South African school kids ‘reach for stars’ at HQ

BY ANIM VAN WYK (SKAO)

Staff at SKAO HQ were given a “riel” treat during a visit by a group of South African students.

Eight pupils aged nine to 12 from the Elizabethfontein Primary School in South Africa’s Cederberg region showcased a riel dance – a traditional celebratory dance in South africa –in the shadow of the Lovell Telescope in June.

Elizabethfontein children performed three dances as a thank-you, including the traditional “riel” dance.

SKAO

The performance had echoes of the SKA-Mid construction commencement ceremony in December last year, when a sunset riel dance was performed by the Kareeberg Cultural Association with MeerKAT’s dishes silhouetted beyond.

The children were visiting due to the Elizabethfontein Primary School being twinned with the primary school in Goostrey, SKAO HQ’s neighbouring village. During their visit, Afrikaans-speaking colleagues were able to explain to the four boys and four girls about how the electromagnetic spectrum and radio telescopes work. There was also a tour of Jodrell Bank’s First Light Pavilion visitor attraction and a viewing of a planetarium film narrated by the Lord of the Rings actor, Andy Serkis.

Elsewhere, SKAO Product Assurance Engineer Monique Marinus, who is from a town in South Africa familiar to the children, recorded a message about how she landed a job at the SKAO; helping the children get inspired in pursuing careers in STEM.

To further their enthusiasm, the SKAO gifted the Elizabethfontein Primary School an optical telescope and a microscope to use in their science classes.

“Today felt like home with Afrikaans in Goostrey,” said Elizabethfontein teacher Mariëtte Kotzé.

“Our motto at school is ‘reach for the stars’ and today we were the stars.”

Mariëtte Kotzé and Annatjie Dames take receipt of a telescope gifted by the SKAO to the learners of Elizabethfontein school. The handover took place outside the Artscape theatre in Cape Town where the “riel” dance team were competing in a regional schools’ talent competition.

Elizabethfontein Primary School