Arriving at Norkem High School in Kempton Park on Saturday 27th August, Luca was quiet but inwardly excited. Mr. Mathkega guided Mark and Luca towards the registration area and then the reality set in. CityKidz was being represented at the Grade 6 NST Provincial Olympiad 2022 by Luca King.
It took Mr. Mathkega and Luca five months to achieve the status of "Champion" passing through each stage' - the TOP 45 learners from across the Gauteng Province represented the 500 000 Grade 6 learners in the Gauteng Province, or as Luca liked to phrase it “half a million” learners worked towards attending this prestigious occasion- only 45 achieved this! CityKidz proudly represented one of fifteen school districts in Gauteng. Parents and Teachers were seated downstairs in the hall and the learners were seated upstairs in the gallery. As we waited for the program to begin, one could feel the sense of excitement growingin the audience. Up in the gallery, it was quiet and somber. They were too nervous to show any signs of confidence. Mr. Mothekga was on hand when the learners were taken to their venue to write the test - a slight delay in the beginning stage for the Grade 6 learners, but as Mr P. Padayache the NST, NS and Technology Provincial Coordinator pointed out , was that he was touched to see the learners who had settled in, stand-up and help fellow learners (Mr. Mothekga was very proud to report that Luca went out of his way to help other learners who struggled to log in, etc).
This is the first year that learners were completing the Olympiad via Google (IST Technology). The parents and teachers waited with abated breath and were treated to a science experiment demonstration by Sci - Bono Discovery Centre (Newtown) to calm their nerves. The Grade 6 learners returned to the hall with smiling faces as their eyes searched for their teachers and parents. Acting Chief Director Nicolaai had a positive and calming influence over the learners, teachers and parents when issuing awards. All 45 learners received a standing ovation after accepting their medals. The learner's Certificates will be forwarded to each school and be presented to the learner during Assembly.
Luca did not make the Top 3, but we are very proud of his achievement in being one of the top Champions: one of the Top 45 learners out of 500 000 learners in Gauteng Province. The learners were left with a quote from Albert Einstein: The Important thing is not to stop questioning! The NST Olympiad began in 2007 and through the years the competition has encouraged a journey of 1000 miles for South Africa's top achievers as the country’s future scientists and doctors...
A vote of thanks to CityKidz Staff and Learners (Luca's CityKidz Family) for all the support and care over the past 5 months as it is a shared achievement. Luca summed the day up in a few words when asked how he was feeling: Granny, that was some kind of Magic today!
