BRIDGE HOUSE PRE-PRIMARY PREPARATORY COLLEGE

COLLEGE NEWS

No 11 www.bridgehouse.org.za 12 April 2013

Welcome Back

Here we are, already a week into the second term of 2013, into autumn, with a nip in the air and dark mornings and dark evenings. It is a great pleasure to welcome everyone back to school, with a term brim-full of new opportunities. We extend a special Bridge House welcome to new members of staff, Mme Gretha Burnett, who replaces Mme Mandaglio in our French Dapartment, and to Mrs Helen Maguire, who has taken up the post of matron in Bellegam House (boys’ boarding). In addition, it is a pleasure to welcome new students, Tristan Constable and Nicholas-John Jansen to Grade 10, and to welcome back Hope Motlepa to Grade 10 too. We are hosting four international exchange students, Lauren Beckett (Lakefield, Canada), Anna-Sophie Freyer (Louisenlund, Germany), Derek Spence (Hotchkiss, USA) and Purva Agarwal (Daly College, India). We wish them a rich and rewarding experience at Bridge House, and we look forward to the contribution they will make during their time with us.

There has been a number of holiday activities, no doubt mentioned in this or coming newsletters (please read the sport section for further details). Bridge House hosted the first President’s Award Leaders’ conference. A group of 40 matrics accompanied Mr and Mrs de Villiers and Mr Simons on the Orange River, and we must congratulate a number of Bridge House people on some wonderful achievements during the break: Andrew Watson (son of Mrs Debbie Watson) graduates with a B.Sc (Hons) degree; Mrs Sam Arton-Powell has completed her honours degree; Ms Elmarie Kotze returns as Mrs Elmarie de Kock after her marriage to Rudolph de Kock; last year’s Head Girl, Francesca Conde, has been accepted by no fewer than four American Universities (one of which, Wesleyan College in Connecticut, accepts only 750 applications from over 11000 candidates!); Ethan Taverner completed his gruelling Black Belt assessments in karate; Michael-Lee Farringer and James Horner excelled at the top level in canoeing, and Tiaan Strydom’s golf continues to excel. Well done to all of them!

As with the next hole in a round of golf, a new term means a fresh start with all that has gone before, all that learning and experience, behind one, and with a chance to use that learning to do things even better. We are all looking forward to a really productive term on all fronts, academic, cultural, sporting and in the service fields. I wish everyone a happy, challenging and rewarding second term!

Finally, for this newsletter, our annual matric dance takes place this evening and we wish all who have had a hand in its arrangements and the Class of 2013 and their partners a wonderful and memorable evening. Mike Russell, Head

Grade 9s Outward Bound

The challenge of Outward Bound had finally arrived and there were extremely mixed emotions among the group of Grade 9s as we set off towards our destination in the Hottentots Holland reserve. Conversations were running through our heads that we had had with previous grades about their experiences but nothing could prepare us for what we were about to endure as the encounter lay in our hands only and the outcome depended on what we made of it. Many of the groups consisted of people who hardly knew one another and had only ever exchanged polite small talk. We soon realised that a week without civilisation in the middle of nowhere would definitely change that. With our food rations and equipment allocated, we set off for our first camping ground with abnormally heavy bags on our backs and an eagerness to get started. Every day after that was a new challenge, from abseiling (which made you believe in yourself enough to take the first step over the edge) to hiking for hours with just your group as motivation. Outward Bound made us trust others and ourselves more. The activities brought the group together. Even when we disagreed we managed to compromise and help others along the way to reach our goal. With each challenge we faced we all managed to stay positive and persevere. Outward Bound pushed us both physically and mentally but in the end we all came out on top and felt a new sense of achievement and accomplishment. Rebecca Visser and Nana Dlamini (Grade 9)

Matrics’ Orange River Trip 2013

Wow! What a fun-filled three days on the Orange River! When 40 matrics left the Boland for the Richtersveld on Wednesday 3 April, most of them had never heard or dreamt of rapids and campsites such as Hamerkop, Entrance Exam, Sjambok, King Kong, Witch’s Hat, Scratches, Stairway to Heaven, Rollercoaster and Snotklap! Weather and water levels were perfect and our fantastic guides Cya, Blessed, Carl and Rodrigues were wonderful and managed to lead us all safely down the waters of the mighty Orange River! They should also seriously consider entering Masterchef, as the meals they dished up after a long day on the river were simply amazing!

Thanks to Felix Unite River Adventures for a memorable trip, to Aubrey our bus driver and Rock Tours for the safe transport and to Mr and Mrs D and Mr Shayne Simons for accompanying this great bunch of matrics on this adventure.

Election of New Chairman of the Board of Directors

It is with great pleasure that we inform you of the election of Mr Gary Clack to the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors, at a special meeting of the Board on Wednesday evening. Gary was born in Johannesburg and attended Mondeor High to Matric. Two years in the Army were followed by an electrical apprenticeship and study at Johannesburg Technical College ending with an N6 national certificate. In 1993, Gary moved to Tulbagh and worked at Del Monte fruit cannery for six years before joining Albrecht Machinery in 1998.

He is currently a shareholder and Managing Director at Albrecht Machinery, a company that specializes in the supply of automated solutions to the food manufacturing sector. Gary married Laura in 1993 and they have two boys, Keagan and Cameron, who attend Bridge House in Grades 11 and 5 respectively. They have been at Bridge House since 2009. We congratulate Gary on his appointment, the school’s Executive is really looking forward to working with him, and we are certain that you will join us in wishing him a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding term of office. Mike Russell, Head

PA Class Representatives Our first meeting for this term will be on Friday, 19 April at 8:00 in the dining room. Hope to see you there!

PA AGM Please note that today you should have received a notice via e-mail advising you about the PA AGM which is to take place on Wednesday 8 May in the Prep Hall.

Congratulations!

Mrs Elmarie de Kock (Kotze) made a beautiful bride when she married her husband Rudolph in the holidays.

International Exchange - My Cold Canadian Experience

On the First of January, I embarked on a journey that turned out to be the best experience of my life. My exchange destination was to the wonderful country of Canada. It was a truly remarkable and life-changing two month experience. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Canada. I attended a school called Lakefield College, which is situated in a town just outside of Peterborough. The school is in the countryside surrounded by beautiful forests and lakes. Canada was quite different at first but I soon became accustomed to everything. The big difference was the weather. Leaving South Africa at 35°C and stepping out of the airport in -25°C was definitely a huge shock. I soon grew to love the cold and especially the snow. I had a week before school started to recover and settle in with my new family, the Becketts. I couldn’t have asked for a better exchange family: they made me feel at home and have given me the opportunity to see different parts of Canada.

Lakefield College School (LCS) welcomed me with wide open arms from day one. At first everything was very confusing, I had to navigate my way around a huge school and work out my new very complicated timetable, but with the help of LCS students I quickly got the hang of it. They say that Canadians are the nicest people in the world; in my mind they have definitely lived up to that. I have made so many amazing friendships that it will be hard to leave.

At school I have had the amazing opportunity of participating in the Outdoor Education Course. During this lesson we did activities in the snow. My favourite activity was Nordic Skiing, which Is skiing along flat land. During these lessons we also had snow ball fights and went tobogganing. Twice a week everyone jumps on big yellow school buses and heads off to the local ski hill where we could ski for three hours. I thoroughly enjoy skiing even though I’m not very good at it.

I was very privileged to be taken to Old Quebec City for a week by the Becketts. Quebec was like a winter wonderland: it was breath-taking. All along the street were beautiful ice sculptures and huge icicles hanging from the buildings. I also spent a lot of time in Toronto shopping and sightseeing. Toronto is a very large city with so much to do and see. You would never get bored in Toronto.

I went on a three-day dog-sledding trip. On this trip we slept in igloos and got to live a very stereotypical Canadian life. This trip was so much fun and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

This exchange experience has been incredibly rewarding. I literally threw myself into every opportunity and challenge with an optimistic approach. I feel so at home, it seemed as if I could pack up my house and move to Peterborough. To all Grade 9s applying for exchange, don’t let any opportunity slip by, enjoy every second because before you know it, it will all be over. I could not have asked for a better exchange experience. I have learnt and grown so much. I am proud to be a representative for Bridge House and our country.

Maxine Todd.

Upcoming Music Events

Tickets for the Music Staff Concert (18 April) available at the door.

Tickets for All Strings Attached (R80 for students and R100 for adults) (26 April at Bridge House Theatre) available from Jenny Jones at College Reception

Past Pupil News Tamo von Arnim (Matric 2004)

Past pupil, Tamo von Arnim (Matric 2003) , an up-and-coming young poet who is about to launch his second book of poetry, recently visited Ubuntu Africa Child Healthcare Centre in Khayelitsha. He was struck by how responsive the children are and how filled with energy they are despite the reality of their situation. Tamo remembered back to his days at Bridge House when as a Matric Student he joined the Grade 8 group which helped build houses in Khayelitsha with the Habitat for Humanity project. Tamo aims to capture and share the experiences of these children to make people more aware of their situation. You can visit their website www.ubafrica.org for more details. We are pleased that the strong feelings of social responsibility and caring for his community began stirring in Tamo at Bridge House.

Francesca Conde (Matric 2012) Congratulations to Francesca Conde (Matric 2012) who was accepted into every single international university which she applied for. They are Barnard College (New York City), Wesleyan University (Conneticut), Middlebury College (Vermont) and Haverford College (Pennsylvania). The schools she chose are all smaller-sized liberal arts colleges (undergraduate enrollment of approx. 2500). Her interests are in international relations, history, literature, etc, which influenced her selection. She is still deciding which one to choose.

To put this into context, as an example of the competition she faced, we received the following information from Wesleyan University: “Wesleyan had almost 11,000 applications for 750 seats, our fifth year of over ten thousand applications, and in the regular review 17.5% were admitted. Those admitted are extremely talented and come from a diverse range of backgrounds and places as well; some 14% are the first in their family to attend a four-year college; for 17% English is not the first language; 40% are US students of color, 10% are international and 14% are living outside the US. These students are well-prepared to study across the curriculum: 89% have taken Calculus, 85% Biology and Chemistry and Physics, and 85% four years of a foreign language. Their median SAT scores are 730 CR, 730 M and 740 WR; median ACT is 33. In addition, given their extracurricular commitments and leadership, we have every confidence the Class of 2017 will contribute to the vitality of the Wesleyan Community.”

Francesca’s parents sent us a wonderful letter where they said: “In many ways, we feel that her 12+ years at Bridge House definitely shaped her views of what she wanted and expected in a school. I believe that she will reflect upon her years at Bridge House as a time of steady personal growth, where she was allowed to develop within the warm guidance of her teachers, and friends. We are ever grateful for the opportunity that you as teachers have provided for her and we hope that you will continue to support her through her next adventure.”

We wish Francesca all the best for a wonderful future.

Sports Results received during the holidays

Boys’ Tennis The results of the 2013 Central Boland Boys’ U19 C2 league is as follows: 1. 2. Parel Vallei A 3. Somerset College & Bridge House A 4. Parel Vallei B 5. Bridge House B 6. Strand

Karate Congratulations to Ethan Taverner who passed his karate black belt grading exam (9 hours - written and practical) with distinction. This is an outstanding achievement Ethan, we are very proud of you!

Golf We wish Tiaan Strydom all the best for the U23 National Golf Interprovincial championships where he will represent Boland Golf Union. The event will take place at Nelspruit Golf Club from 15 to 19 April 2013.

The following pupils will represent Bridge House at the Boland Retief Goosen High School Golf Championships at Malmesbury Golf Club on Monday 15 April: Liam Millard, Ashleigh Mills, Miles Bosman, James Alderslade. We wish them a successful tournament.

Bridge House paddlers rise to the challenge! Six Prep and two College paddlers represented Bridge House at the SA Schools Sprint Championships held at Roodeplaat Dam, 5 – 7 April. We were extremely proud of Luke Phillips (U8), Mia Phillips (U12) and Toby Heywood (U12) who made the most of their first experience of national championships, putting their admirable “can do attitudes” to the test, and contributing points to ensure that Bridge House retained the “Winning Co-ed Junior School” title for another year.

Congratulations to Pierre van der Westhuyzen, Rebecca Meihuizen and Luc van der Westhuyzen for their fantastic sportsmanship and determination in the face of strong opposition. Fantastic performances resulted in the following results: Pierre – 4 golds plus Victor Ludorum U10; Rebecca - 4 golds plus Victrix Ludorum U12; and Luc – 3 golds plus Victor Ludorum U12.

James Horner and Michael Lee Farringer met formidable opposition in the U14 and U18 Boys categories respectively, but paddled determinedly to do their best. James brought home 8 silver medals and silver Victor Ludorum and Michael Lee 1 silver, 5 bronze and bronze Victor Ludorum. Both joined forces with paddlers from other schools to take part in the K2 as well as the K4 events , and were narrowly pipped from winning the most points in the top co-ed high school category. A new addition to the event line up was the K4 races which added great excitement and adrenalin rushes for teams and spectators alike.

Not only are we proud of the Bridge House achievements, but also of those of our fellow Paarl Canoe Club, Paarl Development and many other paddlers who train under our coach, Wayne August. The medal count for Wayne's paddlers alone surpasses 150! Great stuff, Wayne! What an exciting way in which to end the school holidays and sprint season. Our thanks go to Mrs Claire Ferreira for all her organisation and support on the river bank, to Mr Rob Meihuizen for so willingly and tirelessly doing the 'great trek' with the boats this year , and last, but not least to our team of parents, without whose support and encouragement during training and racing, Bridge House's great achievement would not have been possible.

At the final prize giving the names of the 12 paddlers who have been nominated for the Junior World Championships Squad to be held in Canada in August were announced, Michael Lee being one of them. Congratulations, Michael Lee!

Volunteers needed for the 2nd Literary Festival Book Week for Young Readers!

From Monday 13th May to Thursday 16th May, authors will read their stories, teach creative writing and run workshops for the 4,500 children at 7 schools in the Valley. We have invited about 45 authors, including Anthony Horowitz, Alexander McCall Smith, Nik Rabinowitz, and Paul Geraghty to participate in this exciting event.

We are looking for volunteers to help as ‘hosts’ to the visiting authors. We would need you to collect them from the Meeting area at the Bridge House Theatre foyer, drive or accompany them in their own car to their venue (at one of the 7 schools in Franschhoek) and back again. Each event is between 30- 40 minutes long and authors will do two sessions, between 9.30am and 12.30 pm.

The primary role of the volunteers is to welcome the authors, offer them drinks and snacks in our Meeting area, and help them to find the venues (all maps/event info will be provided to you). Though most authors are from the Western Cape, some are from Johannesburg, Durban and the UK and will appreciate a friendly local guide for the morning.

If you can help on one or more of the mornings from Monday 13th to Thursday 16th May, please email Amanda on [email protected] or call her on 082 802 1397.

The authors are very excited to be coming, the schools can’t wait to host them, and we would so appreciate your help in making this a big success again for all our children. Lindy Truswell and Amanda de Vos Organisers FLF Book Week for Young Readers

Bus Transport

A group of parents would like to explore the potential of providing a bus service to transport our kids from Franschhoek to and from school.

This service would be independent of the school. A reputable service provider has agreed to provide the service, and create a convenient route, dependent upon numbers. If this is something that would interest you, please e-mail [email protected] or alternatively cell: 082 808 7754.

Lift Needded Rachael is needing a lift from opposite Bridge House school in the morning to and back in the afternoon, daily Monday to Friday” Happy to contribute towards travels”

Please contact Pia Watermeyer 0832610338 if you are able to assist.

Pearl Valley – House to rent Spacious family home with 4 beds (all ensuite), study, open plan lounge, dining room, kitchen, separate scullery with direct access to double garage and golf cart garage. TV room with fireplace. Separate flatlet or staff quarters with ensuite bathroom. Large undercover patio and pool. Available mid May. To view please contact Dot 0832610652

MOVIE NIGHT Friday 10 May - Paarl Bridge House PA Funraiser

17:15 Escape from Earth – All Ages Jurassic Park - PG10 3D 19:45 Iron Man - PG10 Jurassic Park – PG10 3D