participate in this exchange.

the Kruger Park and while on Safari in Durban was able to touch an elephant. She has also enjoyed playing soccer for Rustenburg.

International Exchanges provide our learners with opportunities to share their cultures, experience new places and life-styles and to practise their foreign languages. We look forward to reporting on the experiences of our six Rotary girls who will be leaving to stay with their exchange students at the end of the year: Emma Bergh, Natalie and Katherine Davidson, Eden Howard, Kate James and Ellen-Marie Trautmann, who will host next year.

There are many German speakers in Rustenburg, some in the hostel, and now we have Hannah Profitlich from Berlin visiting for a year and experiencing Erinville. Also in the hostel recently on Rotary Exchange was Bori Bernat from Hungary. Bori found her trip to the Kruger National Park unforgettable and looks forward to showing her host sister, Emma Bergh, the castle, bridges and thermal baths of Budapest in December.

We had the pleasure of a short visit from Lisa Seefeld from Germany, who stayed with Katherine Davidson in July. Natalie Davidson hosted Caroline Pasquert from Normandy, France, and will visit her at the end of the year while her sister is with Lisa in Germany. Also from France and hosted by Eden Howard, was Rachel Raciner, who found us friendly and loved the birthday balloons and that here we have the steering wheel on the right and drive on the left! Kate James hosted Guilherme Muraro from Ponta Grossa, Brazil. He came to us for a few days and bravely donned a male version of our school uniform. Guilherme enjoyed shark-cage diving and hoped that we would celebrate the 2014 Soccer World Cup with him. He is looking forward to showing Kate the beaches, biodiversity and the traditions of Brazil when she later goes on exchange to him.

Our long-term Rotary student is Franziska Sallmann from Switzerland.

She will be with us until mid-2014. She has already enjoyed a trip to RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

Cara Lothaller and Juliane Mollnow (left)

Cara Lothaller (left) will go on exchange in December 2013 to Hamburg Germany where she will attend the Heisenberg Gymnasium and visit Juliane Mollnow (right). Juliane was an exchange student from Hamburg from 29 January until 4 March.

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Ignition Camp Ignition is a Christian Union Society at Rustenburg. We started off our year with our annual RCU (Rustenburg and Rondebosch Christian Union) Camp at the Rocklands Campsite. Our theme for camp was “Make your Move”. We had wonderful sessions throughout the weekend of praise and worship and were encouraged by hearing a number of different speakers from various churches talk around the theme that we had chosen. On Saturday there were workshops that the students could attend. The topics for the workshops were “Uncensored Following”,”Being a Woman of God”, “Being a Man of God”, “The Butterfly Effect” and “Getting Your Priorities Straight”. This was a powerful time where practical advice was given and there was an opportunity for questions and discussions. The camp is a special time where different students get a chance to interact with each other and lasting relationships are formed.

Ignition Committee

Second row, from left: Jordan Philander, Lauren Denny, Kirsten Jaftha, Rowan Banks Seated, from left: Sheraya Erickson (Deputy), Ms Mailene Jamey, Mosa Moloto (Head), Ms Lindy Waller, Ashton Sims

Muslim Students’ Association The MSA activities started with a fun day which was held during Term 1. We linked up with a number of schools from the Rondebosch and Newlands areas. The event brought joy to many energetic children.

During Term 2 we held a thikr with Rondebosch MSA. This is a new event which we hope to continue as it will benefit learners spiritually in preparation for the stressful examination period. In Term 3 we raised money at our annual MSA Iftaar. The money was donated to Baitul Aman. The event was slightly different to those held in previous years as we had a Rustybug, Zakiyyah Sablay (C2) as our speaker. Guests were shown a powerpoint presentation about the importance of Ramadaan.

Our food drive benefited the community of Phillippi where a mosque has been established. The Rustenburg girls once again joined forces with neighbouring schools and made numerous food parcels.

of this fun-filled day, the children went home with a party pack each, filled with sweets, chips and a juice. This day helped to make a small difference in each child’s life.

MSA Fun Day On 23 March Rustenburg’s MSA held its annual Fun Day at Westerford High School. The Fun Day hosted 30 children, ranging from the age of three to 12, from Vision orphanage in Mount View. Two care-givers accompanied the group of children. Forty girls from Rustenburg and students from other schools such as Rondebosch Boys, SACS, Westerford and Wynberg Girls arrived to entertain the children. The Fun Day took place from 10h00 – 15h00. The hours sped by as the children played basketball and soccer, leapt about on a jumping castle, had their faces painted and did some delicious cupcake decorating. Each child was catered for and given a hot dog and cooldrink. At the end

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Muslim Students’ Association Committee

Second row, from left: Zahraa Badat, Zakiyyah Sablay, Afeefa Emeran, Aneesah Wahab Seated, from left: Aaliya Badat, Najma Yusuf (Head), Ms Zargielay Rabeh, Ayesha Semaar, Ilhaam van der Schyff

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Debating The Debating Society grew tremendously this year. The influx of new juniors and seniors necessitated intensive training programmes so that as many as possible could have the opportunity of debating at a competitive level in the Rotary League.

The outgoing committee (Nicola Cilliers, Robyn Fester, Saeeda Bassardien, Sonia Matarmvura, Katherine Harris, Tumelo Moloto and Jarita Kassen) worked hard this year by arranging numerous friendly debates and training the new society members, with the help of the junior coach, Daniel Corder, and ex-Rustybug, Cara Mazetti-Claassen, the senior coach. The new committee members are Tumelo Moloto, Katherine Harris, Jarita Kassen, Tamsin Metelerkamp, Monique Hollis and Boniwe Nyati.

Both senior and junior teams competed in the Rotary League this year.

The senior team won two of their five debates, while the junior team won one. The girls debated against Bishops and Reddam Constantia in Term 1 and Springfield and Herschel in Term 2. Their last debate in Term 3 was against Cedar House.

Nicola Cilliers (Captain), Robyn Fester, Katherine Harris, Tumelo Moloto, and Jarita Kassen represented Rustenburg at the National All Girls’ School Festival in April this year. The girls won four out of the six preliminary debates. Unfortunately they missed the semi-finals by three points. We ranked fifth in the tournament overall and Katherine Harris was adjudicated the sixth best speaker.

The team which represented Rustenburg at the provincial tournament in August was: Tumelo Moloto, Katherine Harris (Captain), Monique Hollis, Jarita Kassen and Tamsin Metelerkamp. The team did not break into the quarter-finals this year, but Tamsin Metelerkamp was selected to represent the Western Cape at the national for schools championships that will be held in Gauteng in December 2013.

The committee and society members have worked diligently to create a solid platform for future success. We look forward to seeing their progress in 2014.

SACEE Forum Discussion Competition Under the chairpersonship of Nicola Cilliers, the Rustenburg Forum Discussion team of Robyn Fester, Courtney Ravell, Siphokazi Mbatani and Tamsin Metelerkamp performed exceptionally well by achieving second place in the preliminary round and qualifying for the finals.

They judged a close second to the winners, Herschel, in the finals of the competition that was hosted by Wynberg High School for Girls.

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Cultural Dinner The Cultural Society hosted a delectable dinner this year, themed “All Around the World.” This dinner showcased food from some of the many cultures found at Rustenburg and gave girls the opportunity to appreciate foods from cultures other than their own. The Asian, Cape Malay, African and Afrikaans traditional foods were a hit and no one left with an empty stomach. Do Yeou Ku prepared Asian sushi and spring rolls as some of the starters and Shifah Abrahams and her family provided traditional Cape Malay pies and samoosas as part of the main course. A selection of African breads was on offer as an accompaniment and the dinner ended on a sweet, Afrikaans note with melktert (milk tart) and koeksusters. The hosts and guests arrived sporting their own cultural dress, which included African garb, Indian saris and even traditional Madeira Island outfits, making for a very colourful evening. The evening was filled with music and laughter and the entertainment was traditional Indian dancing performed by Navya George, Brittany Kannemeyer, Orissa Ramesar, Jarita Kassen, Rafiqua Anwar, Lisa Edmonds and Chelsea Samaai.

Helen Keller The 30 girls of the Helen Keller Society visit the elderly at the Helen Keller Society Home in Pinelands every second week. While it can be difficult at first to bridge the gap between the generations, it was very gratifying to see the dedicated Rustybugs bring joy to their specially assigned elderly lady with storytelling, discussions and board games.

This year we created a timetable of our visits for the ladies to put up in their rooms. This gave them something to look forward to and also helped them to remember when they would be visited. It was clear that the girls had a large impact on the ladies, as they often asked the Helen Keller staff, “When are the Rustenburg girls coming?”

In November the Helen Keller Society held a fete and our girls helped with serving tea. In October the residents threw us a thank you tea and we presented them each with a gift. Our able-bodied Head for 2014, Shakeela Banderker, made special cards for each lady to go with the gifts.

Standing: Jordannah Leach Seated, from left: Shehaam Moosa, Ms Louise Lawrence, Lauren Hogg

Blood Donor Clinic Three successful Blood Donor Clinics were held this year. Support has been excellent from the school especially, as 16-year-olds can now donate. A big thank you goes to the outgoing Head Zenobia Hendricks, Deputy Aaliyah Badat, and committee members Brittany Kannemeyer, Mishqah Heynes and Clare Burger for their enthusiasm.

Standing: Ms Perdita Norval Seated, from left: Aaliyah Badat (Deputy), Mishqah Heynes, Zenobia Hendricks (Head), Clare Burger, Brittany Kannemeyer RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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Rustenburg’s International Models During the June July holiday this year, Kiana Neethling (E5), Morgan Shelly (D1) and Ella Potgieter (D1), all of whom model in their spare time, were invited to Paris by IMG Worldwide for the height of the fashion season. IMG Worldwide is the agency that launched Giselle and Heidi Klum’s careers.

Ella began modelling only at the beginning of 2013, yet was selected

by IMG to work in Paris for two months. She took advantage of the experience and has been building up an international portfolio. All three girls would like to continue to work as models after school. As Ella says, “it’s an opportunity to travel and experience things you couldn’t normally do.”

Kiana has been modelling on and off for the past three years and began to take it seriously this year. While Paris, she opened the Rad Hourani Haute Couture Show in Paris Fashion Week. While this experience was undoubtedly a highlight, Kiana also learnt from her time overseas that “you cannot take yourself too seriously; you just need to focus on being happy with yourself and in what you are doing, and not take any of the criticism to heart.”

Morgan, who is the Brand Ambassador for Guess Jeans in South Africa, has been modelling since she was a child and joined Boss Model Management when she was twelve. Morgan took on the challenge of living completely independently in Paris with enthusiasm, navigating her way around the city and learning to be self-sufficient.

Afrikaans Vereeniging 2013 het die Afrikaans-vereniging meer betrokke geraak by die meisies en die skoolgemeenskap. Die Afrikaanskomitee en ander lede van die vereniging het elke kwartaal gepoog om oorspronklike aktiwiteite aan te bied.

Hierdie jaar se hoof, Robyn Blench (E2), onderhoof, Zenobia Hendricks (E1) en sekretaresse, Moerieda Daniels (E1) was hoofsaaklik verantwoordelik vir ‘n vereniging wat interessante idees geneem het en dit in ‘n vereniging vol pret ontwikkel het. Hulle word hartlik bedank deur hul Afrikaans- onderwysers en die ander verenigingslede.

Cassar) en ‘n artikel oor die uitruilstudente wat Rustenburg in 2013 besoek het.

Na ‘n besige jaar vol interessante aktiwiteite sien die nuwe komitee daarna uit om die vereniging volgende jaar nog meer op die voorgrond te plaas.

Op die 29 Januarie is Verenigingsdag by die skool gehou. Die meisies is amptelik aan die nuwe lede voorgestel. In die volgende week het die Afrikaans-vereniging hulle eerste aktiwiteit aangebied: ‘n “tee”, voorberei en bedien deur die verenigingslede, vir al die Afrikaansonderwyseresse in die Thomsonsaal. Hier kon die onderwyseresse lekker smul aan eg-Afrikaanse lekkernye soos melktert en pannekoek.

Om Afrikaansdag op 11 Maart te vier, is die gasspreker Emile Minnie by die saalbyeenkoms verwelkom. Sy vermaak het gesorg dat die dag afgeskop het met geesdrif toe hy Lauren Jansen (E4) op die verhoog genooi het om vir die skool te kletsrym (rap)! Dit was ‘n belewenis!

Dié jaar het die Afrikaanse-Vereniging ‘n verskeidenheid take aangepak, naamlik ‘n pannekoekkompetisie, graad agt-speletjiesdag (op die Afrikaansdag) en ‘n gesogte tydskrif, “Die Muggie”, wat in die derde kwartaal vir leerders beskikbaar was. Die doel met die tydskrif is om leerders nie net in die klas aan Afrikaans bloot te stel nie, maar om hulle ook buite die klas te laat lees en gesels. Onderwerpe van die blad sluit in: ‘n “Liewe Tannie-” kolom, artikels geskryf deur die komiteelede oor die musiekfees Skouspel (bygewoon deur Robyn Blench en Micaela

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Second row, from left: Haley-Anne Box, Chelsea Christian, Nicola Engelbrecht, Firdous Khan First row, from left: Emma Bergh, Kirsti Lanser, Robyn Paterson, Shannen-Lee Beukes, Haseena Solwa, Micaela Cassar Seated from left: Shehaam Moosa, Robyn Blench (Head), Ms Norma Caesar, Zenobia Hendricks (Deputy), Moerieda Daniels (Secretary)

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Valentine’s Day Cake Competition On 14 February the budding young bakers at Rustenburg put on their oven-gloves and vied to create the best cakes for the yearly Valentine’s Cake Competition. The mouth-watering entries included a decadent chocolate tower, a castle fit for a princess and sumptuous cupcakes.

Love was the theme of the day and each class’s cake was covered in hearts, red roses and other symbols of love.

Ms Bekker, Ms Schnetler and Ms Blackshaw had a difficult time choosing the winners in the different categories. Some standout cakes included A4’s “Wild Thing” cake (baked by Imke Mühr), which won funniest cake, and C3’s “Popcorn Box” (baked by Samantha McCrindle, Emily O’Ryan and Jessica-Lee Meeser), which won most unique cake.

The spirit this year was wonderful and even a class that had not entered before, E3 (Brittany Kannemeyer), made a concerted effort and won the participation award.

Other prize winners were: Most romantic cake: D1 (Janan van der Ross) and A2 (Alexis Panton), Cutest cake: D2 (Savannah Webb and Amy van Vlaanderen), Funniest cake: A4 (Imke Mühr), Most decadent: A5 (Francesca Palmieri and Claire Slootsman), Most unique cake: C3 (Samantha McCrindle, Emily O’Ryan amd Jessica-Lee Meeser), Most stylish cake: D3 (Juliett Peal) and Best Matric cake: E2 (Kelly Kolbe).

First Aid The First Aid group, although small, was active in their first year of existence, be in on the sport fields, or at the cultural activities, or in the school in general. The team handled various situations, from those very serious (referral to hospital) to minor cuts or sprained ankles.

Audio-Visual Team From left: Michaela McHugh (Deputy), Amber Goldberg, Saarah Asmal, Mr Graeme Broster (Teacher-in-charge), Najma Yusuf, Azraah Hendriks (Head), Ursula Hardie, Aatiekah Solomons Absent: Aiden Dette

Standing, from left: Ashlynn Wessels, Nicole Nel, Shifah Abrahams, Bianca da Molo, Alexandra Nel Seated, from left: Zenobia Hendricks, Abigail Wood (Deputy), Madame Dominique Williams, Anastasia Stergiou (Head), Jaime Gray

Bon Appetit Second row, from left: Abigail Wood, Lauren Middleton, Rahma Dalmau First row, from left: Emma van Zyl, Ashlynn Wessels, Kirsten Holman, Mbali Ntintilli, Zenobia Hendriks, Jaimé Maher Seated, from left: Tracey-Ann Arendse, Dacia Hassan, Yi-Jou Chen (Deputy), Anastasia Stergiou (Head), Moso Moloto, Paige de Chazel de Chamaral, Kelly Kolbe RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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12 Club 12 Club consisted of a group of twelve Matric girls, led by Mr Murison, who met on evenings throughout the year. Each evening a member presented a discussion to the group. This year 12 Club congregated on Thursdays and discussed a variety of topics.

Saeeda Bassadien kicked off the year with a talk about nanotechnology, focusing on its implications and effects on our lives. Navya George exposed and enlightened the Club about the harsh realities of the caste system in India. Robyn Paterson explored the concept of subcultures, focusing specifically on the Beat generation of the 1940s.

Nicola Cilliers tackled the controversy behind child beauty pageants, such as “Toddlers in Tiaras”. Do Yeou Ku presented her discussion just before exams and spoke about memory improvement and the different brain parts responsible for different types of memory. Haseena Solwa spoke about the origin of fairytales and how they have been influenced by Disney movies. Siphokazi Mbatani discussed the concept of religion in modern society from a philosophical and social point of view. Yi-Shin Yuan spoke about Asian parenting methods based on Amy Chua’s autobiography “Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother”. Jaime Gray explained various mental dysfunctions and the side effects thereof.

Alexandra Nel spoke about cults and the propaganda displayed by their leaders. Lauren Denny discussed the presence of mathematics in unexpected places, such as nature and art. Lauren Duckitt dealt with a topic closer to our hearts or, rather our stomachs, food.

Lastly, Mr Murison discussed a topic only known to past and present 12 Club members. Some talks were more controversial than others, but they were all equally stimulating and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Standing, from left: Nicola Cilliers, Lauren Denny, Lauren Duckitt, Jaime Gray, Robyn Paterson, Yi-Shin Yuan, Haseena Solwa, Siphokazi Mbatani Seated, from left: Saeeda Bassardien, Alex Nel, Mr Chris Murison, Chelcy Ku, Navya George

Painting the Subway The Rustenburg Art and Design Society took on the task of beautifying the obsolete subway (recently re-opened) which links Rustenburg Junior School to Rustenburg High School. The Junior School not only contributed financially to the project but was also instrumental in the painting of the colourful and vibrant design, inspired by the dancing and pulsating figures of graffiti artist, Keith Haring. It was heart-warming to see the camaraderie between the Grade 6 and 7 girls and the High School learners, as they harmoniously and efficiently painted side by side.

Chess The Chess Club, ably run by Jaid Heeson (Grade 11), met throughout the year on a weekly basis. Regular members included Mila Truter, Sarah Gerber and Zubeida Waggie, with Liezl Cloete, Revana Pillay and Camilla Madikane joining them sometimes.

Photographic Team Cheerleaders Third row, from left: Iman Allie, Sikelelwa Stemele Second row, from left: Jaimé Maher, Mbali Ntintili, Tiana Pena, Dacia Hassan, Ms Nolundi Blayi, Aaliyah Ahmed First row, from left: Chloe le Roux, Musindosi Kalula, Holly Deutschmann

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Second row, from left: Aaliyah Ahmed, Robyn Fester, Samantha Culligan, Natalie Luyt, Tasneem Wilkie, Tanri de Lange, Joo-Young Kim First row, from left: Courtney Brown, Dominique Nothnagel, Emma du Toit, Lindsay Llewellyn, Emily Shuttleworth, Kelly Schlemmer Seated, from left: Dacia Hassan, Jamie Masters (Deputy), Ms Karen Cronje, Kirsty Schlemmer (Head), Paige de Chazal de Chamaral 111

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The Young Americans

The Young Americans is a group of talented individuals who taught a few fortunate Rustenburg girls a large amount in a remarkably short period of time.

The course, they ran took place at Rustenburg from 12 April to 14 April.

On Sunday there was a performance which showcased what had been accomplished in only three days.

was their first tour to Africa. They contacted Rustenburg after discovering us through our website, and organised to hold a combined course with Rustenburg and Rondebosch Boys’ High School students.

The Young Americans group was founded over 50 years ago in Hollywood, California. Throughout the years, their mission has remained the same: “To promote understanding through youth and music.”

They participate in eight tours a year, traveling across 15 countries, with each tour lasting about three months. They do many outreach tours to underprivileged schools where they educate pupils about music and the performing arts. They use the proceeds from the shows they perform with these children to fund the next leg of The Young Americans’ journey. The Young Americans is made up of youngsters from different backgrounds and countries, with a wide variety of skills.

They have toured many countries, but their recent visit to Cape Town

The course held at Rustenburg was an unforgettable experience.

The energy and vitality of the Young Americans was infectious, and it was clear that they had as much fun teaching us as we did learning from them. Their excitement and confidence quickly removed any insecurities the girls might have had about performing on a stage, or being in the spotlight. We learned many new skills, and attended classes in singing, dancing, choreography and improvisation techniques. Despite the packed schedule, there was plenty of time for fun and laughter, and getting to know the Young Americans. By the end of the course, they were more than teachers. They were friends.

Peer Tutoring

The Bug

The Peer Tutoring Society, ably headed by Sameenah Allie (Grade 11) and Amina Vallie (Grade 12), has successfully co-ordinated the tutor and tutee system in a wide range of subjects. This year, the committee initiated using Facebook as a means of communication and liaison between committee members, tutors and tutees. They sold used study guides at very good rates and organised a small, extra Mathematics tuition class for Grade 8 learners to be tutored by EllenMarie Trautmann (Grade 11) which has been a great success. At the beginning of Term 4, they produced a help- sheet for all grades and classes giving details of programmes and web-sites which were useful for pupils to use during examination preparation.

“The Bug” student magazine had a bumper year in 2013. The new committee, Editor Yi-Tin Yuan and Deputy Editor Shasthra Naidoo worked exceptionally hard to produce original and interesting reading.

The themes of this year’s editions were: “We Love Rustenburg”, “Nerds vs Rebels” and “I Wanna Be a Kid Again”! The writers and designers took the publication to a new level, introducing new columns and creating a design team that worked together on producing a cohesive product.

The Term 3 edition was such a success that, after covering printing and paper costs, the committee was able to donate R700 to Lerato’s Hope as well as go on an end of year trip to Marcel’s Frozen Yogurt. The new Editor for 2013/2014 is Emily Roberts, who will be helped by Deputy Editor Aaliyah Vayez.

We thank Amina Vallie for her contribution to the society this year and welcome Kate James as her Deputy to work with Sameenah Allie, who was re-elected as Head of the society for 2014 Standing: Ms Shannon Dowdall Seated, from left: Zakiya Mia, Amina Vallie, Sameenah Allie, Shashthra Naidoo, Kate James

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Standing, from left: Shakeela Banderker, Jaime Newdigate, Olivia Bloomer, Kirsten Pienaar, Ayesha Kaprey, Emily Roberts, Julia Holzberg Seated, from left: Aaliyah Vayez, Yi-Tin Yuan, Ms Sarah Keevy, Shasthra Naidoo, Claire Corbishley Absent: Jennifer Oosthuizen 112

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www.retrorghs.blogspot.com In Term 4 of 2012, the Retro Committee, under the leadership of Oriana Esau and Yi-Tin Yuan, organised the annual Retro Movie Day. It was a much enjoyed morning filled with bouts of laughter, feelings of nostalgia and, of course, the sounds of crunching popcorn.

For the first five months of 2013, the Committee was occupied with the development of its exciting initiative, the Retro Blog. It is aimed at Rustenburg girls who take an interest in vintage fashion, books, films and anything retro-related. The blog was launched at Rustenburg’s very first Youth Day Assembly, another event introduced by Retro this year, which is aimed at educating the girls on the significance of 16 June, 1976.

To round off a very busy year, Retro organised a Coco Chanel Movie Evening, which took place on 7 August, at which the film “Coco Before Chanel” was shown. It was a light and relaxed evening, where the girls found themselves immersed not only in the sweet smell of cocoa, but also the life story of one of fashion’s greatest icons.

Holocaust Survivor visits Rustenburg “There are still people who give light in a time of darkness!” (Alyxé Rosenberg) “I do not only want to do well at school, I want to touch the lives of others. This is a lesson I did not expect to learn.” (Emma Macarthur) These comments are a selection of the many received by Egon Sonnenschein in response to his talks to Grades 9 and 11 History learners on his second visit to Rustenburg. I am sure that the now 82-year-old Holocaust survivor had no idea of the impact that his testimonies would have when he decided to join the Sydney organisation Courage to Care in 2008 and to tell others about his experiences. He was inspired by an image of one suitcase in Steven Spielberg’s film “Schindler’s List.” This suitcase, which was in a room full of suitcases in Auschwitz death camp, had his surname printed on it in big bold letters.

Sonnenschein’s life-changing experiences began on 2 April 1941 when, as a 10-year-old living in the small Yugoslavian town of Ptuj (40 km from the Austrian border), his Jewish family was forced to move in with his maternal parents in Bosnia. Hitler’s successful invasion of Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941 resulted in the Sonnenscheins’ long journey of survival to avoid being captured and placed in Nazi concentration camps. In response to questions, Sonnenschein stated that, “Whenever I am asked what made me survive, my instant answer is that the will to live is so strong that it is beyond description. I had many narrow escapes and am lucky to be alive. It also made me determined to succeed later in life.” According to Sonnenschein, he is also driven to tell his story to honour “those who endangered their and their families’ lives to help us”.

Many of the responses of our learners speak of the inspirational power of Sonnenschein’s testimony as “giving light in a time of darkness” today. In a similar way, the sacrifices made by those who risked their lives to save the Sonnenscheins, reminded them of the good in humanity. In concluding her letter to Sonnenschein, Laura Hartmann had this to say, “The world we live in is full of horrible things and people but hearing about the villagers, the people who took you across the river and the many others who helped you, helps to restore the faith that there are plenty of good people in the world. I am inspired and am determined to strive for success, as you did. ”

Afri-twin Afri-twin is an organisation committed to helping schools in South Africa and the United Kingdom to learn about each other’s education system and customs.

helped to build. The girls from Stroud were impressed with Cape Town and, having formed strong bonds with their host sisters, bid a tearful farewell at the airport a week later.

Our year started with a book and stationery drive, the proceeds of which were handed over to Mfuleni High School in July.

The whole experience was uplifting and encouraging. Rustenburg hopes to send a delegation to visit Stroud in 2014.

During the first week of Term 2, teachers and pupils from Stroud High visited Rustenburg. It was a hectic week, buzzing with fun, entertainment and hard work. The Stroud girls shadowed their host sisters at Rustenburg, visited Mfuleni Secondary School and managed to find time to do a lot of sight-seeing as well. The Retro Society repeated their assembly presentation which was originally shown to the school on Youth Day. The sisters from Stroud joined us in celebrating Madiba’s birthday and enjoyed the Matric Fashion Show. Their visit to Mfuleni showed them the other side of the coin and, after a tour of the Habitat for Humanity houses and meeting some of the grateful home-owners, they handed over a cheque to Habitat for Humanity from funds raised in Stroud, enough to build a complete house and more.

Dakota Guy and Adrienne Soule had the privilege of meeting the owner of the house that, as members of our Habitat Society, they had RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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From left: Alexandra Mould (2012 Diamond Jubilee Bursary recipient), Hayley Groom (Mavis Wakeford Bursary recipient), Ms Averil Keller (Head of Rustenburg Old Girls’ Union), Hye-In Shin (Mavis Wakeford Bursary Recipient), Samantha Filby (2010 Diamond Jubilee Bursary recipient)

Guests of Honour at Founders’ Day The Mavis Wakeford Bursary is given to Rustenburg girls who have chosen to study their desired subject with a particular view to teaching.

Hye-In is in her second year of a BMus degree at the University of Cape Town and Hayley is in her third year studying Foundation Phase teaching at Varsity College in Rondebosch.

Presentation by Ms Betsy Joubert Ms Betsy Joubert, from the E class of 1963, read aloud to the assembly from a forward written by the then principal, Ms Margaret Thomson, featured in the 1963 school magazine. Ms Thomson wrote that she felt schoolgirls ought to leave Rustenburg with a sense of service and, if they did, they would then go on to become valuable South African citizens. Inspired by Ms Thomson’s sentiments, the Es of 1963 offered a financial sponsorship to the school, to be awarded to a girl who contributes positively in a particular area but is unable to cover any additional costs.

The Diamond Jubilee Bursaries are awarded by the Old Girls’ Union to the top National Senior Certificate students. In addition to Alexandra Mould and Samantha Filby, other recipients were Nicola Steinhaus (E 2011) and Adriana Oberholzer (E 2009). Alexandra and Nicola are studying Medicine, Adriana is studying Policy and Values Studies, while Samantha is studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Founders’ Day Guest Speaker, Dr Sindiwe Magona The guest speaker for Rustenburg’s 119th Founders’ Day celebration was the acclaimed and international award-winning author, isiXhosa teacher and actress, Dr Sindiwe Magona, who said that she had originally spent four years as a domestic worker before completing a BA degree through UNISA, and eventually a Masters in Social Work in New York in 1981. Dr Magona ultimately worked for the United Nations before returning to Cape Town in 2003.

Ubuntu Award Recipient The Ubuntu Award is given annually to the learner at Rustenburg who “shows awareness and concern for the plight and needs of others, and reacts compassionately to those needs”. The Ubuntu Award was initially presented on Founder’s Day in 2006 by 1956 Headgirl, Charmian Plummer (née Marais), on behalf of the Es of 1956 on the occasion of their 50th reunion.

This year’s recipient was Shifah Abrahams, a quiet and modest Grade 12 learner, who is generous with her time and care. Over the years, Shifah has shown commitment in her service in several areas including the Oncology Ward at Red Cross Childrens’ Hospital and the Helen Keller Society in Pinelands. Shifah has been a regular visitor to an old age home in her area where she brushes the residents’ hair and arranges birthday surprises for them. She also volunteers at the reception desk of an Ashram every week and has been part of the First Aid Team on duty at sports events at the school.

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Her warm tone and bubbling enthusiasm made everyone in the Kemp Hall auditorium listen intently. Dr Magona used humour to great effect when she stepped away from the podium to reveal her petite frame and said “While everyone else was growing, I was doing other things.”

She spoke boldly about life and advised how she believed it ought to be led. The spontaneous, narrative-style of her address was both refreshing and enchanting. Dr Magona discussed the concepts of “founders” and “celebration” in turn. She explained how all babies are born with their hands positioned in fists. This she used as a basis for a metaphor to show how everyone brings with them gifts, or talents, into the world. Dr Magona insisted that it was everyone’s responsibility to live a life of quality so that, 119 years in the future, others can benefit from previous positive contributions made to the world.

“The best way to remember the founders of Rustenburg is to respect the traditions of this prestigious school,” she said. Dr Magona encouraged the learners to be deeply thankful for the calibre of education which Rustenburg provides.

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Founders’ Day Tea The 2013 School Magazine Committee enjoyed the company of many very special Rustenburg Old Girls at the Founders’ Day Tea on 25 January. Many questions were asked and met with responses which drew on tender and poignant memories of long-ago school life.

Ms Pru Kotze (née Godlonton) was particularly excited as this was her first Founders’ Day Ceremony. Highlights for her were reuniting with old friends and, she proudly boasted, only three members of her own Matric class had passed away. Ms Kotze said that her favourite subject was Geography, her favourite teacher was Miss Dale and that she was impressed now seeing curtains hanging in many of the classrooms.

Ms Lynn McCallum (née Cordeaux) was also attending her first Founders’ Day assembly and enjoyed the tea in the Thomson Hall which had been built since she left the school. Ms McCallum vividly remembers Miss Reed, who taught her favourite subject – Biology.

Keeping it in the family From left: Emma McCrindle, Ms Pat McCrindle (née Butler), Samantha McCrindle

The 119th Rustenburg High School Founders’ Day was a family event for the McCrindles. Pat McCrindle (E 1952) and her granddaughters, Samantha McCrindle and Emma McCrindle, were all present for this commemoration of Rustenburg’s beginnings, and came together for a quick family photograph. Pat enjoyed revisiting the school where she not only studied, but taught as a music teacher. This explains her appreciation of the singing and music which formed part of the Founders’ Day assembly. Both Pat and Samantha agree that the highlight was the guest speaker, Dr Sindiwe Magona, who impressed them with her authenticity and wisdom. They are now proud owners of Dr Sindiwe’s poetry book. Pat loves her old school, and makes an effort to come to every music concert. Samantha believes her grandmother would “build her house on the hockey field, if she could.” Samantha, in Grade 10, is highly involved in many aspects of the school, including sport, music and the RCL (Representative Council of Learners). Her sister, Emma, is just settling into her Grade 8 year. It is wonderful to see these three Rustenburg girls and the bond they share. Hopefully the McCrindles will continue to be a part of the school, and of many Founders’ Days to come.

Ms Masterson (née Solomon) found the relaxed, happy atmosphere of the school particularly pleasurable. She also found the diversity of cultures at Rustenburg encouraging. Ms Masterson, who sent her own daughters to the school, expressed a wish for Rustenburg girls to put their education to use and contribute to South Africa, rather than move overseas.

Ms June Sylvester (née Perkins) is regular at Founders’ Day assemblies.

She has not missed one since she matriculated. Ms Sylvester still visits her favourite teacher, Miss Coles (now Mrs Coaten), who is now over 90.

Ms Sylvester sent her own daughters to the school and her granddaughters also attended Rustenburg. Over the years, she has been impressed with how well the school prepares girls for life after school and hopes this continues.

Ms Pat Irish-Pells (E 1950) fondly remembered Mrs Berrisford and studying French at school. Ms Irish-Pells was impressed with how mature and composed present Rustenburg seemed. She enjoyed seeing that the photographers were students. She was sure that she would watch Rustenburg go from strength to strength in the future.

Ms Sally-Anne Merriweather (E 1996) attended her first Founders’ Day assembly this year. She said German was her favourite subject, which she took with Ms Fourie. The new upper level of the library stood out as a new feature of the school to Ms Merriweather, especially as she was a library monitress from 1992 to 1996. The relaxed atmosphere of the school also stood out to Ms Merriweather and she was pleased that the girls all seemed to enjoy Rustenburg.

Ms Amanda Barrett (E 1989) smiled when she heard the bell ring, as it was exactly the same as when she attended the school. This was Ms Barrett’s first Founders’ Day in fifteen years as she has been living in London and works for Barclays. She is proud of Rustenburg and wishes for its reputation of excellence to continue.

Keeping it in the family Ms Sarah Keevy, who joined the Rustenburg staff as an English teacher this year, may have gone to rival school Herschel, but her family has a long association with Rustenburg. Her great grandmother, Ms Gwendolyn Searle taught at the school. Ms Keevy’s mother, Ms Linda Keevy (née Jeffery) is an Old Girl and matriculated in 1966. Together they attended the 2013 Founders’ Day celebration.

Ms Rheina Epstem felt that Founders’ Day demonstrated how, even though the school has transformed, the essential values have remained the same. While reflecting on her favourite subjects at school, Ms Epstem commented that she has realised as she has grown older that she was lucky to have teachers for whom teaching was a pleasure and not only an occupation. Ms Alice Alan was the teacher who had the most impact on Ms Epstem’s life.

Linda thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and caught up with some old boarding house friends. She commented that the girls look just the same as they did in her day. She marvelled at how much the school had changed yet stayed the same. This was brought home when she visited her daughter’s English classroom. It was a room in which she had spent a few years herself, but now also boasted a computer, data projector and screen.

The biggest difference for Ms Linda Keevy was meeting principal, Ms Bekker, who greeted her with a hug, welcoming her back to Rustenburg.

She could not help but say, “You’re not at all like Ms Thomson!”

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Founders’ Day Description: 25 January 2013 The scuffling of shoes and loud squeals of chairs against polished wooden floorboards reverberated around the enormous hall as the congregation of blue schoolgirls rose up like a wave off the ground in tribute to Founders’ Day. The dim rumblings escalated to a veritable roar in accompaniment to the stately procession of honoured guests ascending the elevated stage. The sound then died away as the delightfully rotund figure of the headmistress, black academic gown billowing, approached the golden-pine shell of the lectern and gave permission for the sea of cerulean dresses to sink to the floor.

The perpetually friendly face, framed by a bob of dark chestnut hair, leaned eagerly towards the microphone. Her deep, melodious voice filled my ears as her crimson lips enunciated each word in a slow, purposeful manner before gliding easily into a wide Cheshire cat grin, punctuating the end of each sentence.

The hot morning sun was already streaming in through the lofty windows of the high-ceilinged room and bathed the pastel walls in a warm, yellow glow. An Old Girl on stage, with an elaborate hat of snowy feathers, scratched her nose delicately. My thoughts strayed from the rich and resounding voice of the speaker to the hall around me: to the faint chemical smell of floor polish that hung in the air, and the beams of light picking out the gleam of the wooden panels of the stage.

The traditional review of the school’s fine history aside, the headmistress lifted an arm of introduction to a small-framed woman with chocolate coloured skin and a mane of frizzy ebony hair. The fine papery wrinkles around this woman’s mouth crinkled and mischievous eyes laughed as her gravelly grandmother-voice drew peals of laughter from the enraptured audience.

My joints starting to stiffen uncomfortably and limbs begin to prickle with sharp stabs of pain, I shifted feverishly against the overlapped legs of the tightly-packed row. The heavy, stagnant air hung like a dense summer blanket around us, triggering a trickle of warm liquid to run down my back. The navy polyester lining of my blazer clung to my sticky, damp skin. The intense heat caused all the words to blend into each other and wash meaninglessly over me.

The tall, angular figure of the choir mistress appeared and, as she gestured for us to rise, I could not suppress a sigh of gratitude as I stood to stretch my cramping legs. The music swelled, filling the space with rich harmonies and the hearts of the singers with pride for their beloved school. As the final trilling notes of the school song faded, the familiar deep voice of the headmistress dismissed the audience. A mass of schoolgirls spilled out of the hall. A dull thud of footsteps echoes as the last few pupils disappeared out of the doors.

Founders’ Day Description: Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven hundred and seventy pairs of shuffling feet make their way across scuffed wooden floors. Seven hundred and seventy pairs of feet wear chunky, regulation black shoes which stomp to a sudden halt and prepare themselves to sit in silence. Seven hundred and seventy pairs of identical feet wait side by side. A sea of pale blue dresses rises, with one accord, to begin the celebration that is Founders’ Day. A teacher whips her head around with a thunderous scowl on her face, searching for the daredevil who had the audacity to whisper a word.

The culprit quickly bows her head. Her eyes dart around. Her lips turn up slightly at the sides.

A chorus of female voices join in to sing hymns sung by countless generations before. The light of day shines through thick windows embedded high in the walls. Dust swirls in the heavy air, pulsating with the sound of harmonious voices. My mouth mimes the lyrics of a particular hymn as the note reaches a pitch too high for my voice box and ears to bear.

My school dress rustles as I readjust my body to accommodate my stiff back. The biting chill of the wall next to my warm cheek helps to keep me awake.

The bravest ones risk quick glances at wrist watches. A sigh is momentarily suppressed and arms are re-folded with the realisation of how much time has passed.

Restrained breaths are exhaled and emerge as heavy sighs of frustration. Eyes are cast around for another pair which holds the same emotion as they do – restlessness. Once found, eyebrows are raised and eyes roll heavenwards, searching for help or cool. The speaker announces, “We are today joined by members of the class of 1997 – and 1957 – and 1954.”

Heads are bowed and supported by clammy hands. Drowsy eyes become alert when a new speaker attempts to capture the attention of the audience. Half-hearted laughter punctuates the atmosphere of solemnity.

I surrender my attempt to sit gracefully and lean forward to rest my elbows on my knees and cup my face in my hands. The bare skin of my arms no longer touches that of the arm resting next to me. The heat of seven hundred and seventy gridlocked bodies on a midsummer’s day infuses with the sweet, flowery smell of feminine spray permeating the hall.

Then, in one swift movement, the pale blue dresses all rise. Backs are twisted around to relieve tension. Doors are flung open and light shines through them, making them seem like glorious gateways. Seven hundred and seventy eager feet make their way through them. As their footsteps fade into the distance, another seven hundred and seventy ambitious young minds form part of the history of our school.

Lauren Denny (Grade 12)

Oriana Esau (Grade 12) RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

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RUSTENBURG OLD GIRLS’ UNION

Ms Marian Lennox served Rustenburg for 38 years

10 Years of Service to Rustenburg

In 2009 Ms Bekker initiated a new tradition: at Founders’ Day those teachers who had offered ten years of service to Rustenburg would be publicly thanked for their loyalty and congratulated. This year the school applauded the dedication and expertise of Ms Maileen Jamey of the Music Department.

In attendance at Rustenburg’s 119th Founders’ Day Celebrations was Ms Marian Lennox. Ms Lennox served Rustenburg dutifully for 38 years.

She worked under five headmistresses during her time at the school as deputy principal. Ms Lennox, among many things, is known for her passion for history. She spent much time trying to make lessons more interesting for her students. She is remembered as being dependable, conscious of the school’s name and its traditions and having a sense of duty and loyalty to the school. Ms Lennox also donated, in 2005, the Lennox Trophy for all-round excellence in Grade 9.

Ms Jamey was appointed as a member of the Music staff at Rustenburg in 2003, after a successful teaching internship at Rustenburg in the previous year. She was designated to teach the piano, guitar, keyboard, subject Music, theory and direct the guitar ensemble. With her special interest in the keyboard (a new instrument in the school curriculum at that time), she formed an active and very capable Keyboard Ensemble. The ensemble was awarded a cash prize and Gold Medal for the Most Outstanding Keyboard Ensemble at the Cape Town Eisteddfod in 2009. Various guitar and keyboard pupils, as well as her guitar and keyboard ensembles were invited to perform or receive prizes at the Cape Town Eisteddfod Prizewinners’ concerts from 2009 2012. In 2007, a guitar pupil achieved the highest practical mark in a Trinity Guildhall (Grade 1– 5) examination in Cape Town.

As Ms Jamey’s interest in teaching developed, she took over the running of the busy portfolio of the Music Society, which involved co-ordinating the committee, arranging lunchtime concerts and talks, supervising the smooth-running of all the Music Department’s events and concerts and liaising with the Music Parents’ Fundraising committee.

She also assists Ms Sole with the training of the General Choir and in choreographing various choruses from the musicals. More recently, she has been involved in the sorting and distribution of the gifts and provisions received at the Carol Service to various charities, ranging from infants, teenagers to the elderly.

Notwithstanding her busy teaching portfolio at Rustenburg, Ms Jamey has continued to develop her skills in dance, qualifying as a dance teacher with the South African Dance Teachers’ Association (SADTA), achieving High Honours in the (SADTA) Hip Hop examination levels 1–5 and Colours’ level, Distinction in the pink and blue levels in the TDA medal tests in 2009–2011, Distinction in the Grade 3 Spanish dance examination in 2004, placed second at the Cape Town National Hip Hop championships in 2011 (small group division), and placed in the final round at the TDA Eisteddfod in 2011 and 2012 (Hip Hop small group). She has also taken various courses through UNISA: Christian counselling and Educating the Gifted Child (2007), Inclusive Education (2009–2010). Ms Jamey is currently studying towards a BA in Education and Psychology through ICP.

WP Touch Rugby Champions

From left: Jeanne-Marie Forcioli (E 1994 and RGJS teacher), Neda Isaacs (E 2012), Brionne Frankish (née Ricketts, E 2004), Ms Gillian Blackshaw (Deputy Principal), Danielle Ferrar (Matric 2009) and Ms Zaandré Theron (teacher).

The Senior Inter-provincial Touch Rugby Tournament was held at Stellenberg High School on 21-23 March 2013. Western Province had many Rustenburg representatives in the various teams.

The WP ladies team beat Western Cape, Eastern Gauteng, Gauteng and Northern Gauteng in the round robin of the tournament, losing only one game to KZN. WP convincingly won their semi-final against Eastern Gauteng and faced KZN in the final. The final was a tough battle and extremely exciting to watch. At the end of the game the scores were tied 2–2.

This meant that the teams had to play a drop off (after each minute a player from each team leaves the field and play continues until a team scores a try). The game went down to four players per team when WP scored the winning try.

The WP Ladies team have now won the Inter-provincial tournament for seven consecutive years.

RGHS MAGAZINE 2013

118

Farewell to Ms Dowdall Ms Dowdall’s most recent unbroken stint at Rustenburg began in 1997, although she has worked intermittently at the school since April 1978 when she was known as Ms Kell.

She left briefly to raise two very successful children but she has been one of the pillars of our school for over 30 years.

There are no words to describe the void that she will leave in her wake.

There have been numerous changes since Ms Dowdall joined the profession and she has taken every one in her stride. Enter computers, cell phones, iPods and iPads.

Mark books became spreadsheets and teachers were called educators. In the new South Africa, girls of all races became Rustybugs. A common thread when speaking to women who were taught by her or did their practical teaching training under the tutelage of Ms Dowdall, is how modern and trendy she was, a fashionably-dressed breath of fresh air for Rustenburg. Times have changed but she remains as innovative as ever.

Ms Dowdall has moulded generations of girls into successful women, many of them professional businesswomen who have made their mark on the world. Her spontaneity, positive attitude and never-say-die approach to life is infectious and her protégés have proved themselves resilient and prepared when they enter tertiary institutions.

Kind, sympathetic and unprejudiced, Ms Dowdall provides support for all. She knows the girls in her care and keeps track of past pupils and their achievements by reading, attending exhibitions and lectures. She is tireless in her goal

to provide information to girls about future careers, gap years, scholarships and tutoring, often working late into the night.

Ms Dowdall is the epitome of style and grace. Her intelligence and astounding general knowledge are not to be underestimated. She is well travelled and an avid reader with great and varied interests. She can talk objectively and knowledgeably on a great many subjects and her classes are testament to that.

Hats off to a humble, courageous lady who has serenely weathered the huge changes associated with the role of a school counsellor. Originally the position included individual counselling and career guidance. It has morphed into Life Orientation, a full blown compulsory subject with exam papers to set and a marking load to match. It has theoretical and practical components resulting in Ms Dowdall’s fairly recent launch as teacher of several dance genres, yoga, games and jaunts around the school grounds and surrounding areas.

Our staffroom will not be the same without Ms Dowdall. We will miss her willingness to lend a helping hand anywhere, anytime, her intuitive, empathetic nature, her generosity, her quick wit and sense of humour. Were we to have room enough in this publication, be assured that the pupils past and present would fill it with their tributes.

Ms Jackie Weston

Farewell to Mr Murison Mr Chris Murison retired from as the Headmaster of Rondebosch Boys’ High School in 1997. Rustenburg Principal, Ms van Blerk, asked him to help out teaching Mathematics at the school for six months. He agreed and ended up staying for 15 years. Now he has decided to retire once more.

Mr Murison is, at heart, a teacher. He passed on his own love of knowledge and especially of Mathematics to his students. A favourite portrait of his is of the back of a girl’s head. His teaching ambition was to capture her attention and get her to turn around. He loves problems, crossword puzzles, detective stories and TS Eliot’s poetry. He thrills at seeing a new angle to a piece of Mathematics. Young teachers who visit his classes find his natural approach to the subject somehow opens doors for those he teaches.

They have sat mesmerised by his engaging manner.

He can always be distracted to discuss Mathematics that is outside the realm of the syllabus, but interesting.

Mr Murison was at Rustenburg almost full-time, although he was in a part-time post. He founded the 12 Club for Grade 12 girls who took turns to present topics of their own interest to the other members. His special portfolio at the

school was training the girls who took part in the various Mathematics Olympiads and competitions. He also taught each of the Grade 8 classes and the top Grade 9 Mathematics classes once a cycle, and challenged them beyond the content of the syllabus. He was involved in the organisation the annual UCT Mathematics competition. He has also been a senior examiner for Matric Mathematics for many years.

For Mr Murison, Friday was the day when it was his pride to wear his Rondebosch Old Boys’ tie. On Thursdays he sported his Tweetie tie or other cartoon ties, many given to him by learners who appreciated his quirky delight in comic things. Each of the other days a more conventional tie got a showing.

He will be missed by his colleagues for his collegiality and for his tasty fudge. We will miss his sport comments and Mathematical discussions over a cup of coffee. The girls will miss “the Professor”, as he was called by one of the Grade 8s.

Ms Bridget Cameron

Farewell to Ms Jepson In December 2013, sadly we bade farewell to Mrs Jepson (née Miller) who was appointed to the Music Department at Rustenburg in 2011 on the retirement of Ms Davis. She took over the running of the Jazz Band, Jazz Combo and Wind Band with great ease, having specialised in Jazz studies at UCT. The saxophone section expanded upwards and downwards, adding a soprano and baritone to the ensemble. We witnessed her MMus degree in the same year as her appointment and early in the following year, her wedding to Mr Stuart Jepson. Ms Jepson continued in Ms Davis’ footsteps by taking members of the Jazz Band each year to the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival in Grahamstown and performing in the Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festivals.

In 2012, the Jazz Band was invited to appear on the SABC Expresso Morning Show and in 2013 at the V&A Waterfront Battle of the Bands Competition. The Jazz Combo achieved third place in the National Ensemble Competition in Stellenbosch in 2011 and in 2013, the Jazz Band was awarded a Gold Diploma in the Cape Town Eisteddfod. Ms Jepson wishes to spend more time performing, but will continue to teach on a part-time basis. We wish her well in her future endeavours and thank her for her dedicated and inspiring contribution to the Music Department.

Ms Elizabeth Sole

INNES CAMBRIDGE MARCHAND BLEBY MICHIEL VOS

SCHOOL VISION At Rustenburg High School for Girls learners are taught to lead courageously, explore their unique potential confidently and serve the world compassionately.

RUSTENBURG HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Phone: (021) 686 4066 Fax: (021) 686 7114 E-mail: info@rghs.org.za Address: Camp Ground Road, Rondebosch, 7700