Johannesburg - Three pupils at Reddam House Helderfontein are celebrating the one-year anniversary of receiving their scholarships.
The trio, Njabulo Zulu, Ethan Makombe and Tshenolo Gaesenewe, were selected from more than 200 applicants from across South Africa.
They were awarded the scholarships from The Beast Foundation in partnership with Inspired Education Group.
Former Springbok and Rugby World Cup winner Tendai Mtawarira is the founder and chairperson of The Beast Foundation.
The scholarships, which cover both tuition and boarding fees, have given these high schoolers access to a world-class education at Reddam House Helderfontein.
In addition, The Beast Foundation sponsored school uniforms, stationery and textbooks for the beneficiaries.
Makombe, from Durban, Zulu, from Johannesburg, and Gaesenewe, from Potchefstroom, have since thrived in their new environment despite the challenges that come with being away from home.
All three pupils have found success in their academic and extramural activities, with Zulu involved in aquatics, basketball, public speaking, chess and a major production.
Meanwhile, Makombe is excelling in drama and basketball, and Gaesenewe is participating in hockey, soccer and choir.
In response to their first year at Reddam House Helderfontein, Makombe described it as interesting, Zulu described it as unexpected, and Gaesenewe has found his scholarship experience as experimental.
“All three students have shown tremendous progress in their studies and extracurricular activities. Njabulo, for instance, is excited about his major production role this year, while Tshenolo has set her sights on obtaining a PhD in civil engineering,” Mtawarira said.
“Tshenolo, Njabulo and Ethan are excelling at Reddam Helderfontein and this makes me so happy and fulfils the mission of the foundation, which is to empower young people with education and provide them with access to wonderful resources and schools like Reddam that will enable them to thrive and succeed.”
Reddam House Helderfontein is a unique school that focuses on using nature as a classroom.
Its pupils have access to world-class facilities, such as boutique boarding houses, fully equipped science laboratories, hi-tech classrooms, an indoor aquatic centre, and performing arts studios.
The school’s innovative approach to education has resulted in students spending less time on their devices and more time interacting with each other.
In addition, the school's approach to education is based on the belief that if students are learning about butterflies, they should be among the butterflies, Graham Bennetts, executive head of Reddam House Helderfontein, explained.
“This vision drives the school to expose its students to outdoor activities and experiential learning in the natural surroundings of the greater Helderfontein area,” he added.
The school’s pupils are also taken out of their comfort zones and challenged to try new experiences, such as mountain biking, koppie climbs, and lessons on how to braai, crochet, identify birds, and take better photos.
Bennetts also expressed his pride in the scholarship recipients and added: “Their parents, and Beast himself, can be exceptionally proud and I have no doubt that all three have the potential to become great future leaders in our country.”
For more information on Reddam House Helderfontein go to https://www.helderfontein.reddamhouse.com/.