WOR CE S T E R G I MNA S IU M
WOR C E S T E R G Y MNA S I UM
2017 KWARTAAL 1
Interview
THEORETICALLY SEAKING, THIS IS A
CONSPIRACY
TEACHER FILES Ms Keet, Mrs Snygans, Mrs Conradie Ms Mills, Mrs Jordaan, Mr Van Niekerk
Canwill, Shakirah & Eduard: What makes them tick?
Selfone ‘n Opvoedkunde Revolusie?
Redaksie JO ER NALISTE Redaktrise Ja comi Breytenba ch S ub-reda ktrise Emily Voig t Aneeq Ja cobs Bia nca du Plessis Enriq u é Wilson Helee n Ther on Kha nya Fa da na Kyle S tynd er Kyle Du venha g e Lea nd ri d u Toit Lona S u ka ni Ma ri Vlok Mikya ll Ha rris Simone Botha Trisha Bha wa m
FO TOGRAW E
Nicku s Venter Abyg a il Dra ke Ru th Pretor iu s Ga by Ja cobs Elma ri va n d er Westhu izen Lize Jou be rt Cha né Piena a r Ka yla va n Greu nen Lia m Wa ters Winona S wa nepoel Elsje-Ma rié Jo rd a a n Ja na Ma tthee Thoma s du Preez
W
Index Page 4
Page 16
Letter from the Editor
Teacher Files
Jacomi Breytenbach
Simone Botha & Kyle Stynder
Page 6
Page 18
Theoretically Speaking, This is a Conspiracy Amber Beukes & Heleen Theron Page 8
Cell Phones: WG’s Technology Revolution Jacomi Breytenbach Page 10
The Oscars comes to WG Mikyall Harris & Trisha Bhawan
Page 20
Interviews Bianca du Plessis, Leandri du Toit & Khanya Fadana
Page 22
How to Highschool
Doenit Soos Dirk: Be a Pro at Saving H2O
Aneeq Jacobs
Kyle Duvenhage
Book Review: A walk across the Sun
Page 12
Dealing with Depression Emily Voigt
Page 23
Lona Sukani
EDITOR’S Letter
There is a point at which transformation has to occur Peter Drucker The year is 1992... After a long storm of changes and transformations, where two schools were thrown together, Worcester Gymnasium had finally emerged, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. The school was slowly finding out who it was and the learners were slowly starting to unite and unify under this new and strange school. Everything w as well... Except one thing. Die leerders het geen manier gehad om rekord van al hierdie nuwe veranderinge en transformasies te hou nie. As hulle nie iets daaromtrent gedoen het nie, sou ‘n groot gedeelte van Worcester Gimnasium se kultuur en geskiedenis deur die branders van tyd weggewas gewees het. Daarom is daar besluit om die skoolkoerant, die Circum, te gebruik om met die pen al die nuwe gebeurtenisse aan te teken.
Now, 25 years later, the Circum is still keeping track of all the transformations happening in Worcester Gymnasium. Sometimes, it even undergoes transformations itself.
Because what good would a keeper of change be, if it didn’t adapt with its new environment? Hierdie kwartaal, net soos verlede kwartaal, is gekenmerk deur groot veranderinge in die Circum. Dit is eintlik onvermydelik, aangesien Worcester Gimnasium self so baie verander het. Ons het al hoe meer begin weg beweeg uit die donker era van flikkerende kerslig en veerpenne na die helder verligte tegnologiese era. Daarom het die Circum, wat alreeds aanlyn gepubliseer word, besluit om dit nog ‘n stappie verder te vat. So, in Januarie 2017 het Worcester Gimnasium se Circum hulle eie blog begin! Die blog is beskikbaar by wgcircum.blogspot.co.za . Gaan kyk gerus daarna.
Furthermore, the term flew by with tons of other changes. The matrics had to get used to the idea that almost everything they did, like the colours gala, colours athletics and celebrating the school’s birthday, would be their last. The grade eights had to get used to a new school, with new traditions and new people, whilst trying to cope with the new work. Another spectacular change was the beginning of a brand new tradition, namely, the Oscars! This event was highly anticipated and didn’t disappoint at all. I am sure that it will continue to change and evolve for many years to come. As ek nou terugkyk na die Circum se nederige begin, kan ek met trots sê dat dit oor die jare al vreeslik baie ontwikkel en verander het. Hy is al deur die hande van verskillende onderwysers en joernaliste, wat almal dit hulle verantwoordelikheid gemaak het om die interessante gebeurtenisse van daardie tyd aan te teken en so ‘n integrale deel van Gim se geskiedenis te bewaar. Not only are the events that took place this term interesting and exciting, but one day they will also form part of the rich and awesome culture of this amazing school. So, just a little warning... WHAT YOU READ HERE, COULD CHANGE HIS TORY.
We humans love drama, but we teenagers love it even more. We love it so much – that when we hear about it, our initial reaction is to tell somebody else about it, or when we don ’t get anybody to listen to us (because it ’s THAT boring) we have this urge to make something up in order for people to find our stories interesting.
There are a few conspiracy theories in this world that leave us as humans baffled, and there are a few that shock you to the core. So, read on with caution – or you’ll have strange things happen to you when you try to tell people about it.
JOU DERDE OOG Jou pineaalklier, ook bekend as jou ‘derde oog’ is nie meer ‘n geheim nie. Wat is die pineaalklier? Dit is ‘n piepklein klier gelee in die middel van die vertebratae brein, die vorm daarvan is soos die van ‘n dennepit en dit is heel moontlik die ongelooflikste klier wat jy het. Dit word jou derde oog genoem omdat al die strukture en eienskappe van die menslike oog het, sowel as die van ‘n klier. ‘n Pineaalklier wat by die regte frekwensies ingeskakel is kan jou na ‘n ander wereld toe neem, vir jou ‘n buite liggaamse ervaring gee en jou in staat stel om ander mense se gedagtes te lees en miskien beheer. Beide die Egiptinare en Romeine was baie bewus van hierdie klier, dit duik orals op in eeue-oue tekeninge en illustrasies. Waarom kan jy dit nie sommer nou aktiveer nie? Dit is nie net jare se Pepsi, Coke en tandepasta nie, selfs jou kos bevat die element Fluoor! Die pineaalklier verhard wanneer dit Fluoor absorbeer en kan dan nie behoorlik funksioneer nie.
“De-calcify the pineal gland with the detergent of imagination” ― Dean Cavanagh
The Men In Black Conspiracy Ever since the early 1950s, long before the first “Men In Black” movie hit the silver screen in 1997, men dressed in identical black suits, hats and sunglasses, claiming to be government agents, have reportedly shown up in black cars at the homes or offices of people who reported UFO sightings.
According to those who were paid these unwelcome visits, the MIBs threatened or harassed eyewitnesses into staying quiet about their UFO encounters. One of the most horrific encounters happened to a respected family physician, Dr Herbert Hopkins from Maine, America. He was home alone on September 11, 1976 and was studying a UFO incident that had occurred. The phone rang and a man’s voice identified himself as a representative of a New Jersey UFO organisation, which later turned out to be fake. “He wanted to know if he could come here and talk to me about the UFO case. He also asked if I was home alone, and not thinking anything about it, I said yes,” Hopkins told a reporter for a broadcast on NBC Radio.
When Hopkins walked from the phone to the door and turned on the light, the man was already coming up the steps towards his door. When the stranger came in, Hopkins was immediately struck by his appearance. “He wore a neatly tailored black suit, black shoes, black socks, a white shirt with a black tie, and he wore a black derby (a sort of hat they wore in the 1970s.) You don’t see derbies very often, and I thought to myself, ‘this guy looks just like an undertaker.’ “His lips were a ruby red, and he spoke in an expressionless, monotone, scanning speech. He constructed no phrases and sentences – just a sequence of words evenly spaced. His voice was completely passive with no inflection or intonation, as if you were hearing it from a machine that could talk.” According to Hopkins, this man sat motionless, and had grey-suede gloves on, and when he idly brushed his lips with the back of the glove – it was smeared with the red lipstick that was on his ‘lips’. Hopkins also says that this man had slits for lips – and the lipstick was put on as a decoy into fooling Hopkins into thinking that he was in fact, a real human.
This human impersonator also continued to do a strange thing – he told Hopkins to take out a coin, and instructed Hopkins to watch it. As he watched it, it developed a silver colour, instead of a copper one, and then became blue, and suddenly became fuzzy, out of focus, blurred, and then totally disappeared. Following this encounter, the stranger ordered Hopkins to destroy all information he had gathered about the UFO case, and as Hopkins was watching, this stranger’s speech started slowing down, and his words became slower and farther spaced. He slowly got to his feet, and clung tightly to take railing outside, placing both feet on each step, and then disappeared into a bright light around the corner from Hopkins’ house.
We may not be closer to knowing who or what the MIB really are, or where they originate from, but they are still out there and can knock on your door anytime, be it in the middle of the night, or during the day. Just watch out if you see a black Sedan coming your way, or if you see a man in all black, wearing a black hat, with red smeared lips. They might be on to you and they might pay you a visit real soon.
Are cell phones the smoke that will pollute our well-oiled technological machine? During the early 1800’s in England, some major changes were happening. Factories were popping up overnight, almost like toadstools, while more and more industries started to rise. This is commonly known as the Industrial Revolution. Avid history enthusiasts will be able to tell you that this Revolution changed the world forever. And while it succeeded in simplifying our lives greatly, it also had the drawback of polluting the whole of London with smoke that managed to escape from the factories. Wat die meeste mense nie weet nie, is dat die wereld en veral Worcester Gimnasium, nou ook besig is om ‘n Revolusie te ondergaan. Die Tegnologiese Revolusie. Met die e -leer, die interaktiewe witborde en Google Classroom wat ons aan die oneindigende moontlikhede van tegnologie bekend gestel het, is dit moeilik om negatief oor hierdie Revolusie te wees. Tog is daar steeds ‘n paar rokies wat ongemerk trek. Een van hierdie rokies, waaroor al menigmale gedebatteer is, is selfone. While most people are super excited about all the revolutionary changes that are happening in Gymnasium, there still seems to be a certain stigma about cell phones. Can they be used, like e -learning, as a useful learning tool? Or are they the smoke that is going to blacken the whole of Worcester Gymnasium? The Circum decided to do a survey with 18 grade 12 learners and 9 teachers to find out…
Die resultate van die leerders was soos volg:
Daar is bevind dat al 18 leerders hulle eerste selfoon tussen die ouderdom van 6 en 12 jaar gekry het. Dit wil sê dat daardie leerders al selfone vir 5 of meer jaar besit het.
11 van die 18 leerd ers spandeer vyf of meer ure, per dag, op hu lle self oon. Dit is + - 61 % van hulle dag!
16 uit die 18 leerders gebruik hulle selfone sonder toestemming in skooltyd, terwyl 8 uit die 18 leerders slegs hulle selfone met toestemming gebruik. Die oorblywende 6 gebruik glad nie hulle selfone in skooltyd nie.
Net 3 uit die 18 leerders se selfone w as al afgevat.
As daar die opdrag gegee word om iets vir akademiese doeleindes te google, sal 8 van die 18 leerders eers vinnig ‘n paar sms’e stuur, voordat hulle die opdrag uitvoer.
8 uit die 18 leerders gebruik hulle fone om foto’s van kennisgewingborde met belangrike inligting te neem.
So, according to this data, the learners of
Ons het ook die onderwysers gevra en
Worcester Gymnasium have had phones since Primary school! That’s an incredibly long time… They are therefore no strangers to cell phones.
hulle resultate was soos volg:
They grew up with this technology and, if they
9 uit die 9 ond erwysers voel baie positief oor die
want to, they can use it to benefit their academic
gebruik van selfone in die klas vir akademiese doel-
lives. According to the survey they spend most of
eindes. Hulle voel wel dat dit net gaan werk as leer -
their time on either Whatsapp or Instagram.
ders self verantwoordelikheid aanvaar en nie die situasie misbruik nie.
a very useful tool to give information about
9 uit die 9 sê hulle sal nie ‘n
homework or school-related events and
leerder se selfoon afvat as hy/sy
Instagram can be used to advertise the school and build unity amongst the learn-
foto’s van ‘n kennisgewingbord
ers. That is obviously the optimistic outlook.
neem nie, maar 6 voel dat die
You always get the few fire-starters, the
leerder eers moet toestemming hê
ones who are the cause of all the smoke…
voordat hy wel foto’s neem.
This is not necessarily bad. Whatsapp can be
The results show that a lot of the students
7 uit die 9 sal ni e ‘n leerder se selfoon afvat as dit afgaan in die klas nie, maar net as hulle kan sien dat dit regtig ‘n ongeluk was.
still use their phones for non-academic purposes. Yet, the survey also showed that, when
push comes to shove, 9 out of the 18 learners use their phones for Google Classroom (even though it might not be the most popular way to spend
their phone-time.) Volgens die resultate kan ‘n mens aflei dat die onderwysers redelik positief is oor die gebruik van selfone vir akademiese doeleindes. Die oorgrote meerderheid van hulle voel dat dit regtig ‘n verskil kan maak, indien dit goed bestuur word. The research shows that most learners will take advantage of the situation, but
that doesn’t mean the teachers should stop being positive about all the technological changes- cell phones included. In the end, learners will be on
their phones, no matter what you do. Die leerders wat egter hulle selfone vir akademiese doeleindes gebruik, gaan ongelooflik voordeel daaruit trek. So, while the smoke of cell phones is not obscure and might never
completely vanish, every Revolution has its pros and cons. We must embrace the change and adapt so that our lungs are well-equipped to deal with the occasional smoke that comes our way…
Deur Kyle Duvenhage
A lot of people ask me, “Dirk, how can I save water during the drought?� So I went to speak to my good friend, Suzelle, to get some tips about saving water. That is why I am going to show you how to be water wise, guys!
Build a buried pot garden Put your plantjies in pots and plant the pots beneath the ground. Water won’t go to waste and your plantjies might even grow faster. Double whammy!
Depression is not just a “mood” you are in that passes. It is also not a sign of weakness. It is a mental disorder that makes you feel dejected and despondent. Often people think it is just a phase and that you can “pull yourself together” and move past it, but depression can last months if you don’t get appropriate help or treatment. Luckily, there is light at the end of the tunnel for people living with depression. There are many ways in which you can get help and even give yourself some self-help.
Symptoms of depression:
Loss of emotional expression
Persistently sad or anxious
Withdrawing socially
Guilt
Sleep disturbance
Thoughts of death and suicidal attempts.
Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable or interesting
Low energy level
Here are just a few tips you can use if you are suffering from depression:
Daily doses of sunlight When possible, go outside and soak up a bit of sun. Being in the sun is an underestimated tip, but besides for getting in some Vitamin D, it can help boost serotonin levels and improve your mood without you realising it.
Listen to upbeat music Happy, upbeat music alters brain chemistry and can lift your mood. This type of music can instantly create a more positive vibe.
Challenge your thinking Having depression can give you negative thoughts about many things. It can make you doubt yourself and make you feel like you are worthless. These thoughts and attitudes are known as cognitive distortions and they are simply ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn't really true. They can become habits you don’t even realise. Try to
What is depression?
According to medicinenet.com depression is an illness th body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way a pers feels about himself or herself, and thinks about t
look at these thoughts and question them. Ask yourself: What would I tell a friend if they had this same thought? Where is the evidence that this is true? Is there another way of looking at this situation? Once you take a look at these thoughts, they just don’t seem to add up and they become illogical. Your perspective becomes more balanced and you can start recognising these thoughts if they come along again and remember why they weren’t true.
Stay connected and reach out With depression, even reaching out to family can be challenging. You could have a tendency to withdraw and isolate yourself from people. Social isolation is linked to a greater risk for heart attacks, high blood pressure, eating disorders etc. This is exactly the opposite of what you need to recover from depression. Social interaction is absolutely essential to your recovery. Being connected to other people and the world will make a difference to your outlook and mood. Just being around people, for example sitting in a coffee shop and getting work done, is said to already lift your mood. This can be a small step to becoming more social. Order food from your waiter, next you can compliment the cashier and so you can slowly regain your confidence again. Remember that things take time, take small steps and don’t be too hard on yourself.
Types of Depression
Major depression
Persistent Depressive Disorder
Peripartum (postpartum) depression
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Atypical depression
Psychotic depression
Bipolar disorder
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
a day. You can add doodles and get creative. This provides distraction from your negative thoughts and one day when you can’t find anything to be positive about, you can page back and look through your book of doodles.
Don’t give up Although the above-mentioned tips can be effective, everyone is different and different things work for different people. Depression that perseveres should be investigated further by a professional to speak about steps into the future in the right direction. It is okay for you to take time out by yourself, but give yourself a time limit and then start to do something to improve your mood.
Start a journal
Everyone has heard about writing in a journal. One day you can look back at the things that have happened in your life. Sometimes it can be hard, though. You forget and don’t always journal every day. However, you can use your journal in many other ways. You can use it to write down your worries and fears. Brain scans showed that putting feelings down on paper reduces activity in a part of the brain called the amygdala, which is responsible for controlling the intensity of our emotions. You hat involves the therefore can reduce the intensity of feeling sad. You can alson eats, sleeps, so use it to write down a few hings. things that made you happy in
A few places where you can get help
The South African Depression and
Anxiety Group 24 hour helpline 0800 12 13 14
Clinical social worker
Mental health specialist e.g. therapists, psychologists
Your family doctor or intern
Community mental health centres
Private clinics and facilities
PUNT High
RUGBY o.1 9A wen 48 - 0 0.19B wen 29 - 12 o.19C wen 15 - 13 o.16A wen 38 - 5 o.15A wen 26 - 7 o.14A wen 64 - 0
GIRLS’ HOCKEY u.18A win 2 - 0 u.18B win 2 - 0 u.16A win 3 - 2 u.16B lose 0 - 2 u.14A win 5 - 0
h SCHOOL
NETBAL o.1 9A verloor 14 - 29 o.19B verloor 8 - 16 o.19C verloor 7 - 13 o.17A wen 29 - 9 o.17B wen 27 - 0 o.16A verloor 10 - 23 o.16B wen 13 - 7 o.15A wen 23 - 7 o.14A wen 21 - 7 o.14B wen 9 - 8 o.14C wen 13 - 1
BOYS’ HOCKEY u.18A win 4 - 0 u.16A win 2 - 0 u.14A win 5 - 0
There’s a thing about teachers. Even though they stand in front of you every day at school, there is an air of mystery about them. You have questions...what was their youth like? Does she have a tattoo? What’s her favourite song? Is he a spy? You want to know, but you’re too afraid to ask (right?). Well, thankfully for you, we aren’t.
We interviewed six teachers and asked them some silly, funny and weird questions. You can finally find out what you’ve always wanted to know (probably). Can you cook? Of course I can. Favourite dishes to make? Curry with basmati rice and sambal (with lots of dhanya). Dance level (1-10 or expert)? Not an expert at all! I can feel the beat/rhythm so I’ll say 6...?
Best joke off the bat? My best friend in high school is to blame. She once told me a joke. Sê gou “Nartjie”. So I said “Nartjie”. So she said “Jou ouma eet die skil.” Lame, I know, but it’s been our joke ever since.
What is the worst pickup line you have ever heard? Ek is maar outyds jong...Ek’t my nie sommer laat opchat. Have you ever demolished a wall? Nee…. Nog nie. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets? Sunsets definitely. They are so calming. And sunrises are too bright.
Do you prefer blue or black pens? Blue. Black is for filling out official forms and I hate filling out forms! Have you ever wielded a sword? Only a kiddies toy one. Speaking of which, actually I think I’ve wielded a lightsabre. (So don’t mess with her) Do you think it is ok to wear socks with sandals? Eeeeeeeeeew!
By Simone Botha & Kyle Stynder What language is most interesting? Naturally my answer will be English...Irish English. What is a must on an off day? Friends, tea, outdoors and a good fire. What is the song on the radio that you always sing along to? Can’t Stop the Feeling! –Justin Timberlake.
Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? Not by myself, but I’ve been on the back of a few motorcycles. Have you ever thought of suing someone? No, never had the need before. Are you a good aim with a rubber band? Yes, of course. With three younger brothers, you quickly learn to defend yourself and to stand your ground. (Don’t mess with her either...)
Did you ever play in a band? In several. I started my first band when I was 15 and we were horrible! We actually received noise complaints from the neighbours. I played in various other bands for the next decade. What is the cleverest word you know? I like words like bamboozle and flabbergast because the sounds mimic the meaning in a weird way (for me at least).
Who would you like to meet? I’d like to meet Donald Trump at the moment, if for no other reason just to discover what his deal is.
After overcoming our fear of questioning them, their mysteries have been revealed! Thank you to all the teachers at Gym, those who participated and those who didn’t. We love and appreciate you.
Glitz,
glamour, awards and a red carpet! Worcester Gymnasium’s Oscars was surely a prestige event that no -one will soon forget. Considering the fact that this was the first time Worcester Gymnasium held an evening of its kind, it was impeccable! Everything just screamed Oscars, from the humorous categories and the creative Oscar figurines to the beautiful presentation. Since this was the first Oscars evening Worcester Gymnasium has held, the Circum ’s journalists went to dig a little bit deeper to get to know our organiser, nominees, presenters and award winners a little bit better.
WHY THE OSCARS? (MRS NEETHLING)
BEHIND THE SCENES (ASIPHESAND LERECIA MCPHERSON)
Why specifically an Oscars evening?
Why did you choose to be a presenter?
We wanted something fun, for the whole school to participate in. I’ve done Oscars at previous schools so knew what needed to be done.
Lerecia: For experience, to expand my knowledge and meet new people Asiphe: I’ve always found presenters so fascinating from the audience’s point o wanted to experience things from the p of view.
What was the idea behind the Oscars?
The idea was to build a bit of school spirit and give individuals who are often overlooked a chance to be seen. Coincidentally it fell right in the same week the real Oscars were held and we thought that it therefore would be a fun parody.
Lerecia: Anticipation and a little anxiety, but the Asiphe: Backstage was amazing! I got to befriend for the Oscars.
What are the funds generated going to be used for?
What was your favourite part of the Oscars overa
It will be used to build a play area at a local crèche. Their current recreational resources are limited and worn out and climbing and playing is a cardinal point in a child’s development. So we hope to change about sixty kids’ lives by providing them with a better chance at having fun while learning.
Lerecia: I really can’t judge, everything was just s ing had its own uniqueness. Asiphe: The smiles on everyone’s faces. It was tru
What will you differently in the years to come?
What was the atmosphere like backstag
WALKY TALKY (JAVON CUPID
We are hoping to do voting electronically and discover more of WG’s hidden talent by allowing learners to submit their videos of their talent. The school can then vote for the top five. These people would then have to perform on the night of the Oscars.
How do you cope with people constantly staring an legs?
Lastly, what was your favourite part of the Oscars overall?
Is the “good-looking legs” gene from your mom or d
When people actually bought tickets! The fantastic vibe of the night as well! The highlight is when I actually cried a little when the audience gave the teacher’s band a standing ovation.
I definitely got my legs from my mom. I guess I was b but it also takes hard work to develop and maintain have nice legs; I was just lucky to develop it easier d
Obviously it is nice to receive compliments, so it is co they can look at my legs, there is nothing that I can
WG SE EIE LOCNVILLE (IGNATIUS & NICOLAAS JORDAAN) “Like peas in a pod, cut from the same cloth, tarred with the same brush, a mirror image, birds of a feather, one of the same kind.” En ons twee halwes wat saam een heel vorm is: Nicolaas en Ignatius Jordaan! In watter opsigte is julle twee dieselfde, buitendien die feit dat julle ‘n tweeling is ? Ons doen meeste van ons daaglikse aktiwiteite saam. Ons al twee geniet rugby en om te “gym” en doen dit ook graag saam. Wat is die grootste verskil tussen julle twee? Ons persoonlikhede.
As jy jou broer kon verander, hoe sou jy hom verander? Ignatius: Die enigste ding wat ek sou verander is sy grootkoppigheid, buitendien dit sou ek niks anders verander nie, want dis hoe hy is en dit maak hom op sy eie manier spesiaal. Nicolaas: Ek sou wou hȇ hy moet nie altyd net aan himself dink nie en ek sou ook sy humuer verander.
E
)
JULEKA &
? general
much fun and of view so I just presenter’s point
ge?
other presenters made it really enjoyable. d people I wouldn’t even have met if it wasn’t
all and why?
so phenomenal and each aspect of the evenly a humbling experience.
DO )
d complimenting your
ool. And “kyk is vry”, so do about it.
dad?
blessed with good genes, n the legs. Anyone can due to me genes.
ROMEO & JULIET (THOMAS DU PREEZ & ABIGAIL DRAKE) Seeing as the theme of this category is “Romeo and Juliet”, I have to ask if your parents like each other? Thomas: Well only my mom has met her parents, not my dad, but yes. Abigail: My parents like his parents, I guess. Would you guys dramatically kill yourselves, like R&J, if your parents don’t agree with this relationship? Thomas: I would kill myself yeah, because if I can’t date you then what is the point of life? Abigail: No we’re not Romeo and Juliet; we would date secretly. (She expresses to Thomas how sweet his answer is by saying, “Auuw that’s so sweet” and hugging him.) What was the sweetest thing that you guys have done for each other?
Abigail: The time I surprised him at his house (Thomas immediately agrees). I was away for about a month and I was only supposed to come back (from holiday) the day after, but I surprised him a day earlier at his house. He was shocked for like an hour and a half after that!
Teacher's Pet
We all know that one person in class who all the teachers adore! They simply can't do anything wrong! Shakirah Williams is deur van die kinders in haar graad gekies as die alombekende "witbroodjie." Sy het n paar vrae, rakende hierdie opmerking, beantwoord. Beskryf jou verhouding met jou onderwysers. Respectful, polite and understanding.
It takes all sorts to make up a school, makes these individuals tick? Bianc Leandri du Toit and Khanya Fadana the brains of Shakirah William Klüsmann and Canwill Louw.
Dink jy onderwysers hou meer van die seuns of die dogters? Hoekom sê jy so? I think teachers try to be fair to both genders, but to be very honest, I think they like girls more. More girls have a considerate and polite nature, while many boys are more rash and don't always necessarily care to be considerate. Wat is jou raad aan leerders wat ook wil hê die onnies moet van hulle hou? ONTHOU: As jy nie van die onderwyser hou nie, gaan hulle nie van jou hou nie. BUT - and this goes both ways - there is NEVER a reason to be unkind.
Over-Achiever
Sou jy jouself as 'n "witbroodjie" beskou? No. I have never been put above someone else or said to be a teacher's "favourite", and I also don't seek favouritism. I just always try to be considerate and fair towards everyone. Het jou vriende al vir jou gese dat jy 'n witbroodjie is? Nope, no one has ever told me I am a teacher's pet (or at least not to my face). Also, if I was to be called a "pet", it would probably be one of the ChickenNuggetSquad, not a teacher. Is jou huiswerk altyd klaar? Ja, maar ek verstaan nie die doel van huiswerk nie. Ek doen dit net sodat ek nie agter raak met my werk nie. Huiswerk is eintlik werk wat in die klas behandel moes word. Nou gaan jy huis toe en sukkel vir ure met al jou huiswerk; kom jy by die skool is alles in elk geval verkeerd!
Wat is die stoutste ding wat jy al by die skool gedoen het? Dit gaan nou baie cliché klink, maar ek glo nie in wangedrag oor die algemeen nie. Ek is 'n voorbeeld van hoe my ouers my groot gemaak het, so ek sal alles in my vermoë doen om my gesinsnaam hoog te hou as dit kom by maniere. Het jy al 'n inskrywing gekry? By wie en hoekom? Nee, maar ek het amper een in graad agt gekry omdat ek vir iemand 'n high-five gegee het; hulle het 90% vir 'n toets gekry.
We all know that one kid who participates and succeeds in everything! How on earth do they manage to balance school work, sport, cultural activities and a social life while achieving superior results in all of the above? We interviewed our favourite over-achiever, Eduard Klüsmann, for some answers. Hoe belangrik is beplanning in jou lewe? Aangesien ek baie besig is, is beplanning ontsettend belangrik in my lewe. Ek moet gedurig my dag en week vooruit beplan, anders sal ek van baie goed vergeet en sou my tydsbesteding heeltemal verkeerd wees.
but what actually ca du Plessis, went out to pick ms, Eduard
Prioritising: academics, sport and culture? Ek glo jy moet 'n gebalanseerde leefstyl leef wat sport, kultuur, sosialisering en ontspanning, verryking en akademie insluit. Prioritisering is dus baie belangrik as jy by alles wil uitkom en goed vaar daarin. Die prioritisering van my aktiwiteite, hang af van die situasie waarin ek myself bevind soos byvoorbeeld as ek voorberei vir provinsiale proewe in 'n sport, sal dit bo sosialisering en ander dinge kom. Is die sleutel tot sukses werklik harde werk, of iets ander, bv. rou talent? Om sukses te behaal, gaan jy definitief hard moet werk, maar talent en goeie gene sal definitief jou 'n hupstoot gee. Harde werk is 'n relatiewe begrip en mense het hul eie idee oor wat dit beteken. Al is jy talentvol, moet jy nogsteeds die werk in sit om sukses te behaal. Hard work crushes talent when talent doesn't work hard. Gunsteling sport en hoogste prestasie daarin? Ek geniet al my sporte vreeslik baie en kan eintlik nie een kies nie, maar krieket is my nommer een somersport, waarin ek nou al elke jaar vanaf graad 4 Noord-Boland streekspan gespeel het. Hokkie is my gunsteling wintersport. My beste prestasie daarin is Boland o/14.
Doen jy slegs huiswerk indien dit nie eksamentyd is nie of doen jy ekstra werk? Ek sukkel om by my huiswerk uit te kom wanneer dit nie eksamen is nie en daar is nie regtig baie tyd vir ekstra werk nie. Ek sal gereeld Google om meer uit te vind oor die werk waarmee ons besig is of as ek iets nie heeltemal verstaan nie. Hoe kom jy by alles uit? Het jy enige vrye tyd? Deur beplanning, prioritisering, harde werk en goeie tydsbestuur, maak ek seker dat ek altyd by die belangrikste goed uitkom. Om die tweede vraag te beantwoord, ek gaan eers moet gaan Google om uit te vind wat "vrye tyd" is. Wat dink jy is die definisie van sukses? Dit is om die beste mens te wees wat jy moontlik kan wees en ander daardeur te beinvloed.
Badass I bring to you the lenses through which this badass,
C a n w i l l ‘Koenie’ Louw,
views life. We’ve peeled back the thousands of Badass layers to reveal a mommy’s boy who fears being shouted at and wants world peace – yes, no jokes. Who do you fear and why? Between Mr Gie and Mrs Schoeman I don’t know who takes the cake. Both know how to put someone like me in his place in a matter of 0.2 seconds – trust me, it can get scary. Who is your favourite teacher. My wiskunde onnie, Meneer Reichart. Unlike most of the teachers, he understands me and my humour. He is understanding without compromising his rules and I respect that about him. He doesn’t let prior situations get in the way of today, especially when I’m in trouble. What do you like about school. (smiles) Die sport, want ek geniet dit baie en elke keer as ek op die sportveld is voel ek vry.
Your biggest motivator is… My mom, I love her so much. She truly believes in my talents and capabilities. You could say I’m a mommy’s boy, but then again which boy isn’t? I’d like to say sorry to… Aan al die onnies - enough said. Are you planning on making any life changes to regain your matric status? At the moment I’m on probation, but every day, not only am I attempting to regain my matric status, but I’m also working towards regaining the trust of my parents and teachers. Do you truly believe you’re all that bad? Nee, glad nie. Ek is net anders, dis al. Your role model? Bob Marley, all he wanted was world peace and to unite us as people regardless of our differences. The Blue file system… …isn’t exactly working. Maybe they could try a detention system. Fridays after school from 2-5 o’clock. I know for a fact no one wants to be at school on a Friday afternoon – they will definitely see a change. I know for a fact that would be enough motivation for good behaviour.
High school is probably the most unpredictable 5 years of your life! Normally it’s these years that shape you into the person that you’ll be one day, so we decided to compile a few tips from The Wave on how they survived the couple of years.
1.
Expand your horizons. Make friends with diverse groups of people. Our school is well known for having students of various cultures and religions. Everybody has something to contribute to your growth as a person.
2.
Walk away from anyone/anything that makes you unhappy. If you are around people that make life miserable, you’ll become miserable. Don’t stay in the friendship and punish yourself. Just don’t.
3.
Embrace your emotions. This is one of the best things that you can possibly do. Embrace it, but control it; you’re simultaneously learning emotional intelligence.
4.
Don’t lose yourself. It’s super easy to become part of the trend, but if the trend is over, who are you? Stay level-headed.
5.
Don’t overthink things. It’s good to exercise your brain, but don’t overthink small things. Simplify life as far as possible. If something’s bothering you, address the situation immediately.
6.
Cake enlightens the mood. Friday is cake day. After a week of jam-packed academics, cake is like angels on your tongue, and in your tummy.
7.
The biggest tip that anyone can give you on surviving in Worcester Gymnasium is to never ever underestimate the value of a R2.
Although high school isn’t as easy as Troy, Gabriella and the rest of the wildcats made it seem, it’s still what you make of it that counts!
B OOK REVIEW : A WALK ACROSS THE S UN By Lona Sukani Author: Corban Addison Lawyer and human rights activists, Corban Addison, steps into the writing world, delivering a story that navigates cross -cultured romance, family devotion, grief, loss and modern day slavery into an exciting, disturbing and provocative tale about surviving the impossible and believing beyond hope. In Chennai, India, 17-year-old Ahalya and her 15-year-old sister, Sita, have their world literally washed away when their entire family is killed by a tsunami. In the aftermath, Ahalya knows that, if the sisters can get to their school in the city, they’ll be safe. However, not everyone is to be trusted and their trip to safety turns into a drive towards a darker danger as the girls are kidnapped and sold to a trafficking network. Meanwhile, in the US, ambition-driven lawyer, Thomas Clarke, is just managing to exist after the death of his daughter and the resulting disintegration of his marriage to Priya. When his firm offers him a year’s sabbatical, his only pause for the thought is in choosing the NGO. Having witnessed the kidnapping of a little girl in a local park, he decides to work for CASE, a charity dedicated to finding, returning and counselling kidnapped sex trade victims. The charity happens to be based in Bombay – the city in which Priya now lives. Nothing in the story feels fabricated and out of place.
Each character struggles to survive the circumstances they find themselves in. Ahalya and Sita have no control over or voice in what happens to them, but Thomas and Priya are privileged with both choice and means to manifest their deepest intentions – once they have figured out what those intentions are. Though Ahalya and Sita are bought and sold for sex (as thousands of girls and boys throughout the world) , it is clear that it is about violence, control and profit. Sex is the canal by which those that buy and sell others make their money. Sex trafficking is obviously a highly emotive subject. However, Addison seems to have made a conscious decision to under-write the emotional aspects. There is no garnished phrasing or long emoting paragraphs. Neither are there graphically described brutal sex-scenes. There is no need. The story is related in an almost factual manner, permitting the reader to use their own imagination and emotions. This works, and works powerfully, ensuring less is more indeed. The fact that Addison includes several different forms of trafficking and abuse to give the reader a thorough overview, didn’t dawn on me until the end as it’s so finely executed. This is a fast-paced thriller of the first order, which is sure to entertain, however, you’ll also learn. Stealthily, you’ll absorb information about the ease with which these girls can be transported from country to country, aided in some countries by the blind eyes of a proportion of corrupt law enforcement. You’ll learn how traffickers explain their “occupation”; they are ‘just’ businessmen fulfilling a need. You’ll share the frustration when the traffickers seem to be one step ahead of the rescuers. You’ll see that this is not a story with a fairytale ending. If you are inspired to read the book – don’t let the gem slip through your fingers. It will affect you long after you’ve read the last word. Visit the school’s library to find it.