STUTTERHEIM: ON Monday, THREE pupils THREE pupils – LAST weekend
What a whirlwind of a week! There was rugby and fishing and festivals and celebrations and restorations. First restorations: the traffic department is open again. A week after it was reported that it had been closed for so long, it was opened last Wednesday. It was with great exuberance that many in Stutterheim were able to apply for and collect licences and PDPs, and make appointments which have been months overdue.
six grade 11 physical science pupils travelled to Makhanda for a day of the SciFest Africa festival. In a jam-packed day full of fun, learning and experimentation, the pupils were exposed to the wonders of the natural world and the possibilities of the scientific disciplines. They attended the laser show which filled the smoky air of the Guy Butler Theatre with brilliant light, amazing young and old. After this they wandered around the exhibits, taking particular interest in those of astronomical nature, and then seeing a show entitled Tree of Life which tackled such important issues as evolution, conservation and racial prejudice. If we are all connected through the tree of life, then how can we destroy fellow species and degrade fellow members of our own species based on outdated classifications of life? After a short tour of the cathedral and High Street, they had lunch and attended their last workshop in the many uses of spectroscopy and they even made their own spectroscopes with which to test the theory (though it is doubtful whether they will be using these to calculate the age of the universe!). All was silent in the bus home as everyone was mentally and physically exhausted.
from Stutterheim High School have excelled this athletics season. Asithandile Ntongana (grade 7) has been selected to represent the Eastern Cape at the SA athletics championships that will be held in Boksburg. Asithandile represented Amatole West at the Eastern Cape athletics champs in Cradock, where she came first in the shot put. Dominique van der Westhuizen (grade 9) and Lechanté Pearce (grade 8) were both selected to represent the Amathole District at NMU in Port Elizabeth at the senior provincial athletics champs. Unfortunately, neither of them will attend the national championships, but they have gained valuable experience, and displayed great tenacity and determination. Lechanté was competing in an age group above hers and will have another chance next year of making this high jump team. Dominique has showed a natural flair for shot put and will be able to apply all that she has learnt in improving her performance next year.
Shanice Ihenfeldt, Konwaba Putsu and Zokhanyo Kweleta – were privileged to attend the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Camp) with 70 other pupils from the province. The camp was held at the Thomas Baines Nature Reserve near Makhanda and the feedback proved that this camp was not only well-organised, but epitomised camaraderie, fellowship and interaction between people from different walks of life. They left on Thursday morning and arrived home, exhausted and exhilarated, on Sunday. Being part of such an established and globally-orientated organisation as Rotary has proved to be beneficial to pupils at so many levels and they are proud to be part of the Interact Club which aligns itself with Rotary International.
the Amatola Bass Classic took place at the Stutterheim Aquatic Centre. In the wind and rain the anglers put their best feet forward for the sake of sport and in the hope of catching “the big one”. The winner was Peter Brown with a weight of 2.8kg, Bresby du Preez caught the second largest at 2.075kg and in third place was Justin Vockerodt at 2.04kg. In the women’s section Erin Lentz was third with 830g. Nine juniors and seven women took part.