Meet our Matric of the Year finalists

While most matric pupils are just trying to make it through their final school year and secure an aggregate that will allow them to access tertiary education, finalists in The Herald Matric of the Year competition are proving you can juggle books and extramural activities and succeed in all of them.

Alungile Ntandazo Mto,18, of the Holy Cross Education Centre in Mthatha, Lisakhanya Miyana, 18, of Ndyebo Senior Secondary School in Motherwell, Mia Swart, 18, of Collegiate Girls’ High School in Parsons Hill, Runelle Erasmus, 17, of Bertram Secondary School in Bethelsdorp and Lindelize Bester, 18, of Pearson High School in Summerstrand are big overachievers at their schools.

The five bright sparks form part of the 10 finalists in the prestigious 2019 competition, one of whom will take the title at the awards ceremony to take place at Savages Fine Food Restaurant on October 18.

The awards were launched in 1993 and have become a sought-after accolade open to matric pupils from the Eastern and Southern Cape.

Four of the 10 finalists will be selected to take up special category awards, namely academic, sport, culture and community work.

A special Excellence Award will be awarded to a deserving matric pupil who excels despite his or her previously disadvantaged background.

The sixth prize is allocated to the overall winner of The Herald Matric of the Year title.

A cash prize component will be up for grabs for the overall and excellence award winners with the R50,000 prize to be shared between them.

In addition to the cash prize, finalists and the Matric of the Year winner will receive impressive prizes valued at more than R100,000.

Alungile works hard to make his parents proud

Alungile is a prefect, president of the environment club, chess captain, soccer captain and was a class representative from 2014 to 2017.

He has maintained an 80% and above average throughout high school, winning the top student award in grade 12 and a consistency award for maintaining top spot in his grade since grade 9.

“Growing up I have always been focused on academics, although I do take part in cultural activities,” Alungile said.

Working hard for good marks meant he could secure sponsorships and in future venture into anything without difficulty, he said, but it was just as important to him to make his parents proud.

This Dux scholar won a silver medal at the Eskom Young Scientist Expo in 2017, and a gold medal at the international science fair.

He has won numerous awards for chess and is a member of his school’s marimba band.

As president of the environment club, he hosted its first annual fashion show.

Pearson’s Lindelize an energetic allrounder

Lindelize, who describes herself as an allrounder, says if she has to choose between academics and sports she would run with her academics.

She is a deputy headgirl, secretary of the Representative Council of Learners and serves on the school governing body as a pupil representative.

She is a concert band leader, vice-president of Interact and served on the Matric Farewell Committee in 2018.

Lindelize has been one of the top 10 pupils in her grade since grade 8, and received an academic honours blazer in 2018 and 2019.

She has received awards in mathematics, Afrikaans, natural sciences, life sciences, physical sciences and accounting.

She received honours for swimming in 2018 and 2019, colours for biathlon in 2019, and represented EP in cross-country in 2018 and 2019.

Lindelize has played trumpet in the Pearson concert band and jazz band since grade 9.

Lisakhanya loves maths and problem solving

Lisakhanya, with a 100% aggregate in maths, is a top pupil at his school and offers maths tutorials from Friday to Sunday for pupils who struggle academically.

Lisakhanya said his tutoring was part of the Kutlwanong Programme founded by Investec for maths and science.

“I love mathematics because I love numbers, patterns and problem solving.

“I even go the extra mile in doing research when it comes to solving equations,” he said.

He has taken the top spot in a variety of subjects at his school over the past three years and also received an award from Investec for achieving 100% in maths during his third term in grade 11.

Lisakhanya also received a top pupil award at the Pro Maths Awards earlier in 2019.

He plays first-team basketball at Bulumko Senior Secondary and regularly volunteers in awareness campaigns and cleanup projects around Ndyebo Senior Secondary School.

Academics keep ballet lover Mia on her toes

School prefect Mia earned an academic honour blazer in 2017 and 2018 – and Collegiate’s “ivy leaves” symbolising her requalifying for the academic blazer.

She has an above-80% aggregate, and received awards for accounting, geography, Afrikaans and bilingualism in 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, she came second in the provincial ATKV Afrikaans Olympiad and third in the Saipa Accounting Olympiad.

In her spare time, Mia tutors peers struggling with maths and accounting, and has volunteered at PE Mental Health, Home Sweet Home retirement home and the Cleary Estate Cheshire Home.

She was part of the carol band at her school’s Christmas carols event in 2017 and 2018, and has been a first violin string ensemble member since 2016, having passed her grade 6 Trinity exam.

She completed her Ballet Discovering Repertoire level 2 exams earlier in 2019, and the RAD Intermediate Foundation Exam in 2018.

Headgirl Runelle enjoys science, the outdoors

Runelle is headgirl at her school in Bethelsdorp, a Representative Council of Learners representative, a class officer and a youth leader at the Apostolic Church.

She was named “Most Dedicated/Conscientious Student in Maths and Physics” at school in 2018, has been a top pupil from grade 8-12, and tutors pupils struggling academically.

She dedicates most of her time to her studies. “I really enjoy my books,” Runelle said.

“I’d love to venture into mining engineering and that is why I love science.”

Runelle has received awards for best in maths, physics, life sciences and geography, has taken part in Mentak Maths and Master Maths, and was part of the grade 12 Gate Programme at NMU.

She is a volleyball assistant coach and her school’s indoor girls’ soccer coach, and has won awards for best shooter in netball.

This outdoor lover also enjoys paintball, go-kart drifting and ten-pin bowling.

Here are the first five finalists: