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The
Class of
2011 Shines
Bright |
The Class of
2011 have
exceeded our
expectations
in terms of
National
Senior
Certificate
exam results
released
recently. 72
girls
achieved a
100% pass
rate with
188
distinctions
among them.
Gabisile
Kgwedi
achieved 7
distinctions
from 9
subjects,
five girls
gained 6
distinctions,
nine gained
5 and a
further 7
gained 4.
71
candidates
achieved a
60% average
or more. 24
girls
achieved an
average of
over 75%, a
further 13
over 80% and
finally 6
over 85%; a
truly
remarkable
achievement.
We are proud
to introduce
our shining
stars:
| 4 Distinctions |
5 Distinctions |
6 Distinctions |
7 Distinctions |
|
Shugane Chocho
Bongekile Mncube
Nonsikelelo Mnguni
Nombuso Mnguni
Takalani Mogidi
Mbali Nhanchengo
Megan Pietersen
|
Noxolo Dyaluvane
Ntombi Gontyeleni
Marwiya James
Mashadi Kekana
Nothando Kunene
Charlene Mihi
Inaminkosi Ncapayi
Debra Ngcobo
Livhuwani Rapalalani |
Debbie Dlomo
Sinethemba Mbatha
Tabitha Ramotwala
Magnolia van Wyk
Bongeka Zuma
|
Gabisile Kgwedi |
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The
following
students
achieved
a
remarkable
average
of
80%
and
above:
|
| Over 85% |
|
Over 80% |
|
|
Mashadi Kekana
Gabisile Kgwedi
Nothando Kunene
Magnolia van Wyk
Bongeka Zuma
Tabitha Ramotwala
|
86%
85%
86%
87%
88%
85% |
Debra Ngcobo
Shugane Chocho
Debbie Dlomo
Ntombikayise Gontyeleni
Marwiya James
Sinethemba Mbatha
Charlene Mihi
Nomcebo Mngomezulu
Nombuso Mnguni
Livhuwani Rapalalani
Inaminkosi Ncapayi
Bongekile Mncube
Noxolo Dyaluvane |
81%
80%
82%
83%
81%
83%
81%
81%
80%
84%
83%
81%
84% |
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High
Flyers are
off to the
USA |
Seven
delighted OWLAG
students
have been
accepted to
four
liberal arts
colleges in
the US. We
are proud to
publish the
names of the
successful
students:
Thando Dlomo
and Mpumi
Nobiva –
Johnson C.
Smith in
Charlotte,
North
Carolina
Debra Ngcobo,
Bongeka Zuma
and
Livhuwani
Rapalani –
Spelman
College in
Atlanta,
Georgia
Mashadi
Kekana –
Wellesley
College in
Wellesley,
Massachusetts
Tabitha
Ramotwala -
Mt. Holyoke
College,
South
Hadley,
Massachusetts
We wish them
all the very
best for the
future.
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Sports
Report |
What an
amazing
sporting
year! With
two learners
making the
provincial
netball
team, seven
learners
making the
provincial
B-side for
touch rugby,
and eight
learners
making the
provincial
touch rugby
team. The
learners who
went to
provincials
for touch
rugby are
now national
champions.
All the
sporting
codes have
done
exceptionally
well this
year. Karate
has produced
our first
brown belts
and soccer
won the
Redhill
tournament.
Hockey and
netball also
did
extremely
well in
their
leagues.
Swimming has
been very
exciting,
and with
over 85% of
the learners
now able to
swim, we can
host our
first gala
next year.
2012 has a
great deal
in store for
us: Hockey,
soccer,
netball and
touch
rugby’s
leagues are
already
scheduled;
volleyball
have a full
schedule as
well as
karate;
tennis games
have been
planned;
inter-house
events have
been
planned;
athletics
events are
scheduled
and swimming
is going to
be a great
success.
Keep fit
this holiday
learners, as
we have
inter-house
athletics on
28 January!
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UN
Debating
Competition |
Gauteng Team
wins first
place at the
prestigious
UN debating
competition
Cape Town 20
– 25 October
2011.
Sadé
Pietersen
(17) and
Noxolo Ntaka
(17) are
learners
from the
Oprah
Winfrey
Leadership
Academy for
Girls (OWLAG)
who,
together
with their
teammates
Balekaofela
Mphuti and
Esther
Khongwane
from
Meyerton
High, won
first place
at the South
African
Model United
Nations
International
competition.
This
prestigious
event had
more than
500 South
African
schools
participating
at the
provincial
level. At
the national
event, 23
schools
competed.
Each
province’s
team
competed
(i.e. 9
teams, all
consisting
of a
‘resourced’
school and
an
‘under-resourced’
school for a
total of 18
schools),
and the UK,
Nigeria and
Kenya also
sent
delegations.
All four
team members
(Noxolo
Ntaka and
Sadé
Pieterson
from OWLAG
together
with
Meyerton
High
learners
Esther
Kgongwane
and
Balekaofela
Mphuthi)
will
represent
South Africa
at the
annual
conference
next year in
the USA (New
York or
Washington,
D.C. - still
to be
confirmed).
The two
teachers, Ms
Clare
McIntyre (OWLAG)
and Mr.
Frank
Mbutuma (Meyerton
High) will
accompany
them and
assist with
the
coaching.
The Head of
OWLAG, Ms
Anne van Zyl,
is extremely
proud of how
well the
team
performed.
She said:
“The volume
of work was
considerable
and time
consuming,
requiring
personal
sacrifice.
The maturity
and
confidence
demonstrated
by the team
is
exemplary.”
The
competition
is called
the ‘Model
United
Nations SA’
because it
simulates
United
Nations
debates,
with each
participating
team being
pre-allocated
a country,
which they
then
represent as
delegates at
the
conference.
The Midvaal
team
represented
North Korea.
This
entailed
research in
the
following
areas:
background
information
on North
Korea;
information
on the
debating
issues
(climate
change and
the rights
of
indigenous
people);
working out
the
country’s
position
with respect
to these
issues;
allies,
alliances,
trading
partners;
and the
position of
North Korea
in
international
politics.
The team had
to think on
their feet,
and they
also had to
know the
stance of
other
countries
with respect
to the
topics. In
preparation,
the learners
also had to
write
speeches,
practice the
delivery
thereof,
draw up
documents
and
anticipate
the
unexpected.
“The Midvaal
team
performed
superbly,
impressing
all with
their
strategic
thinking,
general
knowledge,
intelligence
and oratory
skills,”
said van Zyl.
“In terms of
the
Academy’s
vision and
values, this
is a prime
example of
what we are
about, the
academic
endeavour
and
achievement,
coupled with
a keen sense
of community
involvement.
The
learners’
exposure to
internationalism
is the
cherry on
the cake.”
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Touch
Rugby Team
is Tops |
Eight girls
from the
touch rugby
team took
part in the
IPTs in
Durban. It
was an
excellent
experience
as we played
exceptionally
well. Having
represented
the school
in our
provincial
team, it is
a pleasure
to say that
we came in
first
position and
received
gold medals.
Ndivhuwo
Tshila
received
recognition
for being
the most
valuable
player of
the
tournament
for the u/17
girls
division. We
are now
National
Champions.
Four members
of the team:
Asisipho
Jack,
Nandipha
Mbangula,
Remoabetswe
Letlape and
Ndivhuwo
Tshiila have
been
selected to
represent
South
Africa.
Congratulations
girls!
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Soccer
Tournament |
On 15
October, the
soccer team
competed in
a tournament
at Redhill
High in
Bryanston.
We had a
really great
time because
it was our
first time
participating
in a soccer
tournament.
It was also
difficult,
as we had to
face schools
that have
been playing
soccer for
years. Some
players were
anxious that
we were not
going to
win, while
the majority
of us kept
the spirit
up, and we
told
ourselves
that we were
taking the
trophy home
(that’s the
way team!).
We would
like to
participate
in more of
these
tournaments
so that we
can get more
experienced
and overcome
our
difficulties.
We won the
tournament!
The results
were as
follows:
OWLAG 1-2
ElenGlen
High
OWLAG 3-1
Redhill High
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Provincial
Champions
Model United
Nations
Debate |
On 27 August
2011, four
learners set
off for the
Gauteng
Legislature
to
participate
in the Model
United
Nations
Gauteng
Provincial
debate. The
team
comprised
Sadé
Pietersen
and myself,
Noxolo Ntaka,
and two
learners
from
Meyerton
High, Esther
and
Balikaofela.
We made up
one team and
were
representing
South Korea
on the topic
of ‘Internet
Freedom and
the role of
the United
Nations’.
The
challenge in
this
debating
format is to
represent
your
allocated
country as
accurately
as possible.
This means
that teams
need to know
their
country’s
history,
foreign
relations,
economic
situation
and domestic
policies –
which, of
course,
entails many
hours of
research! In
addition to
this,
knowledge
about the
topic itself
needs to be
gathered so
that a team
can attempt
to predict
how their
assigned
country
would be
likely to
respond in
reality.
Ideally, one
should also
know enough
about the
other
countries
participating
to be able
to
anticipate
and forge
alliances.
All in all,
extensive
preparation
is required
- so it is
not for the
faint-hearted!
There were
over 50
schools
participating
in the
debate,
which made
for lively
discussion
and argument
with each
team vying
to be heard.
The format
of this
event calls
for prepared
speeches,
on-the-spot
formal
remarks,
negotiating
with other
teams,
drawing up
documents
and
unprepared
speeches –
thus testing
a broad
range of
skills. It
was all
nerve-wracking
but so
exciting!
The best
part of the
day, without
a doubt, was
when SOUTH
KOREA was
announced in
FIRST PLACE!
We were
delighted by
this result,
which
produced
much hugging
and
squealing.
We now look
forward to
representing
Gauteng at
the National
Finals in
Cape Town in
October
(while
stifling a
sigh at the
amount of
work which
awaits us!).
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Eskom
Leadership
Network
Series |
Hopes and
Dreams - The
1994
Generation
Felicia (Mohau)
Mazibuko and
Boitumelo
Theepe, two
of our OWLAG
Physical
Science
learners,
shared their
thoughts on
the use of
sustainable
energy
resources in
South Africa
and their
dreams for
the future
in
celebration
of the Born
Free 1994
generation.
This event
took place
in front of
the Eskom CEO, board
and
management,
on June 9th
at their
headquarters
in
Sunninghill.
We are very
proud of our
learners who
were amongst
ten learners
who were
chosen to do
this. The
performance
of these two
learners
will be
followed
closely by
Eskom, with
a view of
possibly
supporting
them later
in their
tertiary
studies and
helping them
to achieve
their
dreams.
Felicia and
Boitumelo
each
received a
gift of a
Netbook for
their
contribution.
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OWLAG
Debating
Teams Shine |
On Saturday
28 May,
eight Grade
11 OWLAG
girls set
off for the
South
African
Institute
for
International
Affairs (SAIIA)
debate at
Wits to
compete in a
Model United
Nations
Conference.
Two teams
competed:
Buhle Zulu,
Mahlatse
Mosila,
Noxolo Ntaka
& Lesedi
Meza made up
Team
IRELAND,
while Team
CHINA
consisted of
Boitumelo
Theepe,
Magdeline
Maganyela,
Melicia
Mangane &
Sade
Pietersen.
Team Ireland
participated
in a UNICEF
discussion
on the issue
of Child
Marriage,
while the
Reform of
the United
Nations
Security
Council was
the issue
explored by
Team China.
The object
of the
exercise is
to represent
one’s
assigned
country as
accurately
as possible,
while
attempting
to reach
consensus
with other
teams, with
respect to
finding
viable
solutions to
the issues
being
discussed.
Obviously
this
requires
extensive
research:
knowing as
much as
possible
about your
country and
the issue,
acquiring
some
awareness of
international
relations,
understanding
the workings
of the
United
Nations, and
anticipating
what other
countries
are likely
to do.
Position
Papers have
to be drawn
up
(demonstrating
a team’s
knowledge
and
research),
speeches are
made,
on-the-spot
responses
are
demanded,
documents
have to be
composed
after
extensive
negotiation
with other
countries,
and at all
times,
delegates
have to
conduct
themselves
in the
appropriate
diplomatic
fashion –
quite a
feat.
On their
first foray
into this
competitive
arena, the
OWLAG girls
did the
school
proud. They
kept their
poise and
refused to
be
intimidated
by far more
practiced
opponents,
and their
efforts were
handsomely
rewarded:
Team Ireland
were awarded
second place
for their
position
paper and
Team China
walked away
with the
Silver Award
for an
Outstanding
Delegation.
Congratulations
to these
girls.
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