The St John’s College Academy Valedictory Service is always a bitter-sweet occasion as we celebrate the achievements of our boys and young men and bade farewell to our Grade 7s and 12s. This year was no different as the Academy students from the Prep and College gathered in the Memorial Chapel on 1 November with their parents, teachers and friends of the Academy.
The service was led by Chaplains Fr Thapelo and Fr Jeremy, with Mr Cameron Upchurch playing Organ and Mr Sidumo Nyamezele conducting as choirmaster.
Mr Mickey Mashego, Head of Community Engagement, welcomed the congregation before the outgoing Head Boy of the Academy, Musa Nhlapo, shared his experiences at the Academy over the past three years.
Mrs Raksha Singh Semnaryan, Council Member and Chair of the HR Subcommittee delivered the keynote address offering our young men words of encouragement as they take their next steps in their academic journey.
Executive Headmaster Mr Stuart West said farewell to the matric Academy students, followed by Mrs Michelle Fehrsen, Head of the Prep Academy, and Mr Lester Lalla, Prep Headmaster, who said goodbye to all the Grade 7 boys.
This was followed by the presentation of the Academic Awards by Mr West and Mr Mashego.
Certificates of Academic Excellence were awarded to students who maintained an overall average of 80% or more throughout the year in a subject offered by the Academy. The Subject Prize was awarded to the highest achiever in that subject.
In Grade 11, a Certificate of Academic Excellence in Mathematics was awarded to Daniel Mboyo, and the Mathematics Subject Prize was awarded to Abraham Kazadi.
In Grade 12, the English Subject Prize was awarded to Zandile Habile. Certificates of Academic Excellence for Life Sciences went to Shepang Mokoto, and Zinhle Habile with the Life Sciences Subject Prize awarded to Musawenkosi Nhlapo.
The Certificate of Excellence for Physics went to Tshepang Mokoto, and the Physics Subject Prize was to Zinhle Habile.
The Geography Subject Prize was awarded to Zandile Habile. The Mathematics Certificates of Excellences were awarded to Shepang Mokoto, Zinhle Habile and Sihle Ndleleni, with the Mathematics Subject Prize shared by Zandile Habile and Philani Mgquba. They both maintained an average of 89%.
Certificates of Excellence for Overall Achievement went to Zinhle Habile, Tshepang Mokoto, and Philani Mgquba.
The Dux Scholar Award for 2022 was shared by two students, both of whom managed to maintain an overall average of 84% throughout the year. Congratulations to Sihle Ndleleni and Zandile Habile.
Mr Paul Emant presented the Sixth Form Scholarship Award to Philani Mgquba, who will join St John's Sixth Form to complete his Cambridge International A Levels next year.
Two special awards, the Headmaster’s Certificate of Recognition, were also conferred this year. This award recognises St John’s College students who have gone above and beyond in service to their community. These are students who have shown initiative and volunteered their time over multiple years to advance the Academy programme.
Jun Tan (Hill 2021) started tutoring maths in the Prep Academy a few years ago and recruited his peers to do the same. He went on to tutor the Grade 10 Academy students each week during his matric year and spent eight months tutoring them while he waited to start his studies at Duke in the USA. Through his extraordinary act of service, we now have a team of tutors who regularly assist Academy students.
William Mills (LV Thomson) has turned his passion for cycling into a successful Academy Cycling group. He has persevered to establish a remarkable programme that has become a big part of the extramural programme for these boys. Each week, he coordinates practice sessions and sources second-hand bikes, cycling gear and all the equipment to clean, repair and service the bikes and has accompanied the boys to many competitions across Gauteng. Some of the Academy boys had never ridden a bicycle before, but with his patience, guidance and commitment, he has turned them all into competitive cyclists.
These students are a true embodiment of the St John's spirit of community.
Last but not least, the 2022 Head and Deputy Head Boy of the Academy, Musa Nhlapo and Mpho Sethole, handed over their office to the incoming Head Boy, Mashaohla ‘Troy’ Poto and Deputy Head Boy, Allan Sibanda. We wish them all the best in their leadership roles in 2023.
Good luck to our Grade 7s who move to high school in the new year. And to our matrics, we wish you all well in your final exams and the next steps in your academic journey. We know you’ve got this!
“I know that I speak for everyone when I say that our time here has been filled with so many amazing moments. Thank you to our teachers and all the people who have made this magical experience possible. You have changed each and every one of our lives, and we will forever be grateful to you for that.” - Musa Nhlapo, Head Boy of the Academy 2022
For more information on the St John’s College Academy programme, please visit https://www.stjohnscollege.co....