St Andrew's College, Grahamstown
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Newsletter Term 1 #11 31 March 2017 St Andrew’s COLLEGE Nec Aspera Terrent The College debaters leave for St Andrew’s in Dublin on Sunday. We wish them well as they participate in the World Model United Nations debates To the Andrean Community I will never forget my first rugby match in my first year of high school. It was a game we thought we were well prepared for, and we were certainly confident as we chattered along in the bus to the game. We had all ‘played a bit’ in our respective prep schools and as we ran onto the field of Highlands North Boys’ High School in Johannesburg on a frosty early Saturday morning, we were, at that moment, completely oblivious to the fact that the ‘big fish from a small pond’ were about to meet some proper (carnivorous, it seemed) big, big fish. Three minutes into the game (in an era that preceded any consideration of health-and-safety) I was moved from flank to replace our hooker who had been carried off the field injured, and from then on my memory is a sketchy recollection of studs, hard ground, and pain - lots of pain in all parts of my body. Some incidentally obtained, some deliberately inflicted, deep in the engine room of our oft backward moving scrum. I learned a life-long lesson about excellence as I lay face down on that hard pitch oozing blood from my nose and trying not to cry. True excellence is not about being the best of a bad bunch, or being good in a context. For excellence is context-free. It is discovered (or moved toward) through seeking out and taking on the very best in the world. I have no interest in being ‘the best school’ in a small town. For our boys to truly flourish they should be able to stand confident that they have come up against and given their best, judged to global standards. Which is why, when we can, we try to get as much international exposure for our boys as we can. St Andrew’s College Nec Aspera Terrent 17 March 2017 We look forward to hosting Bishops this weekend. The 1st XV kick off at 15h00 on Saturday Next week our debaters leave for St Andrew’s in Dublin to take part in the World Model United Nations debates. Our water polo boys are in the planning stages of a trip that will enable them to experience some of the best water polo coaching in the world, and our cricketers set sail for the UK later in the year where they will be meeting some of the top cricketing schools in the UK. These are but some of the many international experiences and exchanges that are part of the Andrean experience. In an interconnected world, a global perspective is much more than a ‘nice to have’ for a school. It is an essential part of ensuring that the school remains relevant and keeps its sights set on absolute, unequivocal excellence. The UK cricket tour will not only give our boys an incredible cricket experience and College some invaluable peer-to- peer school collegiality, but will also provide an outstanding opportunity to draw the Andrean diaspora together around a (hopefully) balmy English summer’s day of cricket. Although not all of us will be there, we all benefit from our school being represented. Details of the tour and the online auction that is helping support it, can be found elsewhere in this newsletter. Be advised to get all the cricket you can. You will never regret it. You will do well to love it, for it is more free from anything sordid, anything dishonourable than any other game in the world. To play it keenly, honourably, generously, self sacrificially, is a moral lesson in itself, and the classroom is God’s air and sunshine. Foster it, my brothers, so that it may attract all who can find the time to play it. Protect it from anything that would sully it, so that it may grow in favour with all men. Marylebone Cricket Club God bless Alan Thompson [email protected] St Andrew’s College Nec Aspera Terrent 31 March 2017 Nicholas Kroon (Espin 2016) has been awarded a prestigious scholarship to study at St Andrew’s University in Scotland Congratulations to Nic Kroon Nicholas Kroon (2016 Espin) has been awarded a full scholarship, the International Excellence Scholarship, to St Andrew’s University in Scotland. It is one of only two prestigious scholarships that cover full tuition and are awarded to international undergraduates at St Andrew’s University. Nicholas was offered a place at the university earlier in the year based on his IEB Matric results, and the award of this scholarship, which has ambassadorial commitments attached to it, has made it possible for his dream to come true. He visited the university in December last year and immediately fell in love with the centuries-old town, its charm and quirky traditions, and the state-of-the-art facilities in the Mathematics department. In his letter of motivation, Nicholas wrote: Studying at St Andrew’s would create opportunities that allow me to succeed and ultimately give back to others using the knowledge and experience I gain. I am confident that I have much to offer as a passionate and hard-working Mathematics student and as an active and involved member of a diverse, multicultural community. The Andrean community warmly congratulates Nicholas on this prestigious and well-deserved scholarship. It is an immense achievement and we wish him all the best. He is an inspiration to us all and testament to what we know already – that with hard work, total commitment and passion, one can achieve one’s dreams. St Andrew’s College Nec Aspera Terrent 31 March 2017 Grade 10 Design and Technology observation drawings Grade 10 observation drawing course Observational drawing is the ability to draw live, i.e., looking at the object in front of you and drawing what you see. The Grade 10s have been bringing their shoes to class for this exercise, scaling up from life size to A2 paper. They have displayed excellent skill and endurance in completing the task. The standard of work from the Grade 10 group for 2017 is astounding! CEMA Awards MERIT AWARDS First Aid: Taha Anjum Chamber Choir: Zadok Makani Bonani Sibiya Timothy Simpson Chapel Choir: Benjamin Aliker Callum Francis Bradley van Heerden Cameron Lovemore Dio Tapela Jack Torres Music: Peter Garfath Merrion Gess Bradley van Heerden Zadok Makani Joshua Marx Timothy Simpson Congratulations to the College pupils who received CEMA merit awards Jack Torres St Andrew’s College Nec Aspera Terrent 31 March 2017 COLOURS AWARDS Chamber Choir: Bonani Sibiya Chapel Choir: TK Chuma Jacques Hoefnagels Gabriel Walsh Music: Cameron Lovemore Robert Quarmby Congratulations to the College pupils who received CEMA colours awards for Chamber and Chapel Choir as well as Music Academic Awards Congratulations to Luke Hobson, Michael Velloza, Alex Mullins House winners of the Inter-House Pezaroo and Alex Corner on achieving 95% and above Maths Competition in Round 1 of the Maths Olympiad St Andrew’s College Nec Aspera Terrent 31 March 2017 President’s Awards Congratulations to Taha Anjum who Andrew Van Vuuren and Christopher Flower were awarded was awarded the silver standard of the the bronze standard of the President’s Award. Congratulations President’s Award Wind Orchestra rocks the house in Memory Hall! Monday morning’s full school assembly up St Andrew’s Prep contained a surprise treat for the youngsters. Memory Hall was a full house with everybody in attendance, from the pre-schoolers all the way up to grade sevens, plus staff. After a warm welcome by the new Headmaster, Mr Brendan Brady, the DSG/SAC Wind Orchestra launched into a hot rendition of the Funk classic Jungle Boogie which was first made famous by Kool and the Gang in the 1970s. This was followed by a short introduction to the various instruments found in the orchestra. The second piece was a medley of four tunes from another famous band, namely Queen. Given half a chance, the Grade 7 boys would have joined in with “we will, we will rock you!” but the orchestra moved on to Bohemian Rhapsody before their enthusiasm got the better of them. Suffice it to say, the young audience loved the music their older family members brought them! St Andrew’s College 24 March 2017 The Wind Orchestra in action at Prep earlier this week A cornucopia of musical variety .................................................................. The second Senior Open Concert took place in the auditorium of the Music School on Wednesday evening. As a result of the numerous requests by students to perform, the concert was split into two halves with a short interval in the middle. The first half was kicked off by the Senior String Ensemble performing an interesting arrangement of the popular Justin Bieber’s Company. This was followed by the Wind Orchestra performing the same two pieces they took up to Memory Hall on Monday morning. Both ensembles were very well-received. The second half was opened by the Contemporary Band, under the direction of the department’s newest member of staff, Jayson Flanagan. They performed Daydream by Island Lights to great acclaim. The rest of the concert was made up of soloists and there were many highlights. Chief amongst these were: Angela Daniel Erasmus Volschenk singing Memory by Andrew Lloyd-Webber; Phillip Beynon playing Swan Song on Bass Trombone but surprisingly being accompanied by grade 10 music scholar Emily Morgan; Carla Coltman’s authoritative performance of Prelude Op.