CrawfordTimes 16 online (1)

SUMMER ISSUE 2020

Taste Bud

Battle

is Back!

Let’s Get Cooking

From

Failure

to

Fortune

Disney,

Edison,

Michael

Jordan

In the

Footsteps of

Greatness

Crawford Alumni Inspire

Plus: #8 Life Hacks • Brilliant Breakfasts • Celery the Saviour

ADVENTURE

ADVENTURE

AWAITS!

AWAITS!

AT WILD COAST SUN

AT WILD COAST SUN

For more information, call 039 305 9111

or email: wildcoastmvg@suninternational.com

suninternational.com

CONTENTS

4 | Crawford welcomes new schools

6 | CONGRATULATIONS to the 2019

Matrics!

19 | Taste Bud Battle is back!

29 | Lives alive with inspiration

34 | A “dicey” issue

36 | Fostering sustainable family-school

relationships

40 | Catching up with past Crawford

students

52 | Crawford students impress on the

international stage

58 | Life hacks!

61 | Celery is IN!

62 | Food clues for a healthy bod

69 | Brilliant breakfasts!

73 | Must-see travel destinations, NOW!

Published by: Contact Media

Publishers: Donna Verrydt/Sean Press

Editorial Director: Shelley Carroll (CrawfordSchools)

Editorial Manager: Christelle Wolmarans (ADvTECH)

Editorial Assistant: Kumari Lewis (ADvTECH)

Editor: Donna Verrydt (Contact Media)

Head of Finance: Lesley Fox (Contact Media)

Design: Nadette Voogd

Copy Editor: Natalie Kinsley

Production Coordinator: Gwen Sebogodi

Writers / Contributors: Donna Verrydt, Tamara

Oberholster, Margot Bertelsmann, Natalie Kinsley

Repro & Print: CTP

SCHOOL FEATURE

CRAWFORD WELCOMES

NEW SCHOOLS TO

THE GROUP

By Morag Rees

Innovation and growth have always been integral to Crawford,

both for our students and as a brand. Benjamin Franklin wisely

observed that ‘ without continual growth and progress, such words

as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning’.

Whilst the CrawfordSchools group has

consistently embraced change and

perhaps even academic revolution for

its students and the community, we haven’t had

the opportunity to grow the number of schools

within our group for several years. In 2019, however,

we were delighted to welcome our new Ruimsig

campus as well as Bryanston Pre-Primary School as

new members of the CrawfordSchools group.

4 | Crawford Times

The Ruimsig schools (pre-primary, preparatory and

college) are situated on a beautiful campus on

the West Rand. These schools have always been

committed to individual growth, diversity and

respect and their ethos shares many attributes

with Crawford. During our initial conversations with

this group of schools it quickly became apparent

that they subscribe to similar values, focus points

and positive relationships shared by the Crawford

community. The Ruimsig community was informed

of the fact that Crawford would be ‘adopting’

the schools as of January 2020, and the parent

engagement evenings, coffee mornings and

student assemblies have further convinced us

that this campus will be a valuable addition to our

Crawford family. The enthusiasm and support of the

community have been overwhelmingly positive.

Shared functions, teacher collaboration and intense

training have all contributed to this team being

ready and excited for the year ahead. In early 2020,

the Inter-Crawford College Sports Festival will be

hosted by our Ruimsig colleagues and families and

we encourage all Crawfordians and their parents to

join us at this event to celebrate our new campus

and to share the unique community that makes

Crawford so special.

Another new “baby” joining our Crawford family

is Bryanston Pre-Primary School situated just off

William Nicol Drive, Johannesburg. This site boasts

a large hall, tennis courts and extensive space.

The school is currently being renovated to ensure

that the environment and all the facilities meet

the expectations of Crawford parents. Particularly

exciting is the fact that AdvTech’s Centre of

Excellence and Professional Development will be

located at this new school. This Centre will form the

hub for the ongoing training and development

of AdvTech’s early childhood educators and will

provide an adult-sized adaptable learning venue

for teachers. This cutting-edge facility will offer

the Bryanston team, led by principal Bev O’Shea,

ongoing access to the latest research, staff

development and mastery of world-class practice.

The interest in the Bryanston site has been most

encouraging and we are thrilled that this new

school has been so well received by the Bryanston

community. Children at Bryanston Pre-Primary will

graduate to Crawford Preparatory Sandton.

We believe there is significance in the fact that our

Crawford group is growing again. Change and

growth encourages reflection of those already in

The sort of education we

are committed to pursuing

at Crawford is one where

we are not teaching an age

of followers, but rather a

generation of leaders and

thinkers.

the group, exposes colleagues to new expertise

and challenges, and sparks new conversations and

sharing – all crucial aspects of the Crawford offering.

The sort of education we are committed to pursuing

at Crawford is one where we are not teaching an

age of followers, but rather a generation of leaders

and thinkers. Many have lamented that we as South

Africans are facing a crisis of leadership. Our vision

at Crawford is to nurture students who will have the

tenacity, integrity and insight to address this crisis not

just as leaders, but as strong, inquisitive, confident

and intelligent individuals. It is essential that the

figureheads and teachers of Crawford also aspire to

and demonstrate these qualities by truly leading by

example.

Our new schools and colleagues are evidence

of our commitment to growth, improvement and

academic leadership. We are confident that our

new schools will add new depth, insight and

energy, which will invigorate all our schools and

contribute to the CrawfordSchools group being

further acknowledged as leaders in South African

education.

Every child a masterpiece | 5

SCHOOL FEATURE

Congratulations

Matrics of

2019!

“

“We are as always very proud to announce

the CrawfordSchools Matriculation results for

2019. At the heart of our Crawford offering is

the promise to deliver academic excellence

to our students and parents through building

our graduates to become well-rounded

and confident global citizens. The fantastic

academic achievements of our Class of 2019

reaffirms our commitment to this promise

demonstrated through continued excellence

and espoused in the journey of creating

“Every Child a Masterpiece”!

All students within the Crawford group have

excelled in their final examinations and

achieved a wonderful 100% pass rate, as well

as a 97.7% Bachelors’ pass rate (university

entrance) amongst our 490 entrants.

Combined, all our schools have achieved an

average of 2.64 distinctions per candidate

and have demonstrated a general trend of

increasing the number of distinctions per

candidate over the past four years.

The group has a total of 12 students who

achieved an average of 90% and above with

an impressive 56 students who achieved

7 distinctions or more within the group. A total

of 101 students have achieved 6 distinctions

or more.”

Dr Siza Majola, Managing Director,

CrawfordSchools

“

Our congratulations go to the top 12 Crawford

Students who achieved 90% and above within

the ADVTECH Top Achievers Score:

Distinctions Average %

Maia Traub 9 95

Kayrav Naidoo 9 94

Joshua Jankelow 10 94

Caitlin Bosch 8 93

Akshay Satish 9 92

Divesh Singaram 8 91

Motlodiwa Modise 8 91

Adarsh Sundarparsad 8 90

Modammad Amod Carim 8 90

Joy Sure 9 90

Hannah Jassat 9 90

Dennis Zubov 8 90

6 | Crawford Times

COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENT:

The following students achieved within the

top 5% of students in the country in 5 or more

subjects, and scored 80% or higher for Life

Orientation:

Muhammad Amod Carim (Sandton),

Kush Bhatt (Lonehill), Bella Gosnell (La Lucia),

Michaela Neophytou (Lonehill), Saheel

Rajnarain (La Lucia), and Divesh Singaram

(La Lucia)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT:

The following students achieved within the

top 5% of students in the country in 6 or more

subjects, and scored 80% or higher for Life

Orientation:

Caitlin Bosch (La Lucia), Joshua Jankelow

(Sandton), Motlodiwa Modise (Sandton),

Kayrav Naidoo (La Lucia), Darika Ramphal

(La Lucia), Akshay Satish (Sandton) and Maia

Traub (Sandton)

TOP 1% OF IEB CANDIDATES PER SUBJECT

Accounting: Kush Bhatt (Lonehill), Jeremy Simpson

(La Lucia), Caitlin Bosch (La Lucia), Kayrav Naidoo

(La Lucia), Akshay Satish (Sandton), Romy Rushton

(North Coast)

Advanced Programme Mathematics: Kayrav

Naidoo (La Lucia), Jeremy Simpson (La Lucia), Maia

Traub (Sandton), Dennis Zubov (Lonehill)

Physical Science: Maia Traub (Sandton), Dennis

Zubov (Lonehill)

Mathematics: Caitlin Bosch (La Lucia), Saloni

Gandhi (Lonehill), Pooja Jugnarayan (La Lucia),

Jinyang Kim (Sandton), Zoe Liebenberg (Sandton),

Kayrav Naidoo (La Lucia), Saheel Rajnarain (La

Lucia), Akshay Satish (Sandton), Divesh Singaram

(La Lucia), Adarsh Sundarparsad (La Lucia), Maia

Traub (Sandton), Njabulo Tsela (Sandton), Brent

Yelland (La Lucia), Dennis Zubov (Lonehill)

Mathematical Literacy: Romario de Oliveira

(Pretoria), Fabian Gouveia (Sandton), Adam Kirsch

(Sandton), Byron Swart (North Coast)

Life Orientation: Olushola Adelusi (Lonehill),

Muhammad Amod Carim (Sandton), Taryn Brown

(Sandton), Zindzi Douglas Pedersen (Sandton),

Bella Gosnell (La Lucia), Chung-Fan Hsiao (Pretoria),

Shezana Hoosen (Pretoria), Joshua Jankelow

(Sandton), Rea Khumalo (La Lucia), Luyanda

Khuzwayo (La Lucia), Raquel Mitchelson (Sandton),

Naledi Molebale (Pretoria), Shaldon Naiker

(Maragon Ruimsig), Akshay Satish (Sandton),

Jeremy Simpson (La Lucia), Rinya Singh (Sandton)

English (Home Language): Ashleigh Irvine-Smith

(Sandton), Joshua Jankelow (Sandton), Zoë

Meneses (La Lucia), Raquel Mitchelson (Sandton),

Michael Nair (La Lucia), Michaela Neophytou

(Lonehill), Sunesan Reddy (North Coast), Jamie

Samuel (North Coast), Rinya Singh (Sandton), Maia

Traub (Sandton)

Dramatic Arts: Israel Chiloane (100%) (Maragon

Ruimsig), Tamarind Harth (Lonehill)

Visual Arts: Hannah Jassat (La Lucia), Zindzi

Douglas-Pedersen (Sandton)

Business Studies: Shreya Beekum (North Coast),

Uvaan Chetty (La Lucia), Cameron Gopal (Lonehill),

Usheel Govind (La Lucia), Mohammed Ismail

(Pretoria), Keagan Helfrich (Maragon Ruimsig),

Bhavaniya Moodliar (Sandton), Isabella Pieroni

(North Coast), Saheel Rajnarain (La Lucia)

Afrikaans (First Additional Language): Caitlin

Bosch (La Lucia), Muhammad Bux (North Coast),

Shannon Goodchild (Lonehill), Alicia Kotze

(Pretoria), Lisa Malherbe (Lonehill), Kayrav Naidoo

(La Lucia), Carlo Olivier (Pretoria), Hermanus van

Staden (Maragon Ruimsig)

Engineering, Graphics and Design: Adarsh

Sundarparsad (La Lucia), Brent Yelland (La Lucia),

Kimeshan Naidoo (La Lucia)

CAT: Yubin Cho (Sandton)

French: Maeva Tchikanda Ntchatcho (Sandton)

Geography: Rebekah van Wyk (Sandton)

History: Joshua Jankelow (Sandton), Maia Traub

(Sandton), Zindzi Douglas-Pedersen (Sandton)

Life Sciences: Eleni Manias (Maragon Ruimsig),

Shivanth Prithipal (North Coast)


SCHOOL FEATURE

10

distinctions

9

Bella Gosnell

Crawford College La Lucia

distinctions

Joshua Jankelow

Crawford College Sandton

Akshay Satish


Che Yang


Hannah Jassat


Jeremy Simpson


Top Achiever of the ADvTECH

Group of Schools

Joy Sure


Kayrav Naidoo


Maia Traub


Noah Havik


8 | Crawford Times

8

distinctions

Adarsh Sundarparsad


Alicia Kotze

Crawford College Pretoria

Brent Yelland


Caitlin Bosch


Darika Ramphal


Dennis Zubov

Crawford College Lonehill

Divesh Singaram


Louis Ethan Luyt

Crawford College North Coast

Mikara Sheodass


Motlodiwa Modise


Muhammad Amod Carim


Nikhita Vallabh


Olushola Adelusi


Pooja Jugnarayan


Saloni Gandhi


Shreya Beekum


Usheel Govind


Zoe Liebenberg



SCHOOL FEATURE

7 distinctions

Amal Patel


Arani Pillay


Björn Stragier


Chloé Naidoo


Chung-Fan (Venny) Hsiao


Denzil Mhlongo


Eleni Manias

Maragon Ruimsig High School

Hermanus Johannes Van Staden


Ilayda Albas


Jordan-Jenna Rolfe


Joshua Chandler Johnson


Joshua Ward


Keagan Ray Helfrich


Kush Bhatt


Leiya Bookhan


Lisa Malherbe


10 | Crawford Times

7 distinctions

Luyanda Khuzwayo


Michaela Neophytou


Michelle Booyse


Nakeisha Naidoo


Nicara Govender


Njabulo Tsela


Rinya Singh


Shivanth Prithipal


Shreya Ahana Maharaj


Saheel Rajnarain


Sunesan Reddy


Tanna Beautement


Zoë Meneses



SCHOOL FEATURE

6distinctions

Ashleigh Irvine-Smith


Aishani Sinha

Crawford College Lonehil

Bhavaniya Moodliar


Catherine Coetzee


Chance Porteous


Darmikah Pather


Dylan Trowsdale


Faye Rahl-Botha


Hyun Bae Park


Isabella Pieroni


Jinyang Kim


Kriya Gordhan


12 | Crawford Times

6distinctions

Maeva Ntchatcho Tchikanda


Muhammad Bux


Naomi Kimetto


Raquel Mitchelson


Rea Khumalo


Rebekah van Wyk


Riov Ramdhaney


Romy Katherine Rushton


Sameeha Alli


Shannon Goodchild


Shezana Hoosen


Tamarind Harth


Taryn Brown


Tristyn Ferreiro


Yubin Cho


Zukiswa Siobhan Akullo Angura



SCHOOL FEATURE

5 distinctions

Adam Kirsch


Bongiwe Xulu


Cameron Peter


Chandler Vivian


Chloe Woodhouse


Elena Geyer


Faaria Theba


Hudson Stuart Mccallum


Jaime Watkins


Jessica Dunford


Jordyn Swart


Kimeshan Naidoo


Leia Poona


Marianthe Panas


Mark Swanepoel


Magogudi Lamola


14 | Crawford Times

Michael Chinaka


Nastascia Montepara


Mohamed Noorbhai


Mohammed Ismail


Nicola Dominique De Abreu


Reah Anandray


Ruveshan Naik


Sabelo Ngcobo


Saul Orelowitz


Shilpa Ramlukhen


Shravan Gordhan


Sma Das


Thejal Singh


Tracey-Lea Meyer


Uvaan Chetty


Vivienne Nel


Zindzi Douglas Pedersen



SCHOOL FEATURE

4 distinctions

Adriano Seresi


Alexis van Eeghem


Anita Janse van Rensburg


Ashleigh-Ann Moyo


Cailen Jonker


Candice Rachel Kerr


Carlo Olivier


Diolan Govender


Emma Mouton


Gugu Kabemba


Gia Catano


Hana Hassim


Israel Chiloane


Jade Bailey


James Cameron


Jamie Hannah Samuel


16 | Crawford Times

4 distinctions

Katya Patterson


Kiara-Lee Flaum


Kyla Maharaj


Leah Mari


Luke Arentsen


Maceau Dalton


Maxim Zubov


Nkomati Mashabane


Ntebogeng Koloane


Olwethuthando Phehlukwayo


Ruben Girzda


Sasha Murishe Kunaka


Shalyn Van Den Heever


Suhayma Abdul Fafar Ossman


Tharika Konar



Is Back!

And More Delicious Than Ever...

Launch date: 30 January 2020

Closing date: 30 May 2020

SO, WHAT IS THE TASTE BUD BATTLE?

The Taste Bud Battle is an exciting national kids

and teens cooking and baking competition.

WHY SHOULD YOU ENTER?

It’s an unbelievable culinary experience for kids and

teens (and even for the parents), who have an

interest in food. Contestants will get

spoonfuls of fun, a dollop of inspiration,

a sprinkle of education and plenty

of scrumptious prizes.

WHO CAN ENTER?

Kids between 4 and 19 years of age

who have a keen interest in food, cooking

and/or baking — or who simply love being

in the kitchen with family and friends.

“The Taste Bud Battle builds kids’

confidence, enhances positive

attitudes and creativity. What a

wonderful initiative!”

~ Daniel’s mom

“The Taste Bud Battle taught my boys

some new skills, allowed me to spend

time with them in the kitchen and

offered some competitive fun!”

~ Reece’s mom

“What a great opportunity for kids to

show off their skills and creativity —

in a fun way that builds confidence!”

~ Abby’s Mom

AGE

CATEGORIES

Age on 30 May 2020 when

competition entries close.

Pre-Primary:

4 - 5 years old

Junior Preparatory /

Primary:

6 - 9 years old

Senior Preparatory /

Primary:

10 - - 13 years old

College / High School:

14 - - 19 years old

“Wow, did we go through a lot of

ideas and ingredients! Sienna loved

every minute of the Taste Bud Battle

and we loved seeing her shine!”

~ Sienna’s Mom

“My daughter battled for a while

to find her “thing”! Then the Taste

Bud Battle came along and ignited

passion in her and inspired a newfound

love of cooking!”

~ Layla’s Mom

“The Taste Bud Battle was better than we ever

expected! We can’t wait for the next one!”

~ Mathew’s mom

www.tastebudbattle.co.za

20 | Crawford Times

BREAKING NEWS:

Theme Announcement

The 2020 Taste Bud Battle Theme is:

DID YOU KNOW?

» You can BAKE with fruit.

» You can COOK a savoury dish using fruit.

» You can even make a dish that just resembles a fruit

(doesn’t have to contain fruit but can look like a fruit).

» Your dish could focus on just ONE fruit or could feature a MEDLEY of fruits.

» Fruit can be the actual dish, the accompaniment or the sauce! It’s up to you!

» Remember that some food that you know as vegetables may actually be fruit!

» Fruit are formed from the seed-bearing parts of a flowering plant. They are all

the bits that have seeds. Vegetables are all the other parts of a plant, such as the

roots, leaves and stems.

TBB 2

HERE ARE JUST SOME FRUITS THAT

PEOPLE MISTAKE AS VEGETABLES:

» Pumpkin

» Butternut

» Chilli

» Capsicum

» Cucumber

» Tomato

» Olives

» Aubergine

» Sweet Corn

» Avocados

» Green Beans

There are lots of others too, can you find some more?


22 | Crawford Times

How do

contestants enter?

STEP 1: Conceptualise your recipe according to theme -

Fruity Fun!

STEP 2: Create your dish at home.

STEP 3: Upload your recipe, photos of your food and

video of you making and presenting your dish

onto the Taste Bud Battle website:

www.tastebudbattle.co.za (it’s easy!).

STEP 4: Get your friends and family to vote for your dish

- this could earn you a Wild Card entry into the

semi-finals.

STEP 5: Wait for the finalists to be announced on

11 June 2020 (see Timelines)

31 January 2020 Competition opens

2020

31 May 2020 Competition closes for entries

11 June 2020 Semi finalists announced

11 July First Plate Johannesburg

18 July First Plate Pretoria

25 July First Plate Durban

1 August First Plate Cape Town

15 August First Plate George

31 August Finalists announced

3 October Final Cook-Off and Awards Ceremony

Timelines

Proud Sponsors

Yay, they’re back for 2020!

Capsicum Culinary Studio is the

largest and most well-known chef

school in South Africa and a proud

Taste Bud Battle partner! Capsicum’s

objectives are to fuel culinary

passion through hands-on training

and qualifications recognised

internationally. Taste Bud Battle

aims to fuel culinary passion in kids

as they build up to a possible career

in the food arts. Capsicum and Taste

Bud Battle are perfect partners.

Snowflake is so much more than We are so excited to welcome

flour! They are proud sponsors

Cresta Shopping Centre as our

of the Taste Bud Battle and we

First Plate Tasting destination for

can’t wait to work with them Johannesburg. Cresta is a huge

again. Snowflake promises supporter of the Taste Bud Battle

to help take your baking and and is excited to host the

cooking to the next level - and Johannesburg event at their mall,

we know they can. They have which is one of the largest shopping

been part of South African

centres in South Africa, boasting

kitchens for 134 years.

more than 260 stores!

We are excited to announce that

our First Plate Tasting for Pretoria

will be held at the award-winning

super-regional shopping centre,

Menlyn. Menlyn has undergone a

redevelopment of R2.5 Billion.


24 | Crawford Times

SCHOOLS FEATURE

DEVELOPING

INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED

STUDENTS THROUGH THE IB PROGRAMME

Crawford Schools is in candidacy phase of the International Baccalaureate (IB)

programme, the aim of which is to develop internationally-minded people who

recognise their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet. This is

a multifaceted concept that captures a way of thinking, being and acting.

Internationally-minded students are open to

others and to the world, and are cognisant

of our deep interconnectedness. To facilitate

this, the Primary Years Programme (PYP) offers

opportunities to inquire into human commonalities

through the transdisciplinary themes. Being willing

to see beyond local boundaries is also essential for

intercultural understanding.

The attributes of the learner profile represent a broad

range of human capacities and responsibilities that

encompass intellectual, personal, emotional and

social growth. The development and demonstration

of these attributes form a foundation to students

becoming internationally-minded, active and caring

community members who respect themselves,

others and the world around them.

The learner profile attributes provide teachers,

students and parents with a common language

with which to describe and reflect the following.

• School culture: the attributes can be reflected

in class agreements, playground guidelines,

collaborative planning arrangements, pastoral

care processes and social protocols observed

by the school (e.g. welcome ceremonies). They

become part of the language of pastoral care

and restorative practices.

• Communications: the attributes can be used

to describe learning and school-wide initiatives

through newsletters, school websites and

displays in the learning spaces. For example,

“student librarians” read all the new picture

books that arrive in the library in order to identify

the attributes of focus; library visitors are invited

to engage with the learner profile attributes

identified.

• Feedback: students give and receive feedback

on their learning using the language of the

learner profile attributes, which can be shared

and celebrated in reports. For example, students

care for each other in the playground and

communicate to work through differences.

• Tools: the attributes can provide a tool for

reflecting on local, national and global

opportunities and challenges, as well as on


SCHOOLS FEATURE

AS IB LEARNERS WE STRIVE TO BE:

INQUIRERS

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for

inquiry and research. We know how to learn

independently and with others. We learn with

enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning

throughout life.

- Visit the library to borrow books that are about

their interests and hobbies or research a subject

together.

- Be a role model – if there is a subject that you

also don’t have an idea about, admit your lack

of knowledge and offer to search the solutions

together.

KNOWLEDGEABLE

We develop and use conceptual understanding,

exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines.

We engage with issues and ideas that have local

and global significance.

- Encourage your child to read books about the

inquiries taking place at school and show interest.

- Talk to your child about a local or global subject

that is interesting and age appropriate.

THINKERS

We use critical and creative thinking skills to

analyse and take responsible action on complex

problems. We exercise initiative in making

reasoned, ethical decisions.

- Encourage your child to think about various

solutions to problems.

- Take an interest in your child’s learning and ask

questions to further stretch their thinking.

COMMUNICATORS

We express ourselves confidently and creatively

in more than one language and in many ways.

We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the

perspectives of other individuals and groups.

- Motivate your child to get in touch with relatives or

friends both near and far.

- Encourage your child to communicate with

different people in your environment.

PRINCIPLED

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong

sense of fairness and justice, and with respect

for the dignity and rights of people everywhere.

We take responsibility for our actions and their

consequences.

- E your child to play in team games. You can

discuss the qualities of a good player and talk

about what kinds of a team player they wish to

play with.

- Always encourage gratitude and handshaking

with rivals whether winning or losing a game.

OPEN-MINDED

We critically appreciate our own cultures and

personal histories, as well as the values and

traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range

of points of views, sand we are willing to grow from

the experience.

- Try different kinds of traditional and cultural foods.

- Show an appreciation for global festivals,

celebrations and traditions without criticism.

CARING

We show empathy, compassion and respect. We

have a commitment to service, and we act to

make a positive difference in the lives of others and

in the world around us.

- Display a caring behaviour, and donate your time,

together, at a local charity, or plant trees or plants,

or clean up the area outside your home.

RISK-TAKERS

We approach uncertainty with forethought and

determination; we work independently and

cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative

strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the

face of challenges and change.

- You can encourage your child to face a fear and

talk to them about their experience.

BALANCED

We understand the importance of balancing

different aspects of our lives – intellectual, physical,

and emotional – to achieve well-being for ourselves

and others. We recognise our interdependence

with other people and with the world in which we

live.

- You can discuss the food groups and decide

together what might be a good supper.

- Encourage your child to partake in physical and

mental challenges.

REFLECTIVE

We thoughtfully consider the world and our own

ideas and experience. We work to understand our

strengths and weaknesses in order to support our

learning and personal development.

- Encourage your child to reflect on events or

games and to consider what actions may have

led to different outcomes.

There are a range of opportunities for students

to develop, demonstrate and reinforce these

attributes in their daily lives, such as through

the school curriculum, through everyday social

interactions and school events, and at home and

in the wider community.

26 | Crawford Times

international events that are reported in

the media. For example, consideration of

different perspectives of a news story can be

encouraged when students are openminded

inquirers or principled thinkers.

Teachers and students reflect on what the

attributes look like and how they are developed

through different subjects. Being a principled

risk-taker in science, for example, could involve

designing an innovative renewable energy

solution while considering the opinions and

needs of local people. Perhaps an open-minded

thinker in arts could engage with and reflect

upon artworks that conveyed stories of power

and privilege across the world, or a reflective

communicator in physical education could

choreograph collaborative group dances to

investigate identity and mutual understanding.

Different attributes may be relevant at different

times for each student depending on, for example,

personal learning goals, phases of development

or skills focus.

This may include students:

• developing their own definitions and descriptions

of what the different attributes mean to them.

For example, photos/drawings of students

planning and carrying out demonstrations of

action such as engaging in a campaign for

equal pay for migrant workers (social justice and

participation). These can be accompanied by

an individual or collaborative explanation of how

this action contributes to the development and

demonstration of a principled thinker.

• considering how to use attributes as a tool for

self-assessment and personal reflection on

learning. This may be part of peer feedback and

teacher assessment and may be included as

part of school reporting strategies. For example,

reflections alongside examples of learning in

student portfolios or as pop-up descriptions in

reports for teachers, students and parents to

reflect upon

• gathering evidence on how they have

developed particular attributes in connection

with approaches to learning, as part of ongoing

reflection during the PYP exhibition. For example,

reflecting on being knowledgeable inquirers

while using a range of research skills appropriate

for particular aspects during their investigations

(such as planning, online survey and graphing

tools).

AN INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED STUDENT …

Is a competent communicator

Is open-minded and knowledgeable

Is a caring and principled thinker

Uses their curiosity and research skills to inquire

about the world

Critically reflective about opportunities and

challenges

Develops self and understands others through

being a risk-taker

Has a balanced outlook

Takes action for positive change

• If you never have you should. These things are fun and fun is good

Risk-Takers

“If you never have,

you should. These

things are fun and

fun is good!”


FEATURE ARTICLE

Every successful person has stories of

failure. Every. Single. One. Behind every

‘Forbes Richest’ list, good-life living and

flashy extravagance often lurks a past

filled with rejection, failure and despair.

So if you think your crazy idea – like a

whale blimp – is going to change the

world, remember the humble beginnings

of Mickey Mouse! Let’s have a look

at how some hugely successful and

significant people went from failure to

fame and fortune…

LIVES ALIVE WITH

IMAGINATION, INSPIRATION

AND DETERMINATION

WALT DISNEY

Can you imagine a world without Disney? There would be no Cinderella,

Mary Poppins, Piglet, Mickey Mouse or any of the seven dwarfs! Walt Disney’s

work is nothing less than legendary, but his first boss didn’t think so – he fired

Disney from a newspaper editor position for “lacking creativity” (… really?!).

He endured rejection and many slamming doors. His famous little Mickey

Mouse was rejected by bankers more than 300 times because they

thought the idea was absurd!

Disney’s unrelenting imagination, vision and determination

eventually earned Walt Disney a total of 32 Academy Awards —

the most Academy Awards recorded in entertainment history.

Today, the Walt Disney Company is said to be worth an

estimated US$130 billion. “Ahhhh rats!” said more than 300

bankers!

“All the adversity

I’ve had in my life,

all my troubles

and obstacles, have

strengthened me.

You may not realise

it when it happens,

but a kick in the teeth

may be the best thing

in the world for you.”

– Walt Disney

28 | Crawford Times


FEATURE ARTICLE

MIMECAST

In 2003, two gents in the UK launched

Mimecast – a new approach to

email security and management.

One of their very first hires was a sales

rep with massive self-confidence and

an inexhaustible ability for cold calling.

For the first four months he cold-called

for nine hours a day, week after week. His

rejection rate was 98%, but because of the

volumes of his calls, the 2% successes built the

business to several hundred clients. This rep had a

neat little trick with accents; if he called and was

denied, he’d simply call back later with a different

accent.

Mimecast became an international business with

an annual turnover of R1 billion!

Whoever said cold-calling was a thing of

the past?! Source: ExpertHub

THOMAS A. EDISON

Poor Thomas Edison was

pulled out of school after

teachers called him “stupid”

and “unteachable”. He spent

his teenage years working and

being fired from various jobs,

culminating in his termination

from a telegraph company at age

21. His true passion, though, was

inventing and throughout his career

he obtained 1,093 patents. Some

were so successful, including the

light bulb, a stock printer, phonograph

and alkaline battery. Many more, however,

were a flop. Edison is famous for saying

that genius is “1% inspiration and 99%

perspiration”. Source: growthink.com

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain

way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” –

Thomas A. Edison

J.K. ROWLING

The author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, is

currently the second-richest female entertainer on

the planet having sold 450 million copies worldwide.

It seems fictional that 12 different publishers

rejected the first Harry Potter book in 1995.

When writing the original Harry Potter book, Rowling

was going through a divorce, grieving the death of

her mother, and living in a tiny flat with her daughter

and surviving on government subsidies. She turned

these negatives into a whopping positive by

devoting most of her free time to the Harry Potter

series. The result is a book you probably have at

home … and a brand name worth nearly

US$15 billion. Source: growthink.com

J. K. Rowling achieved billionaire status; however, she

is no longer a billionaire because she donated so

much of her fortune to charity. In 2011, she donated

16% of her total net worth, equal to about US$160

million. Source: Borgen Magazine

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live

so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which

case you have failed by default.” – J.K. Rowling

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE

SOUL

Jack Canfield is the

creator of the Chicken

Soup for the Soul series.

He and his co-author

Mark Victor Hansen

pitched the original

concept to more

than 130 different

publishers. But

none of them were

inspired or interested

and said that “nobody wants

to read 100 inspirational stories”. After 100+

pitches, their agent dropped them too.

Maybe it was their inspiring stories that kept

them going, but they never gave up and

continued to persevere until their book was

picked up by a small publisher in Florida.

Today there are more than 250 Chicken

Soup for the Soul books and 500 million

copies sold worldwide.

Source: inspireyoursuccess

“Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no

matter what is going on around them.” – Jack Canfield

30 | Crawford Times

ELIZABETH BLACKWELL

Elizabeth Blackwell desperately

wanted to go to medical

school, but back in 1849

women couldn’t become

doctors! She applied to 29

medical schools and received

29 rejections. So, she visited the

schools in person to convince them to admit

her. She was told to dress like a man, but this

woman wasn’t going to pretend to be anyone

she was not!

A funny thing happened… she was eventually

accepted by accident. Her candidacy went up

for a vote with the 150 men already enrolled.

They all thought it was a joke and unanimously

voted to accept her — as a joke! Her anatomy

professor suggested that she excuse herself

from the training, and men regularly refused to

work with her during training. She went on to

become the first woman to receive a medical

degree in the US in 1849! It’s powerful when you

believe in yourself! Source: bradaronson

“It is not easy to be a pioneer - but oh, it is fascinating! I would

not trade one moment, even the worst moment, for all the riches

in the world.” – Elizabeth Blackwell

MICHAEL JORDAN

Michael Jordan is

a sporting legend.

Isn’t it crazy to think

that he was cut

from the varsity

basketball team

in his sophomore

year? There was no

conspiracy involved;

he simply wasn’t

good enough.

This is said to be the launch pad of his

basketball career. He practised harder,

played ferociously and didn’t stop for

anything or anyone until he dominated

basketball at the highest professional level.

His NBA records are as unreachable as his

vertical leap. Source: Business Insider

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost

almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game

winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over

again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

KFC’S COLONEL SANDERS

Colonel Sanders’ persevered

through business and

personal trials until he hit the

big time! He dropped out of

school, took on many jobs,

endured a divorce and the

passing of one of his sons. He

suffered severe depression.

When most people would be

getting comfy in their retirement shoes, Sanders,

who at the time was over the age of 60, was only

just getting started. While running a gas station

he began to cook and sell meals to make ends

meet. Yes, he cooked fried chicken, of course!

He spent years travelling across the US visiting

potential franchisee restaurants offering them

his chicken recipe in return for 4 cents on every

chicken sold. It is believed that he was rejected

more than 1,000 times, but he persisted and by

the age of 74 he had franchised 600 outlets! His

now famous “Kentucky Fried Chicken” recipe

expanded internationally, and he sold the

company for US$2 million (US$15.3 million today).

Sanders died at age 90, but he was proud of

the then 6,000 KFC locations in 48 countries.

By 2013, there were an estimated 18,000 KFC

locations in 118 countries! Source: Mashed

“I was 66 years old. I still had to make a living. I looked at my social

security check of US$105 and decided to use that to try to franchise

my chicken recipe. Folks had always liked my chicken.”

– Colonel Sanders

DEBONAIRS PIZZA

We all know Debonairs! This famous South African

pizza franchise was founded in 1991 by two lads

in Pietermaritzburg. On their first day trading, the

company sold a whopping six pizzas out of a bakery,

but they grew to more than 500 stores and 27.5 million

pizzas a year! Did you know that Debonairs was the

first pizza brand in Africa to offer free delivery, online

and mobile ordering, and the first to offer peppadews

as a pizza topping? To give back they started

Doughnation, where leftover pizza dough is made into

flatbreads to feed millions more. Amazing! And while

Debonairs confidently put peppadews on a pizza, the

debate around pineapple’s rightful place on a pizza

rages on!


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Explore our state-of-the art facilities:

• extensive library

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Visit www.iiemsa.co.za

or call us 011 950 4009

PARENT FEATURE

“A

DICEY

ISSUE”

The Fundamentals …

By Natalie Kinsley

Sex! Are we, as parents, ever really ready to take the bull by the horns and

talk to our kids about sexual issues? Eeeek! Do we really need to, and if

so, where do we start? We sat with Ilze Alberts, Educational Psychologist,

Play Therapist, and Founder of Bella Vida, to understand how we tackle this

important topic.

Children are all born as physical,

intellectual, spiritual, emotional and social

beings. We, as parents, strive to do our

best to nurture all aspects of our child’s

wellbeing, but as Ilze pointed out, sometimes we’re

guilty of choosing to ignore that our children are

also sexual beings.

Our children are bombarded by information

of a sexual nature on the television, the radio,

advertisements, movies, the internet, packaging

and in magazines and music. We live in a world

where knowledge and information, whether true or

false, can get to them before they are able to cope

34 | Crawford Times

with it. Parents have a fundamental role to play in

their children’s sexual development. Unfortunately,

parents all too often provide their children with little

or absolutely no information about sexuality. We

know it can be daunting to think that sooner or later

these discussions will need to happen, but can’t we

just leave it to the schools to teach them about the

“s-word”?

Ilze stresses that it is the privilege of parents to talk

to and tell their children about sexual issues, and

they should be the principle sex educators to ensure

they receive the correct information in a respectful

and beautiful way. If we do not talk to our kids then

they get the impression that parents are either

unapproachable, or the topic is taboo. This leaves a

child to find out in their own way.

Some of us remember having “The Talk” when

we were younger, and it seems many of us share

the same experience of rather cold and clinical

memories of one single awkward talk with our

folks. Hmmm, maybe if the topic was a little more

“permissible” and widely spoken about in our

generation (before the internet, mind you!) then

perhaps some of us would’ve learnt about sex in a

safe and comfy environment where it was ok to ask

questions and learn about the dangers.

Fast forward to today – a different world to then –

and we all have our own personal views regarding

sex. Ilze highlights the importance of deciding as

parents what our value system is. You might want to

teach your children that sex is only allowed between

a married couple, husband and wife, or you may

want to teach your children the value system that

sex is allowed between two adults when they love

each other.

THE GOODNESS OF THEIR BODY

From as young as possible, start by teaching your

child about the goodness of his or her body and

that his or her body is special and belongs only to

the child. Teach them that their private parts – the

parts covered by our swimming costumes – are

private and not secret. We do not show them to

others, nobody may touch them, and they are

not toys. Teach them that their body is theirs and

that nobody may touch their body without their

permission, and that they may not touch another

person’s body without their permission. No matter

your value system, this is an incredibly important

lesson to teach boys and girls, and to always remind

them of. Repeat this over and over and over again,

throughout their childhood and adolescence.

You can never be too early or too late in telling

and reminding your child enough that they have

a beautiful body, that their body belongs to them

and that nobody may touch them without their

permission. This will go a long way in safeguarding

them against peer pressure and abuse.

TEACHABLE MOMENTS

We, as parents, can agree that we all want our kids

to come to us for advice and guidance, and to

create a safe space for them to ask the questions

that they are seeking answers to. When we share

information with our children about sexuality, it sets

the atmosphere that the topic is approachable.

Life presents many teachable moments, and the best

way of talking to children about the birds and bees is

to respond to these teachable moments. Be receptive

to their questions and answer with the truth.

As an example, perhaps you are on the way to

drop your children off at school and on the radio

you hear of a sexual assault case on the news, or

an advert for condoms, or a song with lyrics of an

explicit sexual nature. Your younger child asks what

this means – there is your teachable moment. If you

cannot answer properly in the car, make sure to

discuss it with your child that evening. Interestingly,

teachable moments are often presented in the car

as children ask big questions when there is no eye

contact. Teachable moments can also be created

by parents when, for example, an aunt is pregnant.

Look out for these moments whether your child is a

toddler or in high school.

KNOWLEDGE BEFORE PUBERTY

Make sure that your child is well informed before the

onset of puberty about the physical and emotional

changes that will take place. The timing of puberty

has decreased radically with the average age for

the onset of menstruation in girls now under 12.

Boys are beginning to go through puberty at about

13, with live sperm appearing in a boy’s semen as

early as age 10.

RESPECTING PRIVACY

As a child journeys through their own sexuality,

respect them by setting the tone that they may

talk to you openly about the topic. It is also very

important to respect your children and their privacy.

If, for example, your children do not wish to bath

together any longer, respect that. Or when your child

of any age covers herself or himself when you enter

the bathroom or bedroom, respect it. Show respect

for children’s bodies and teach them respect for

their own bodies.


PARENT FEATURE

IT TAKES A VILLAGE!

Dealing with conflict between parents

and teachers – a prickly affair!

It’s a no-brainer: parents, students and educators must work together

to form effective, sustainable family-school partnerships. But when you

have somebody’s child at the centre of a problem, it is often not a brain

matter, but rather a matter of the heart, and emotions never help a conflict

situation. Here’s some insight into perceptions and how to manage conflict.

The Conflict Situation

Byron* was the top-performing athlete at his school

and, in fact, in the district. Not only was he the top

100 metre sprinter, but he was also Captain of the

rugby team and an aspiring national player. He was

also popular amongst his peers and garnered a

lot of attention. Unfortunately, as with young people

navigating pseudo-fame, Byron’s ego became

bigger than the school. He always attended

practises (not breaking any rules there) but was

disruptive at those practises - talking incessantly

during training and not giving it his all. When

teachers reprimanded him for his behaviour, or

questioned his commitment to the team, Byron was

direspectful. He talked back, ridiculed the teacher

and made rude comments under his breath. His

peers would stiffle laugher under their breath.

36 | Crawford Times

The situation deteriorated and finally came to a

head when Byron, the top athlete of the district,

was suspended from all school sports teams. The

decision was like a volcanic eruption that had Byron,

his teachers and his parents in a massive conflict

situation that raged on for weeks. There were emails,

telephone calls, requests for meetings, meetings,

requests for more meetings, more meetings...and so

it went on. The community were all chatting about it

and everyone had an opinion.

Eventually, in an attempt to finally end the conflict, a

decision was made to reinstated Byron on condition

that he adhere to the Code of Conduct of the

school. All parties left the situation feeling unsatisfied,

fed up and disrespected. The embers continued to

smoulder.

Parents perception: The first Byron’s parents had

heard of the situation was when their child was

suspended from the athletics and rugby team

(of which he was the Captain!). The decision

seemed over-the-top and impulsive, after all they

had never heard of any problems prior to the

suspension.“Teachers should be trained to deal

with teenage boys, that’s their job!” The parents were

adamant that that teacher didn’t like Byron and

they would not allow his future to be compromised

by an “idiot”. They went straight to the Principal. This

was war!

Parents’ problems:

• No adequate communication from the school.

• Mismanagement of the situation and our

expectations.

• Mistrust of the educators and the school system.

Teacher’s perception: We had been sending letters

home to Byron’s parents about his behaviour for

weeks and he had received three detentions that

term for other behavioural issues. As high school

educators, we are equipped to deal with teenage

personalities and we didn’t want to run unnecissarily

to the parents. It was quite sad, really, as Byron

had so much potential but he was throwing it all

away because of his ego. Only when it became

unmanageable did we suspend Byron and take

other formal disciplinary steps against him. He

is, after all, almost an adult and needs to take

responsibility for his actions! Instead of responding

to our letters, the parents then went straight to the

Principal. Byron has been reinstated and he now

feels he is “untouchable” and the bad behaviour

has not only continued but worsened.

Teachers’ problems:

• Uninvolved parents (not aware of all details)

• Mismanagement of expectations

• Bad communication

• No conflict plan put in place

Byron’s perception: I don’t mean to blow my own

horn, but I am the best athlete on that team and

they treat me like a child. What did they think would

happen when they suspended me off the teams?

Without me the school will not win. That teacher

obviously doesn’t like me, which is fine because I

don’t like him either! I’ll just do the bare minimum if

they don’t value me. It will hurt them more than me.

Byron’s problems:

• Demotivated

• Unaccountable for behaviour

• No lessons learned

Overall problem:

Everyone has left this situation divided and

unfortunately it is human nature for the feelings to

fester, which will add to the overall negativity of the

individuals and the deterioration of the positive

community spirit of the school.

Goal:

Ultimately, family-school partnerships are about

maximising student opportunities for success. That’s

the goal!

When both parents and teachers learn to improve

their partnership efforts and students remain at the

heart of all relationships, family-school partnerships

can be preserved, even in the presence of conflict.

Two common barriers in most parent-teacher

conflicts are emotional parents and a lack of

teacher training.

Both parents and teachers may want what is best

for a student, but their expectations and perceptions

of a particular child and situation can vary. With this

in mind, it is important to understand the traditional

barriers that exist between parents and teachers.

COMMON BARRIERS FOR

PARENTS AND TEACHERS

For parents:

• Expecting more from educators

• Distrust of educators

• Educator’s lack of communication

• Educator’s unresponsiveness to family needs and

wishes

For educators:

• Parents playing a passive role in their child’s

educational process

• Fear of conflict with parents

• Concerns about families’ abilities to assist with

school-related issues

• Negative communication with families regarding

a child’s academic progress or behaviour

• Difficulty seeing parents as partners in the

educational process

The way forward

The willingness and ability to appropriately handle

conflict are key to the establishment of effective

family-school partnerships.

Relationships between parents and educators are

often cival, even friendly, while no tension exists;

however, when a conflict arises, it becomes much


PARENT FEATURE

more difficult for educators and parents to work

together in an effective and meaningful way.

When conflicts arise, shared goals and values

serve as the foundation for effectively resolving

disagreements. Rather than viewing conflict as the

destruction of the partnership, conflict should be

viewed as an opportunity to discuss desired goals

of the school and of the parents. Create a workable

plan to achieve those goals and then to work

collaboratively to reach those goals.

Every school has a Procedures Document of what

do to if conflict arises, who to talk to first, where to go

if the issue can’t be resolved there; and where the

final decisions will be made. It is important to respect

and stick-to these procedures. But what these

documents don’t talk about is what we should be

taking into those conflict meetings.

Before attending the meeting, both parties should

consider that there will be differences and that

those difference should be seen as assets to

the partnership in order to grow and achieve!

Remember you both have the child and the school’s

best interests at heart. Say to yourself, ‘We are a

team. How can we best manage this?’.

Effective partnerships create schools that are

welcoming, encouraging, and supportive of the

strengths of its students. Families that emphasise

the importance of school in their child’s life,

and educators that emphasis the importance

of teamwork with families, create a learning

environment that benefits the child. And, at the end

of the day, isn’t that what school is really all about?

The best interests of the child!

10 PERSONAL ASSETS NEEDED TO COMBAT

CONFLICT SITUATIONS BETWEEN PARENTS AND

TEACHERS

1. Listen: Families and educators need to not

just listen to each others’ perspectives, but to

truly hear all the facts and the points of views

surrounding the situation. Only then can there be

understanding.

2. Sharing: Instead of speaking emotionally, all

information needs to be shared with each other.

This relates to facts, but also to feelings and

perceptions. Without information sharing there

cannot be understanding.

3. Interests: It’s important to seek and find

common interests. We both have a love for this

school; we both want to see Byron succeed; we

both love rugby. If we all have an interest in these

things, how could we not be a team?

4. Input: It is important not just to share your

opinion but to seek input from the other. Ask

questions, gain perspective and see if there is

anything you can use from the input your are

given. You don’t have to know everything and you

don’t always have to be right. For the sake of your

child, open yourself up to learning.

5. Plan development: Talking is just talking, but

change comes about with a plan. Collaboratively

develop a plan to address the needs of all parties.

How are we going to handle this? What is the

outcome we are looking for? How can we achieve

this together?

6. Decision-making: Understand that when

it comes to a child, no one person (or side,

educator or parent) is solely responsible for

decision-making. Educators will make decision

in context of the school and the parent in the

context of the family. If decisions are made

together then all parties will be looked-after.

7. Expectations: It is difficult to live up to

expectations, especially if you don’t know what

they are. As parents, let the educators know

what you expect from them (communication,

understanding, accessibility) and educators let

the parents know what you expect from them

(involvement, support, respect).

8. Conflict handling: It is okay to feel angry

sometimes, but we all need to understand that

there are positive and negative ways to handle

conflict. Choose a positive way and build a strong

partnership with your school.

9. Blame: Always refrain from placing blame.

Mistakes are made, things happen and it is

important for all parties to reflect in their role in the

conflict (takes a lot of maturity) and to work on their

management of the situation. If you are wrong, be

accountable, apologise and move forward.

10. Commitment: At the heart of all parentteacher

conflicts lies commitment to success. If we

all just understand, and truly believe, that parents

are committed to assisting teachers, and teachers

are committed to having your childs best interests

at heart, then we are all committed to getting

through conflict for better relationships.

38 | Crawford Times


ALUMNI FEATURE

THE JOURNEY BEYOND

MATRIC

As you write your final Matric paper, you close the door to a really

significant chapter and open the door to a really exciting journey – the

world becomes your oyster. We connected with a number of Crawford’s

alumni students to see what they are up to, how they spend their days,

and to listen to their nuggets of wisdom as they reflect on their time at

school.

What would you tell your 16-year old self? Don’t

work so hard at Maths and Science – you aren’t

going to use it in your future career. Lol!

EMILE ZITZKE

CRAWFORD INTERNATIONAL RUIMSIG

MARAGON, MATRICULATED IN 2009

Having graduated top of the class with an LLB

degree from the University of Pretoria, Emile is

now a senior lecturer at the Wits School of Law

where he teaches undergrad and postgrad

courses and supervises postgraduate

students. His work also involves researching

and writing about the law.

What is your greatest achievement? In 2016,

Emile was the youngest person to be awarded the

LLD degree (Doctor of Laws) from the University of

Pretoria at the age of 25.

What do you love the most and the least about

your career? I love that I am in a position to

influence the minds of future leaders, impact the

current trajectory of law, and to continuously learn

new things about the law. I’m less excited about

marking 750 scripts in 10 working days.

40 | Crawford Times

Please share with us a fond memory from

Crawford. Our Matric valediction service was really

spectacular. The symbolism of throwing a coin with

your name on it to a treasure chest before walking

out of the hall for the last time is a really beautiful

gesture of how all of us, as old students, have

added to the Maragon/Crawford treasure.

What was the most important thing that Crawford

did for you? It provided me with a world-class

education that set me up for success going forward.

If you had to make a big career change, what

would you do? I would totally become a Master

Chef.

Is there a message you would like to share with

current Crawford students? If you plant the right

seeds (academically, socially, emotionally and

spiritually) where you are now, and nurture those

going forward, who knows what heights you can

achieve. In this process remember that you are

made for God’s glory, you are made to belong to

God’s family, you are made to become like Christ,

you are made for service, and you are made for a

mission. Spend time while you are at school figuring

out how you can use the talents, gifts and resources

that have been given to you to make it your mission

to bring love, compassion and peace to this world.

SARAH-JANE BRANDON

CRAWFORD LA LUCIA,

MATRICULATED 2001

Sarah-Jane is an international opera singer.

She is based in the UK but travels around the

world performing in operas and concerts

and on the recital platform. She is a full lyric

soprano, which means she sings the tragic

heroine who usually dies at the end of the

opera or gets the guy!

What is your greatest achievement? I feel that

there are so many performances that stand out for

me as moments that changed my life or impacted

me in a deep and meaningful way. I’m grateful that

I get to do what I love every day and make a good

living from it.

What is a funny or embarrassing memory from

school? For some reason I did well enough in

my tests and classwork to be asked to write the

Afrikaans Olympiad! I remember sitting the exam

and not having a clue what was going on. When

Mrs. Bothma announced the results of the Olympiad

in class I remember she turned to me and said

“Perhaps we’ll just pretend you didn’t write it!” I must

have failed dismally and shouldn’t have been writing

it in the first place.


your career? Although I work in a sociable industry

and come into contact with many wonderful and

beautiful people, being away from home for long

periods of time without your loved ones around you

makes life very lonely. Saying that, I love that I get to

travel to and experience new places and cultures. In

the last four months I’ve worked and lived in Munich,

Palermo and Stuttgart!

What would you tell your 16-year-old self? Believe

in the beauty that is you, trust in what you know and

don’t worry so much!


Crawford. I remember with great fondness that my

sister who was in the year above me and I were the

only two music students in Grade 11 and 12 and we

had our

music lessons together. I

remember always laughing a lot in Mr. Wium’s class.

We got a lot of joy from teasing him!


did for you? I believe the education I received at

Crawford paved the way for my future achievements

and successes. I was taught to be responsible, to

work hard to achieve my goals and all the while

celebrating my individuality.

What do you believe is the key to success?

Perseverance. Life throws curve balls at you all the

time and whilst I have a deep faith in God and try

to live my life according to that faith, I also believe

that He allows us to endure all sorts of challenges

which ultimately strengthen us and give us more

insight into who we are. Often those challenges can

bring you close to the point of wanting to give up

but that’s often when your breakthrough is coming.

Tenacity and determination in the face of hardship is

the only way to achieve your dreams.

Is there a certain teacher who motivated you or

had a significant influence on you? I had many but

I think Mr. Wium’s enduring belief in me and that he

nurtured and took care of my talent whilst I was his

student meant that I began my journey to the stages

of the world in the best and right way. Mr. Payne was

also someone who I felt inspired me – I loved English

lessons with him and I felt that he challenged us to

look at the world in a more open way.

How do you tackle challenges? Head on! I never

run away from difficult things. The only way to get to

the other side is to go through even if you endure

trauma in the process. There is always sunshine

above the clouds.

What disciplines/values are most important?

Being a person of your word is imperative. If you say

you’re going to do something, do it!


current Crawford students? Live in the moment,

laugh much, discover the world, love and be kind to

everyone because the world is full of hurting people.

Dare to be yourself!


ALUMNI FEATURE

SASHA PAYNE

CRAWFORD SANDTON,

MATRICULATED 2013

Sasha is a powerlifting pro who now works

full time as a biokineticist and strength and

conditioning coach. She helps people recover

from musculoskeletal injuries as well as

promote overall health and wellbeing. She’s up

every morning at 4h15 to start her day with a

training session. We wouldn’t mess with Sasha

– she can do a 120kg squat, 70kg bench, and

140kg deadlift!

What is your greatest achievement? In my sport,

I achieved national colours for powerlifting and

represented South Africa at the African Games,

Commonwealth and World Championships.


school? Falling asleep in Maths class only to be

awoken when the teacher asked me a question.

If you could go back to school, what is the one

thing you would do differently? Spend more time

with my friends and not stress so much.


your career? I love that I get to help people

become better versions of themselves and

overcome difficulties and improve their functionality

and quality of life every day. The hours can be

difficult, though, and working with and motivating

people can be challenging.

What would you tell your 16-year-old self? It will all

be ok – everything works out as it should. What was

the most important thing that Crawford did for

you? Crawford taught me to believe in myself and

to ask for help when I need it.


Working hard consistently and accepting that you

don’t have to do everything today – one day at a

time.


had a significant influence on you? I would say

Mrs. Tredoux and Mrs. Purkiss. They taught me to

always give your best and strive for perfection, or

as close to perfection as possible. Mr. Herbst also

motivated me to take the time to care for others and

their wellbeing.

What keeps you motivated? I am thankful that I

am intrinsically motivated – I just want to do my best,

and showing the world what I can do excites me.

How do you tackle challenges? Easy – one day

at a time. I do what I can today, ask for help when I

need it, and keep moving forward.


Working hard but not letting the pressures of the

world get to you by still taking time to care for others.

Having a soft and helping heart.


current Crawford students? These are the best and

easiest years of your life – it builds the foundation

for who you are, what you will do and who you will

become. Value your time at Crawford and don’t

waste it.

42 | Crawford Times

What is your greatest achievement? Outside of

Crawford I’d say it was going directly from high

school football to the 3rd Division Catalan men’s

league in Spain.


school? I was one of the worst students in my Math

class, but my teacher would try explain a graph

using a football scenario!


thing you would do differently? Nothing at all –

every achievement and mistake has shaped me

into the person I am today, and they created great

stories.


your career? I love the joy that it brings to me

because I’m very passionate about football. I dislike

losing or having a bad performance on the pitch,

however, it’s part of the game.

What would you tell your 16-year-old self? You are

not crazy for having great ambition for your future.

Your current situation doesn’t determine your destiny.


Crawford. A moment I really enjoyed was my final

rap/speech I did during the Matric assembly, and

the way Ms. French and Ms. Wood reacted to it.

earth. When you cut anyone open their blood is red

which shows that we are all equal and we should

respect one another on a human level.


current Crawford students? Don’t let small minds

convince you that your dreams are too big. With

that being said, in order to achieve those dreams,

you have to chase them. When you’re hungry, food

doesn’t fly into your mouth – you have to get off of

your seat and make the food that you want to eat.

The same applies to your dreams.

JUNIOR MDLONGWA MUOE

CRAWFORD NORTH COAST

MATRICULATED 2018

At Crawford, Junior was named Soccer Player

of the Year, Most Promising Player

(3 times!), and Captain of 1st Team Soccer,

so it is no wonder he went on to be a

footballer! He is currently in Spain where he

plays in the 3rd Division Catalan men’s league,

and is also studying international businesses

management in Barcelona.


did for you? Crawford allowed me to be myself

and they believed in me the same way I believed in

myself.

What do you believe is the key to success? Belief

in yourself, and hard work.


had a significant influence on you? Mr. Kistan –

what he taught me in my first two years at Crawford

during info science and English class will stick with

me forever.

What keeps you motivated? The fact that I’m not

yet where I want to be.

How do you tackle challenges? I change my

perspective on it, because nothing great comes out

of a zone of comfort. There’s nothing I can’t bear,

and I know that whatever challenge is thrown at me

will help me grow.

What do you do to relax and take time out? I play

PlayStation, listen to music or meditate.


Respect. There’s no human that is above any other

human, regardless of whatever you acquire here on


ALUMNI FEATURE

matriculants in defence of “Matric privileges”

when I introduced a public debate including

younger students on the issue and whether it was

constitutional. I don’t think all the Matrics had ever

worked together so determinedly!

NADIA SABET

CRAWFORD LONEHILL,

MATRICULATED IN 2009

Nadia is a medical doctor working at the

Perinatal HIV Research Unit (a research

division of the University of the Witwatersrand)

for their HIV Cure Syndicate. She’s currently

working on research regarding HIV reservoir

sites while studying a masters in Epidemiology

and Biostatistics through the London School of

Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

What is your greatest achievement? Deciding

to start my family early and finding ways to make

my career develop around time I dedicate to my

children.


school? Determinedly wearing heels to school every

day and being filmed running around in them (as

a carrier pigeon for student liaison) for our student

executive introduction video.


thing you would do differently? I would stop being

so worried about fitting into and attending the

activities that would be defined as fun by my peers

or worrying about their reactions to my choices.


your work? I love the way I have to look up and

learn a new skill almost every day to actually be

able to do my job and that that learning is so selfdriven.

I really don’t enjoy seeing how so much of

illness and mortality in South Africa is based on

social determinants and socioeconomic status and

having little ability to influence that directly.

What would you tell your 16-year-old self? You are

at a unique and precious age to contribute to the

fortunes of humanity, keep going.


Crawford. Being in Grade 11 and uniting all the

44 | Crawford Times


did for you? It helped me develop independent

thinking and self-directed learning. I felt supported

to advance my education in whatever direction and

beyond the curriculum as far as I wanted with the

resources and the most amazing teachers to guide

me along that path.


Redefining success as using our talents and

faculties to serve others.


had a significant influence on you? Absolutely!

There was more than one, but I think a lot of my

worldview was formed through the mentorship and

friendship of Mrs. Merle Stoltz, my history teacher

(and debating coach). She encouraged me to rise

above the accepted standards provided to us by

society in terms of personal definitions of success

and ethical norms and find a higher ideal to which

I could contribute. She also supported me in my

learning to develop a broader understanding of

the world and its sociopolitical reality and how

that dialogue could be changed to become more

enlightened and more likely to improve the fortunes

of all.

What keeps you motivated? My faith. I am a Baha’í

and we fundamentally believe in the unity of all

mankind and that this is achieved through “deeds,

not words” which I think means one must actively

work towards the material and spiritual upliftment of

others.

How do you tackle challenges? I have learnt to

step back instead of jumping right in and usually

spend a lot of time reflecting on what about the

challenge is bothering me the most, and pray.


Truthfulness. Sincere love for others by virtue of the

fact that they are human too. Humility.


current Crawford students? Do not subscribe to

narrow frameworks for defining your success – they

are based on deteriorating global structures and

values. Rise above these and realise that you are an

active participant in social change.


school? In 2010 we were rehearsing for the school

play and one of the dance routines ended up

on chairs on a box. While I was concentrating on

dancing, one of the legs of the chair slipped off the

box, so, as I went to sit for the end of the routine, I

went tumbling off the box leaving myself and most

of the girls backstage giggling for the rest of the

rehearsal.


the work you do? I love working in the film and

television industry for so many different reasons.

I would have never thought that I would be

involved in wildlife but in the last year I have found

a new respect for hyenas, travelled to the Maasai

Mara and met some of the most interesting and

wonderful people. That’s the beauty of this industry

– you can immerse yourself in every different project

you work on, going to unique locations, meeting

people from multiple walks of life and learning so

much along the way.

The industry is still quite an old boys club. I have

been lucky enough to work with some incredible

women laying the foundation for female filmmakers

to make their mark and I hope to be a part of that

change.

What would you tell your 16-year old self? Be

kinder to yourself!


did for you? The people. I think most of my fondest

memories from high school have to do with the

people that I went through it with. The culture and

community at the school were key to the overall

experience and they definitely play a

part in moulding who you

end up becoming.

world and 60% due to the friends and family that

support my crazy ideas and childlike dreams.

What do you do to relax and take time out?

Have you seen how many series and movies are

available? I consider it part research and part

relaxation. I have also been lucky enough to travel in

my off time.


To listen is such a seemingly easy discipline but

one that I think is often forgotten. It’s so important

to engage with other opinions because within

that you can find or make a space for your voice

to be heard. It’s something I am really trying to be

conscience of.


current Crawford students? It’s okay to not know

what you want to be when you grow up!

EMMA OPENSHAW

CRAWFORD LONEHILL,


Emma is a broadcast director

of a live, interactive wildlife

show. Day-to-day, the show

takes audiences on a virtual

safari on YouTube and other

social media platforms. This

year has been a busy one as

they finished off the second

season of safariLIVE on SABC

3 as well as a live television

special for CGTN.

Is there a certain teacher

who motivated you or had a

significant influence on you?

Without Ms. Pretorius I would

be rendered speechless in an

argument and without Mrs.

Haupt I wouldn’t have the CERN

Hadron Collider as a topic to fall

back on in conversation.

What keeps you motivated?

We live in quite an odd time and

I think it’s easy to get lost in it all if

you don’t have people around to

keep you grounded. My motivation

to get up every morning is probably

40% due to my want to change the


ALUMNI FEATURE

What is your biggest achievement? Passing the

Check Ride that allowed me to receive the private

pilot licence for aeroplanes.


school? I was playing central defence during a

soccer match when the opposition striker shot the

ball and I tried heading it out, but instead I helped it

into the goals…the whole school was watching!


thing you would do differently? I would change

my work ethic. I really believe that I could’ve done

much, much better if I had the discipline that I have

now.


your work? What I love the most is I get to see

landscapes that some people will never see. I get to

travel to new places and taste new amazing foods.

The downside is that pilots do not get enough sleep,

and there is a lot of self-study and calculations

involved.

What would you tell your 16-year-old self?

Anything is possible if you put in the hard work and

give it your all. Hard work does pay off.

TIMOTHEE NGOY

CRAWFORD PRETORIA,


Timothee is a qualified private pilot

with his eyes set on getting his

commercial pilot licence. Aye aye

Captain!


Crawford. My favourite memory at Crawford

College Pretoria will have to be the class of 2017’s

final assembly.


did for you? Crawford taught me the value of hard

work.

What do you believe is the key to success? The

key to success is hard work, dedication and a

sprinkle of self-discipline.


had a significant influence on you? Yes, the former

deputy principal Dimitria Adramitoglou. She was my

Mathematics teacher.

What keeps you motivated? Both my parents keep

me motivated; for me they are the embodiment of

hard work.

How do you tackle challenges? By adapting to

situation and facing them head on.

What do you do to relax and take time out? I relax

by playing video games, going to gym, or playing

sports (basketball and soccer). I also enjoy listening

to podcasts, and sometimes watch Netflix.


Hard work, consistency and patience.

Is there a message you would like to share

with current Crawford students? Time is the only

resource you will never get back – use it wisely.

46 | Crawford Times

NOZIPHO NADINE MAGAGULA

CRAWFORD PRETORIA,


Nozipho is a medical doctor as well

as an activist for rural health. She is

a former Miss Earth International top

16 finalist and was Miss Earth South

Africa 2016. Added to that she is a

model and ambassador for Green

Campaigns. Shew!


Crawford. My favourite memory comes from my

Grade 11 year. I was blessed with the opportunity

to act on one of South Africa’s biggest stages in

the state theatre with direction from Mr. Jaco van

Wyk. It was phenomenal being able to show my

friends and family that I could act and that I was

good at it.

What keeps you motivated? My belief in the

beauty of my dreams – I wake up hungry to

achieve my goals.

How do you tackle challenges?

As a medical doctor, I’m faced with over 100

challenges a day. I have learnt that taking a

moment to analyse the situations objectively

allows me to come up with solutions that benefit

everyone. Trust me, it’s not easy to so this, but with

great effort it is possible.


I’ve come to learn that my key to success lies in

forgiving myself. I have failed and experienced

great disappointment in my life but being able to

forgive myself has given me the skill to keep trying

again, and without fear of failure.

What do you do to relax and take time out? I

adore travelling. The very feeling of putting distance

between myself and a stressor is the reason I travel.

It gives me great solace and peace.


Love, patience, confidence, respect and honesty.

What do you love the most about your work?

I love the interaction I have with my patients and

being able to make a difference in someone’s life. It

brings me great joy to see an individual heal.

The job I have has also enabled me to be a strong

role model to women around me. I have shown

them that it is possible to make your dreams come

true. It’s not easy but it’s definitely possible.

What would you tell your 16-year-old self? Nozi,

put your chin up, relax your shoulders, and smile.

Find that little sliver of confidence within you and

let it radiate because life is going to be tough. You

may not know all the answers, you are going to fail,

something or someone will disappoint you. Don’t

dismay – everything is going to be just fine.


current Crawford students? You are currently in

the best years of your life, though it may not feel

like it. These are years you will remember and share

fondly. Enjoy every moment of it. Dream about your

future, get involved in all the activities you desire

and most importantly, don’t forget to learn from all

your mistakes. Being in Crawford was an absolute

blessing. I will be forever grateful that I am a

Crawfordian. I have no doubt you will be, too.


ALUMNI FEATURE

UZAIR ESSACK

CRAWFORD LA LUCIA,

MATRICULATED 2010

Uzair is the founder and managing director

of Cape Crops, a fruit and vegetable export

company. They procure produce from South

Africa and export it to 24 countries around the

globe! We think he starts his morning with an

apple…or a pear…maybe an orange!

What is your greatest achievement? My

greatest achievement is being awarded the 2019

Entrepreneur of the Year in the medium business

category. Another massive achievement was being

featured on Top Billing.


school? My most embarrassing memory is probably

me running into the football goal during a match

and almost being knocked out.


thing you would do differently? To be honest,

there isn’t a thing I would change. I worked hard,

achieved the results, made life-long friends, had

some amazing experiences and made memories I

will never forget.


your work? I love the travelling the most. I am

fortunate to go overseas about five times a year to

visit clients. I don’t love the stress associated with

exporting perishables.

48 | Crawford Times

What would you tell your 16-year-old self? I would

tell myself that my academic results are important,

but they are not the be-all and end-all. What will

determine your success, rather, are experiences, who

you are as a person, your values, morals and goals


did for you? Crawford gave me an open mind.

The teaching style, our teachers, my peers and the

experiences allowed me to grow much faster than

other people my age.

What do you believe is the key to success? Belief

in yourself, belief in your creator, and integrity.

What keeps you motivated? Growing up, my family

suffered from financial difficulties. In fact, my brother

and I almost got excluded because our fees were

not paid. My biggest motivator is to make sure my

children don’t have to go through the same thing.


enjoy traveling, playing and watching football,

boxing, hiking, and cooking.


Faith, hard work, honesty/integrity, professionalism

and compassion. I


current Crawford students? Fancy degrees are

important and can make you successful. However,

we all aren’t going to be doctors, lawyers and

accountants. Some of us are born entrepreneurs

and we need to embrace that. Start young. Explore

ideas. Try, and fail, but keep trying. Don’t let your

failures bring you down. One day when you least

expect it, that $10million idea will present itself and

all the hardships will be worth it.

SAMANTHA MEDHURST MONGINHO

CRAWFORD INTERNATIONAL RUIMSIG

MARAGON, MATRICULATED IN 2010

Samantha is a qualified speech-language

therapist and audiologist and is currently working

as an audiologist for the NHS in England.

What is your greatest achievement? I have had

a journal article published in the South African

Journal of Child Health, which I am very proud of

and am humbled to have had that opportunity.


thing you would do differently? Probably have a

bit more fun, chill out a bit, and not worry too much

about what others thought of me.


your work? The thing I love about my profession

is that it focuses on a person’s quality of life which

I feel is easily overlooked in the greater scheme

of things. There’s a lot more to it than just doing

hearing tests and fitting hearing aids. Often

people with hearing losses can start to become

socially isolated and avoid situations as it can

be difficult to join in conversations. Sometimes

our appointments can be the only reason that

a person has left the house in a while and

sometimes they come to see us for a chat and the

company more than for the actual appointment. As

with any healthcare profession, it demands a lot of

you mentally and emotionally.

What would you tell your 16-year old self? To relax

a little bit more because everything ends up working

out in the end.


Crawford. I really enjoyed my high school and had

great friendships and memories. I think the Matric

40 days is probably by favourite memory because

everyone, despite the group or clique, spent the day

together.


did for you? My teachers always saw the potential

in me and if they thought I could achieve more they

would motivate me to do better and guide me. The

school provided a safe space where I could learn,

grow, try new things and make great friendships.

What do you believe is the key to success? At

times things might seem hard but no matter how

many times you fail, try not to give up. If you feel that

you are on the wrong path you can always turn

back or try a different path. Life is all about choices

and we can choose to stay or move to something

else.


had a significant influence on you? I was quite

lucky because I liked and got on well with all of

my teachers. There were a few that were always

checking up on me and guiding me so that I could

be successful, namely Mr. & Mrs. Crawford and Mrs.

Lee (aka my school mom).

How do you tackle challenges? I usually tackle

challenges head on (unless I have the opportunity

to procrastinate) and then deal with my emotional

wellbeing once the challenge has passed.


am a bit of a bookworm and nerd; I enjoy reading,

doing crosswords and sudoku. I also enjoy baking.


Kindness – there’s not enough of it in the world!


current Crawford students? You definitely need to

have a good balance between work and play. You

do need to work hard because high school is a big

steppingstone for where you want to study and what

path you envision yourself following after school. You

also need to have fun because although school

seems difficult, life after school is more challenging.

Always ask for help or support if you need it

because there is always someone who will assist or

listen.


ALUMNI FEATURE

MARKUS POTGIETER

CRAWFORD NORTH COAST,

MATRICULATED 2003

Markus, a qualified skipper, has worked as a

professional cameraman in the fishing and

hunting industries, as well as in retail fishing

and spearfishing stores. He started on his

own as a professional fishing guide (Seafaris)

in 2012 doing deep sea fishing, saltwater fly

and kayak fishing trips and tours.

What is your greatest achievement? I’ve enjoyed

many achievements fishing competitively in kayak

and offshore fishing as well spearfishing in nationals.

I’ve also been featured on fishing TV shows locally

as well as Chasing Monster Fish on the Discovery

channel.


school? We went surfing on a Friday with the school

surf club and I forgot my board shorts and had to

surf in my Crawford speedo because the waves

were too good to miss.

What do you love the most about your career?

Every time I get a client a fish whether it’s his/her

first fish or the monster fish they have been trying

to catch, I get to live that moment with them and it

never gets old.

What would you tell your 16-year old self? Enjoy

the time you have without major responsibilities at

16, and don’t be in a rush to grow up.

50 | Crawford Times


Crawford. Our Grade 11 bonding tour egg fight at

Wild Coast Casino. The entire grade was involved!

Our dance got cancelled as punishment, but it was

worth it… But otherwise school really was fantastic

– we had the best teachers and made the best

friends. My friends from school are still my friends to

this day and we regularly see each other and keep

in contact even if we live on different continents.


Passion, and doing what you love.

Is there a certain teacher who motivated you? My

two favourite teachers were Mr. Kisten (Art) and Mr.

Bodasing (Technical Drawing) – they were always

cheerful and entertained in class.

What keeps you motivated? The pursuit of the big

one!

How do you tackle challenges? Think, don’t rush,

take you time and don’t give up.


Trust others; believe in them.


current Crawford students? Follow your dreams

and anything can happen!

ADAM ROSMAN

CRAWFORD SANDTON,


Adam owns and operates an Unmanned Aerial

Vehicle (also known as drones) design and

manufacturing company called Aerial Monitoring

Solutions. He also consults to a number of

overseas manufacturing companies.

What is your greatest achievement? Before

starting my own company, I worked with a small and

dedicated team where we implemented an antipoaching

initiative to help the rhino poaching crisis.

Using drones to spot poachers, we saw significant

results over the course of the pilot programme. It was

a great feeling to know that we helped.


school? The teachers would put on an annual lipsyncing

concert for the students. That was always

hilarious because they often roped in students.


thing you would do differently? It is something you

only see later in life, but school is possibly the most

stress-free and relaxed time of your life. So, if I could

go back, I would have more fun and stress less.


your job/work/career? Owning your own business

is one of the scariest and most stressful things

someone can do, but at the same time it can be

incredibly rewarding being your own boss.

What would you tell your 16-year old self today?

Have fun and enjoy your youth.


Crawford. I was head of the sound and lighting

crew for two years. That was possibly the highlight of

my school time. We were a small crew and we used

to have so much fun running events.


did for you? Crawford taught me balance in life.

Obviously I had to work hard to achieve, but at the

same time we were encouraged to be individuals

and do things that we love.


Passion, support and kindness. You will never

succeed if you do not love what you do. It is also

so important to have support in what you do, be

this from family, friends or co-workers. And kindness

always come back to you; it also doesn’t cost

anything to be kind.

Is there a certain teacher who motivated you? In

Matric, my science teacher, Mrs. Haupt had so much

passion and love for science and this really had an

impact on me.

What keeps you motivated? The future. There is

so much possibility for what is going to happen

tomorrow. You have to just keep going and push

through the hard times.


You have to be true to yourself and not be afraid to

get your hands dirty. The world does not owe you

anything so go and prove yourself.


current Crawford students? Be yourselves and

know what you want to achieve in life. Happiness is

also the most forgotten goal that people strive for, so

make sure it is one of yours..


CRAWFORD STUDENTS

IMPRESS ON THE

INTERNATIONAL STAGE

The world has its eye on those performing on the international

stage, and the Crawford community is beyond proud and excited

to share the very impressive achievements of phenomenal

14-year-old pianist Xiao-Chi (Chi-Chi) Juan from Crawford

College Sandton, as well as numerous students who set off on an

adventure to the prestigious Yale University in the US to compete at

the World Scholars Cup Tournament of Champions.

CHI-CHI JUAN HITS A HIGH NOTE

Chi Chi loves

outreach work

NEA 2019 Prestige Awards

NEA 2019 Prestige Awards

‘LIFE IS LIKE A PIANO’

‘Life is like a piano; what you get out of it depends

on how you play it.’ This is a meaningful quote by

the American pianist Lehrer. It teaches us that life

must be learnt. Great musicians become successful

because of hard work, not just pure talent. It

takes hours of practise and effort to perfect a

performance on stage.

I grew up listening to music. Music is an immensely

powerful thing that holds a special place in my

life and in my heart. I started playing the piano at

the age of seven with a wonderful teacher at the

school. She has an extremely kind heart and has

always supported me and given me the courage to

stand up whenever I faced any difficulties. She was

the important person who lead me into my musical

journey. I enjoy playing piano so much that without

it, my life would be totally empty and I wouldn’t be

the Chi-Chi I am today.

When I was 8, I entered National Eisteddfod

Academy, which was the very first competition of

my life. I will never forget the amazing feeling I felt

when I was on stage. I cannot describe it and I felt

too many emotions at once. I was excited, a little

nervous, exuberant, and overwhelmed, but in the

end I enjoyed every second of it and felt like a true

pianist.

52 | Crawford Times

Music has helped me grow in many areas of life.

It has helped me to connect with people, to get

through tough times, and it has shaped my life and

given me the strength to overcome adversities. Long

hours of practise have moulded me to become

patient, meticulous, diligent and passionate.

‘Don’t practise until you get it right; practice until

you can’t get it wrong’. Playing the wrong notes is

unavoidable, however, through perseverance and

practise, the right notes will be hit more often. I hope

that I will have many further opportunities in the

future to spread more music to the world and to

inspire more talented people out there.

Besides playing the piano, I also love art, helping

others, and spreading love. I feel that by helping,

I’m making a change, even if it is just by doing

something small. I feel very happy when helping

others in need as it is helping our whole world in

general to become a better place.

I regularly visit old-age homes, leprosy hospitals

and rural areas. I feel very sad seeing all of this as

many of these people are discriminated against

or unwanted by their families because they seem

different to others. Many can’t enjoy life as we do

because of mental or physical disabilities. That’s why

I spend time visiting and spending time with them

and cheering them up, but most importantly to

make them feel loved and to remind them that they

are very special people, too.

Tshepang Care Centre is one of the places

where I like to help. It is a care centre situated

in an underprivileged rural area in Thembisa.

There are nearly 300 children there and some are

even orphans. These kids do not have access to

education and the opportunity to learn. I teach

them reading and writing a few times a month over

the weekends when I’m free.

As litter is such a huge problem affecting earth,

I thought of starting another programme called

‘Recycling Art’. We’ve made valuable items as well

as musical instruments from plastic bottles and

cardboard boxes and other recycled materials. At

the beginning of 2019, a container house which

we built into a library was donated to Tshepang. My

dad, who owns a solar company, helped them to

install solar systems for the lighting and charging

facilities for the phones as there is no electricity

available there. Through a book drive, old or unused

books are collected and given to the library.

I am so grateful to have the opportunity to help

them and I love seeing each and every child’s

beautiful smile. I believe that through love and

support, these young, special children at Tshepang

can create a brighter future for South Africa.

Chi-Chi performs at Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall’s mission is to present

extraordinary music and musicians to bring

the transformative power of music to the widest

possible audience and to foster the future of

music through the cultivation of new works,

artists, and audiences. Chi-Chi was honoured

to have been invited to perform a piano solo at

this legendary hall.

“Many of the musicians I admire most have

performed at Carnegie Hall, including Lang

Lang and Daniël Barenboim. I was super

excited when I received the invitation to

perform because my dream is to step onto a

world class stage. Carnegie Hall is right next to

Central Park and is ranked as one of the top

concert halls in the world.

I met other musicians from all over the world

for the performance and I was the only one

from Africa (South Africa). I waited eagerly

backstage until they finally announced my

name. That was a moment I have been waiting

for. I felt like the entire stage was mine and as

if I was touching every audience’s heart from

my fingers through the piano. Every moment on

the stage was extremely special to me. I purely

enjoyed that experience; it was spectacular.”

Some of Chi-Chi’s impressive achievements

from 2019

International

• Winner of the 2019 Paris International Grand

Prize Music Competition

• Winner of the 2019 Golden Classical Music

Awards International Competition, and invited

to perform at Carnegie Hall, New York

• Winner (instrumental category) of her age

division (12-14 years) of Talent America

• Divisional winner (12-14 years age

division) including acting, dancing, vocals,

instrumental, dramatic arts, monologues

National

• Winner of her age division (13-14 years) of the

Philip H Moore Music Competition

• Highest marks of piano and string

performances, as well as the Trinity prize,

at the National SASMT Pretoria Ensemble

Competition

• Masterclass with Finnish Professor Reka Szilvay,

Gauteng Chamber Music Festival

• Junior section winner at the Viebz Music

Competition


• Beverly Green Trophy (most promising pianist

16 years and under) and Albert Honey Trophy

(commitment to music, any age and any

instrument) at the Johannesburg Festival for the

Advancement of Music

• Best senior pianist at the Arnold Classic Art

Festival

• Selected at Talent Africa Nationals as a member

of the team to represent South Africa at Talent

America. She also earned Top 10 (12-14 years

age category), overall junior instrumentalist,

overall junior artist winner, and winner (12-14

years)

• Participated and performed as an

instrumentalist at the Dreams Musical

Production

• Senior category winner (piano), overall winner

(any instrument, any age) and special award

(voucher for the entry of International Arnold

Arts Festival 2020) at the National A-Arts Festival.

• 2019 National Eisteddfod Academy Competition

- Performed the instrumental showcase at the

awards evening

- Piano from Baroque and earlier solo Grade 8

diploma

- Piano from classical period solo Grade 8

diploma

- Piano from romantic period solo Grade 8

diploma

- Piano 20th century composition solo Grade 8

diploma

- Piano music by South African composer solo

Grade 8 diploma

- Piano own choice solo Grade 8 diploma

- Item winner: Piano music from the romantic

period solo Grade 8

- Category winner: Piano 20th century and

impressionis junior and senior (highest mark)

- Category winner: Piano baroque and earlier

junior and senior (highest mark)

- Category winner: Piano classical junior and

senior (highest mark)

- Category winner: Piano own choice senior

(highest mark)

- Ambassador Award for the achievement as

one of the top 3% performers in an outstanding

performance of piano 20th century

composition (solo Grade 8), piano music by

South African composer (solo Grade 8) and

piano own choice (solo Grade 8).

- Overall best senior achievement (1st place for

all categories and ages)

- Best senior achievement classical music (1st

place)

CRAWFORD COMPETES AT WORLD SCHOLARS’ CUP

AT YALE UNIVERSITY, USA

World Scholar’s Cup

Crawford is exceptionally proud to have numerous

students travel to the USA to participate in the 2019

World Scholars’ Cup Tournament of Champions

which took place at the famous Yale University in

November 2019. The competition brought together

over 3,000 students from 60 countries with almost

2,000 senior level scholars participating in over 600

teams.

CRAWFORD COLLEGE PRETORIA

Crawford College Pretoria placed in the top 2% at

the World Scholars’ Cup Tournament of Champions.

These bright and talented scholars brought home

13 silver medals and 20 gold medals!

54 | Crawford Times


56 | Crawford Times

Ros Wassenaar

Princess Kimani, Crawford

International Kenya

The results:

• Lailah Moonasar was awarded a silver medal for

Team Bowl and gold medals for Team Creative

Writing, Individual Debating and Individual Writing

(for which she was placed 74th overall). She also

won 2 silver and 3 gold medals for the Individual

Scholars’ Challenge. In addition, Lailah took away

the gold medal and Trophy Chair for 47th position

overall in the Tournament of Champions.

• Firdous Adam achieved a silver medal for the

Scholars’ Challenge.

• Kauthar Adam received 2 silver medals for

Debating and Creative Writing and 1 gold medal

for Team Writing.

• Rookmaker Katheke received a gold medal for

Creative Writing and a silver medal for Team

Debates.

• Khushi Kalicharan won a gold medal for Creative

Writing and a silver medal for Team Writing.

• Ilham Ismail received a silver medal for Scholars’

Bowl and gold medals for Creative Writing and

Team Writing.

• Khimyra Singh was awarded gold medals for

Creative Writing and Team Writing as well as a

silver medal for Debating.

• Sharanya Pillay was awarded gold medals for

Creative Writing and Team Debating and a silver

medal for Individual Debating.

• Hannah Reddy earned gold medals for Individual

Debating and Team Debating, and a silver medal

for Creative Writing.

• Muzzammil Tayob received gold medals for

Individual Debating and Team Debating and a

silver medal for Science.

• Sharanya Pillay, Hannah Reddy and Muzzammil

Tayob were placed 23rd overall in the Debating

category in the Tournament of Champions.

CRAWFORD NORTH COAST

Ross Wassenaar from Crawford North Coast was

the South African flag bearer at the closing and

prize-giving ceremonies of the World Scholars’ Cup

Tournament of Champions. He won 3 gold medals

(top 15%) for Individual Writing, Individual Debating

and as the top single student from Crawford

North Coast. He was in a 3-scholar team with two

Ugandan students.

CRAWFORD INTERNATIONAL KENYA

Princess Kimani from Crawford International Kenya

was among only three students from the whole

country who participated in the final round of the

World Scholars’ Cup Tournament of Champions. She

worked collaboratively with two Kenyan students,

who represented Moi Educational Centre, to win a

silver medal at the Scholar’s Bowl event. Princess

also won an individual gold medal for the Top

Scholar category from Crawford International

School.


FEATURE ARTICLE

8 LIFE HACKS

EVERY LEARNER

SHOULD TRY

Let’s start by reassuring every

parent reading this that we’re not

encouraging kids to be computer

hackers! A life hack is a trick or

shortcut to make something easier

or more efficient. Here are 8 fun life

hacks aimed at kids from primary

school through to Matric (and some

that parents may want to try, too!).

By Tamara Oberholster

SAY GOODBYE TO STINKY SHOES

If your school or sports shoes are getting

a bit smelly, you can freshen them up by

putting a dry tea bag in each shoe and

leaving it overnight to absorb the odour.

Just remember to take them out in the

morning before you put your shoes on!

USE NAIL POLISH TO MARK YOUR LEFT

HEADPHONE BUD

Stop wasting time checking which earphone bud

goes in which ear – dab a dot of nail polish on the

left one, let it dry and you’ll be able to quickly spot

which is which.

PICK A COLOUR PER SCHOOL SUBJECT

Choose a colour for each school subject –

highlighter, paperclips, book cover, etc. – and you’ll

be able to quickly find the books or papers you’re

looking for. For example, Maths might be yellow

and English blue. To make it even easier, colour in

the page edges of each exercise book. That way,

you’ll be sure to grab the right book every time.

58 | Crawford Times

ENJOY ICE-COLD WATER

ON THE GO

Instead of filling your water bottle

up with cold water (that will get

warm quickly during the day)

or freezing it (which means you

have to wait for the water to melt

before you can drink it), mix it up.

Fill the bottle to a third full and

then lie it on its side in the freezer.

Once frozen, top up with cold

water. That way, you’ll have cold

water to drink immediately, plus

the ice will melt over time and

keep your bottle cool for longer.

MAKE YOUR OWN SPORTS ICE PACKS

Whether you play hockey, cricket,

tennis, rugby or soccer, you can be

prepared for minor sports injuries with

a homemade ice pack. Simply saturate

a sponge with water, seal it in a Ziplock

bag and freeze. Freezer packs are great

for relieving inflammation from minor

bumps and bruises.

GET THE LAST BIT OUT

OF THE NUTELLA BOTTLE

Nobody wants to see

even a drop of Nutella

go to waste, but it’s

pretty tricky to get the

last little bit out of the

jar. A life hack everyone

needs to know: use the

jar as your pudding

bowl! Add a scoop of

ice-cream and use your

spoon to swirl it round

the side. It will pick up

the bits of Nutella, and

you’ll get a gloriously

chocolatey treat.

FIX A BUSTED ZIP

PICK UP SPILLED GLITTER

Making crafts with glitter is super fun, but

trying to deal with spilled glitter is not.

Use a clothing lint roller to pick up the

last bits of glitter from a spill more quickly

and effectively (and without ending up

covered in it!).

Use a paperclip

to fix a zip when

the zip-pull has

broken. And if

your zip’s teeth

keep sticking, run

a soft graphite

pencil up and

down the length

of the zip a few

times to make it

open and close

more easily.


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HEALTH FEATURE

As far as food fads go, celery

juice is on everyone’s lips,

literally! We know that when

it comes to food, anything

green and from the ground

is generally good for us, but

what is so special about

celery with its stringy sticks

and earthy taste? We set

to find out why we should

all have a fresh glass of

this green goodness every

morning…

By Natalie Kinsley

EVERYONE IS

GOING BANANAS FOR

CELERY

In his book Liver Rescue, author Anthony William

says: “Celery juice is one of the most powerful

and healing juices we can drink. Just 16 ounces

[almost 2 cups] of fresh celery juice every

morning on an empty stomach can transform your

health and digestion in as little as one week.”

Bursting with goodness, just 100g of raw celery

contains minerals including calcium, magnesium,

iron, zinc, and potassium, and vitamins A, K, C,

E, and the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, folic

acid and vitamin B6). Here are some of celery’s

fascinating facts (source: Organic Facts):

Lowers inflammation: It has anti-inflammatory

properties that help reduce swelling and pain

around the joints.

Helps lower high cholesterol: The fibre found in

celery may help reduce artery-clogging cholesterol.

The phthalides in this vegetable also stimulate

the secretion of bile juices, which work to reduce

cholesterol levels.

Reduces blood pressure: Those chemical

compounds we just mentioned and cannot

pronounce – phthalides – can lower the level of

stress hormones in your blood.

Anti-cancer properties: Celery contains coumarins

that enhance the activity of certain white blood

cells, which can effectively stave off cancer.

Boosts immune function: Rich in vitamin A and C

as well as antioxidants, celery does a great job of

boosting the immune system and makes it more

active and efficient in fighting off the common

cold!

Prevents oxidative damage: Eating celery

regularly protects your organs from oxidative

damage and helps to avoid diseases of the kidney,

pancreas, liver, and gallbladder.

Nerve tonic: Celery contains high levels of

calcium and magnesium, two minerals that have

been shown to significantly reduce anxiety and

perceived stress.

“Don’t let the simplicity of humble celery mask its

strength — it’s often the simplest of measures in life

that gracefully work wonders in the most complex

situations,” says Williams.

So, when you’re wondering what you’ll serve with

snacks, or what to fill that last compartment of that

lunchbox with…


FOOD FEATURE

FOOD CLUES

FOR A

HEALTHY BOD

Fruits and Veggies That Look Like the

Body Parts They’re Good For

By Natalie Kinsley

Yes, yes, we all know that fruits and veggies are good for us … but

what if we considered that different foods have specific health

benefits for the parts of the body they look like? Walnuts look like

little brains, and guess what – they are really good for our brains!

Could a kidney bean actually be good for our kidneys? And what

about carrots – we know they are good for our eyes, and they look

like eyes when sliced. Coincidence? Now that’s something to chew

on! Let’s look at the facts of some foods that look like the body

parts they’re good for.

CARROTS FOR EYE HEALTH

Chop a carrot and it’s easy to see that the veggie looks

right back at you as it very closely resembles an eyeball.

We all know that carrots are good for your eyes, and

as it turns out, this isn’t just an old wives’ tale. Carrots

are filled with vitamins and antioxidants and are an

excellent source of lutein and beta carotene, which are

antioxidants that benefit eye health and protect against

age-related degenerative eye diseases. It turns out that

carrots also enhance blood flow to the eyes.

62 | Crawford Times

OLIVES FOR OVARIES

GRAPEFRUIT FOR BREAST

HEALTH

Grapefruit has a lot to offer

nutritionally. It is a good

source of vitamin C and a

phytochemical, naringenin,

which appears to inhibit

the growth of breast cancer

cells. Grapefruits, along

with other citrus fruits such

as oranges and lemons,

look just like the mammary

glands of the female. Citrus

fruits assist the health of the

breasts and the movement

of lymph in and out of the

breasts.

Olives are full of healthy fats, vitamins

and minerals. According to a study

in Italy, olives and olive oil have

been shown to reduce a woman’s

risk for ovarian cancer. In addition,

Jeremy Groll, author of Fertility Foods,

says these healthy fats are critical

for manufacturing hormones and

maintaining the reproductive health.

C FOR CELERY AND C

FOR CALCIUM

Isn’t it interesting

that bones are 23%

sodium, and so is

celery! Celery is a

great source of silicon,

which is part of the

molecular structure

that gives bones their

strength, and a single

cup of chopped

celery packs 40 mg of

calcium.

WALNUTS FOR BRAIN FUNCTION

Walnuts really do look like little brains, and the shape of the

walnut even has left and right side resembling the left and

the right hemispheres of the brain. It’s no surprise walnuts

are nicknamed “brain food” — they have a

significantly high concentration of DHA, a

type of omega-3 fatty acid which has

been shown to protect brain health in

newborns, improve cognitive

performance in adults,

and prevent or

ameliorate agerelated

cognitive

decline.

TOMATO BEATS

Slice open a tomato and you’ll

quickly see multiple chambers

that resemble the structure of a

heart. Tomatoes have

2 key nutrients that

have a big impact

on heart health,

namely lycopene

and potassium.

Lycopene is a

chemical that

gives a tomato

its red color and

is also a powerful

antioxidant, and

potassium is a mineral

that can help lower

blood pressure by taking

some of the sodium out of your

body, and by relaxing the walls of

your blood vessels. Who knew!


FOOD FEATURE

AN EARFUL OF MUSHROOMS

Slice a mushroom in half and it’s not hard to

notice the resemblance of the human ear. But

could it improve your hearing? Totally!

Mushrooms are one of the

few foods that contain vitamin

D. This particular vitamin is

important for healthy bones,

even the tiny auditory ossicles

in the ear that transmit sound

to the brain.

SWEET POTATO SWEET PANCREAS

The oblong sweet potato is not only delicious

but is also linked to boosting pancreatic

function. It has also been found to stabilise

blood sugar levels by releasing sugars

gradually into the bloodstream, balancing

the glycemic index of diabetics.

GINGER FOR YOUR TUMMY

Ginger has long been recognized as a remedy for

nausea, motion sickness and other digestive problems.

Ginger contains gingerol, the ingredient responsible

for the herb’s pungent taste and scent. Gingerol is

listed on the US Department of Agriculture’s

database of phytochemicals as having the

ability to cure and or prevent vomiting and

nausea!

GO FOR GRAPES

Alveoli, which look like bunches of grapes, are

tiny sacs within our lungs that allow oxygen and

carbon dioxide to move between the lungs and

bloodstream. Including red/purple grapes in your

diet has been proven to reduce the risk of lung

cancer and emphysema.

KIDNEY BEANS FOR YOU-KNOW-WHAT

Kidney beans are said to heal and help

maintain kidney function, and yes, they

look just like the human kidneys! Interesting

fact: the kidney bean got its name due to

the resemblance it bears to real human

kidneys. Kidney beans have significant

amounts of fibre and soluble fibre. They

are also

very

high in

protein

and

iron.

64 | Crawford Times


BETTER FOR

YOUR FAMILY

Make new sparkling memories this summer with Sodastream. We make sparkling water

in seconds and our fl avours have 2/3 less sugar than regular soft drinks so it’s much

healthier for you and your family. Visit www.sodastream.co.za for more info.

water made exciting

68 | Crawford Times

.

FOOD FEATURE

Brilliant

breakfast ideas for kids

By Donna Verrydt

With the new intermittent fasting craze going

on, some parents have questioned whether

it’s safe for kids to fast. According to the

Children’s Nutritional Hospital of California

(Orange County), intermittent fasting is not

recommended for those in periods of rapid

growth, such as children and adolescents. So,

back to the adage, “Eat breakfast like a king…”.

An ‘intentional approach’ to eating is recommended

for children and adolescents, which means that kids

are to be mindful (present) and are to pay attention

while they eat, rather than to sit like zombies in front of

a screen.

Kids should be aware of what they are eating. They should

analyse the tastes and textures of their food, thereby building

a reference for what they like and don’t like. They should also

be offered healthy information about the food they are eating,

such as what foods help which body parts. Finally, children

should be mindful of when they are full!

Tips for your healthy eating

• Manage hunger by planning

for meals and snack times

throughout the day.

• Establish a healthy portion

control for your child (fist size

portions per person).

• Consume nutrient-dense foods

including five servings of fruits

and vegetables daily.

• Eliminate all sugary beverages

and limit flavourants and

colourants where possible!

• Cut back on processed and fast

foods immediately!

• Take the time to eat at the table

together as a family.

• Establish a routine and monitor

your child’s consumption.

• And…always ensure your child

or adolescent eats a good

breakfast!


FOOD FEATURE

Pink piggy

smoothie

This smoothie is a quick, tasty and nutritious

breakfast, particularly suitable on a hot day. You

will need a high-powered blender, as it is quite

thick and a normal blender will battle.

• Add your milk of choice (cows, almond,

coconut, soy, etc.) to the blender.

• Throw in frozen strawberries and bananas and

blend!

• Add strawberry pieces for ears and nose, and

cut up blueberries for the nostrils, mouth and

eyes.

croissant

crab

Croissants are not the healthiest option because

they are made with butter and are high in

calories, but they do offer a delicious boost to

an active day for your child - maybe a weekend

treat.

• The croissant can be filled with low fat jam or

cream cheese.

• Bananas and blueberries for the eyes and

strawberries for the pincers.

Toasty chicken

little

Grumpy avocado

toast

Toasted multigrain or brown bread “disguised” by

delicious smashed avocado.

• Smashed avocado: ripe avo, lemon juice, a

touch of olive oil, salt and pepper (sometimes

even a dollop of cream cheese).

• Boiled egg for the eyes.

• Sweet peppers for the nose and legs.

Here is a tasty, wholesome and filling breakfast!

• Prepare poached eggs and cut the sides off

the eggs to keep a solid white piece for wings.

• Smash up the egg with a little mayonnaise

and place in a small cup to create the body

shape (chicken mayo would work, too).

• Add carrot slivers for the tail and beak, lettuce

for the eyelashes, and two baked pretzel rings

for the eyes.

• Pop on to a healthy slice of toast.

70 | Crawford Times

Bagel kitty

Wholewheat bagels are a great option and very

easy to prepare, with a number of options for a

filling.

• Add cottage cheese or cream cheese to the

bagel.

• Cucumber for the eyes and ears, spring

onions for the whiskers (if this is not an option

then slivers of carrot).

Dolphin

delicious

For cereal lovers, add some fibre flakes to some

milk in a glass (no sugar).

• Cut a banana in half and split the stalk to

create this fun dolphin playing with a ball.

• Add blueberries for the balls.

Froglette

You can’t go wrong with an omelette, which

is high in protein and can be served with

inconspicuous veggies. Fill it with mushrooms,

tomato, ham and cheese.

• Cucumber and a black grape for the eyes.

• Carrot for the crown.

owl oats

Owl oats

Oats are an excellent breakfast option as they

are full of nutrients to sustain busy bodies.

• Use fruit for the eyes and wings: apple and kiwi

for a green owl or bananas and nectarine or

peach for an orange owl.

• Add some cashews and almonds for feathers

and claws.


72 | Crawford Times

FAMILY TRAVEL

6

places to show your

children before it’s

too late

Change is the only constant, so said Heraclitus in about 500 BC. He may

have been a grumpy Greek philosopher with a penchant for obscurity,

but we reckon he was onto something, because over the next 2500 years

he’s constantly been proved right. The world is always changing and

right now, war, climate change and the fourth industrial revolution are our

two biggest agents of change. Even if we’re not sure exactly how, we do

know the world is going to look very different in 30 or 60 years’ time. So,

where should you go and what should you show the kids now, while these

places still exist?

By Margot Bertelsmann


FAMILY TRAVEL

Okay, but there must be some places that are not

endangered because of human beings, right? If

you’re contemplating must-see travel without the

“humans suck” aspect, may we put forward, in the

category “impressive old buildings”, the pyramids

as a major contender? There are about 80 in Egypt,

but the most impressive are the three largest and

best-preserved ones at Giza. They date from about

2600 BC during the Old Kingdom period and were

built as tombs for the pharaohs. They’re also just

really cool to see, and travel packages from South

Africa are affordable and effort-free.

So why the rush? The pyramids are the only one of

the official Seven Wonders of the World still standing,

and erosion (as well as urban sprawl, pollution and

tourism) spell danger for the pyramids. Go while

they’re still (mostly) intact! While you’re “doing” ruins,

Greece is a hop, skip and a jump away and you

can get an eyeful of the Acropolis and Parthenon in

Athens, and the ancient city of Olympia, site of the

world’s first Olympic Games. Ruins – the clue’s in the

name – are prone to environmental degradation.

You never know when your last chance to see them

will be.

74 | Crawford Times

The Dead Sea literally has one of the highest salt concentrations in the world at 33.7% salinity, which is eight

times saltier than the world’s oceans. For tens – even hundreds – of years tourists have flocked to have a dip in

this salt lake fed by the Jordan River, but they’ve all failed, of course, because you don’t “dip” in the Dead Sea,

you float, and it’s exactly that fun phenomenon that keeps the visitors streaming in.

Tourists can easily combine a trip to the Dead Sea with a tour of significant sites of the three Abrahamic

religions in Israel, such as the birthplace of Jesus and the site of his crucifixion, the Wailing Wall, and the

Dome of the Rock mosque. Neighbouring Jordan offers incredible archaeological sights, including the red

desert of Wadi Rum and the Petra, the ancient city carved of pink sandstone (which is itself receding due

to erosion).

So what’s the problem? The Dead Sea is disappearing at a rate of almost a metre per year due to

drought and human interference in the form of heavy industry. Some think the Sea will disappear altogether

within 50 years. Another issue is the legendary political instability of the Middle East. Civil war in neighbouring

Syria has already claimed the Minaret of the Great Mosque of Aleppo in 2013. The US war with Isis

in Iraq led to the burning of irreplaceable texts and treasures at the University of Mosul’s library in 2014. If we

as humans remain hell-bent on destruction, how many other Middle Eastern sites are in danger is an open

question. With a proper tour company and a trip planned to prioritise safety, the Dead Sea is a once-in-alifetime

destination for you and your family.


FAMILY TRAVEL

A 2005 animated movie by the same name made the place famous, and if your children have happy

memories of lemurs and fossa interacting with the urbanised escapee zoo animals from New York, why not

show them the real thing? Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world, and it’s conveniently located

off the coast of Africa just a short flight away for South Africans. Like many island nations, it has fauna and

flora not seen anywhere else, such as many kinds of lemurs, chameleons, mongoose, as well as the giraffe

weevil, and the Malagasy giant rat (that can jump a metre high!) and many rare, odd birds and plants in its

tropical rainforests. It’s also a scuba diving and snorkelling destination with its coral reefs – and South African

travel agents offer packages! Conservation International lists Madagascar as one of just 17 countries that

are “megadiverse”. One reason is that humans stayed off the island for so long – it’s only been populated by

people for about 2000 years.

And now? Since colonising the island, we’ve made up for lost time and set about destroying Nature like

humanity tends to do by poaching, and through deforestation from logging and fires. Unless we urgently

stop, Madagascar’s rainforests may be destroyed in the next 35 years.

76 | Crawford Times

A group of 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean, south-west of Sri Lanka and India, the Maldives with their

pristine beaches and calm waters rank as a dream beach holiday destination for every South African

family – and many of the resorts are within realistic financial reach too. You can snorkel, scuba dive,

surf or simply sunbathe while enjoying a typical diet made up of chilli, lime, fish, rice and coconut.

Think Mauritius with a little extra mystique.

What could go wrong? Well, global warming caused by humans has meant that our oceans’ water

temperature is rising. Because warm water expands, it takes up more space, leading to rising sea

levels. Add to that the fact that land ice in the form of glaciers and ice sheets are melting into the sea,

and you have a problem. The Maldives islands are mostly less than a metre above sea level, so they

would become the first nation in the world to become uninhabitable or completely cease to exist

when sea levels rise past a certain level. Some scientists say this could be as soon as in 30 years’ time.

This phenomenon affects other once-in-a-lifetime destinations too, of course: some of Cape Town’s

beaches are significantly eroded, and Venice, on the Adriatic Sea, is by some estimates due to be a

tourist destination for only another 80 years until it becomes completely submerged… unless global

warming is halted. It’s yet another good reason to shake a leg to save the planet.


FAMILY TRAVEL

Everybody’s got a cousin in Aussie, right? So the next

time you go visit, add a stop at this natural wonder

of the world to your itinerary. It’s a World Heritage

Area, made up of 344,000 square kilometres of

linked living coral reef systems off the Queensland

coast. It’s obviously teeming with sea life: sea turtles,

rays, sharks, and seaweeds. Set off from Cairns or

the smaller, less populated Townsville for the day (or

overnight on the boat) to scuba or snorkel, or simply

look on from high (and dry) in a glass-bottomed

boat.

So what’s the problem? The ocean is acidifying

and warming, which is bleaching the coral and

destroying species at a runaway rate. Pollution and

cyclones are damaging the reef, too. More than

half the original Great Barrier Reef has disappeared

over the last 30 years, and at this rate, it’ll be gone

by 2035. Australians are pretty proactive though

and WWF is on board with a “Fight for the Reef”

campaign. Perhaps, if we act fast enough, we will be

able to save at least some of it after all.

78 | Crawford Times

The movies. Your local library. The grocery store.

Clothing and music shops, games arcades such as

the Fun Company... If these make up a part of your

usual family entertainment outings, your family is

ever so ordinary. But be mindful, because sometime

in the future – probably much sooner than you

realise – you will have the last family movie trip, the

last outing to browse a store. And you won’t have

realised it was the last time. Don’t believe us? Well,

can you remember the last time you used a map

book to get directions, or went into a branch of your

bank, or consulted a filofax? Did you know it was

the last time? And would you have believed it if a

fortune teller told you at the time that one day, you’d

throw your map book away and listed to a tinny

voice tell you where to go, over something called

“Bluetooth” on your car’s speakers? Not likely.

The internet of things (IoT) means our screens

and devices are talking to each other more than

ever before. Smart technology is entering our

watches, cell phones, cars, schools and offices,

handbags and fridges, and tracks our behaviour

to an unprecedented degree. Meanwhile, artificial

intelligence (AI) and machine learning constantly

refine our experiences of the world, offering us, more

and more regularly, virtual alternatives to face-toface

experiences. The physical is being cast aside

by the virtual to an unprecedented degree. Films,

books, TV series – all are accessed online. You can

try on clothing, play games, find friends and restock

your fridge online. Why ever leave the house? Even

global travel is affected – why fly to Paris, stand

in queues and pay hefty admission fees into the

Louvre when the Google Art Project can show you

high-definition images of the paintings on your

65-inch smart TV at home, with an art historian’s

commentary alongside?

The world is changing, about that Heraclitus the

Obscure was right. But the laconic French have the

perfect retort: plus ca change, plus c’est la meme

chose – the more things change, the more they stay

the same, they reckon. We will always be curious

and we will always have a human capacity to

marvel at and enjoy the creations, art and cultures

of people far away from us. We may also still come

up with brilliant solutions to the climate emergencies

we caused. Whether we are touring small towns in

our own country, major tourist attractions, or Mars,

we will keep on finding ourselves fascinating, and

our world worth saving. It’s perhaps the best reason

of all to take children to amazing destinations, if you

can. They may just ensure they remain there for the

next generation.


Back in the day, when us parents were

young-er, we used to watch television

programmes and movies such as Who’s

The Boss and The Parent Trap that

featured the traditional American kids’

camp and all their exciting activities.

Compared to our modest veldskool

and stokbroetjie making, our camps

didn’t quite live up to the hype... until we

discovered Sugar Bay, that is!

NKOKI, PRIDE

AND MATHEW

GO TO CAMP!

Ages: 7 to 17

Situated: Zinkwazi Beach on the North Coast of Kwa-

Zulu Natal.

Transport options: Airport transfers to/from King

Shaka International Airport, as well as a bus charter

service to/from Sandton, Gauteng.

Duration: There are 6, 7 and 12-day camps.

Activities: There are over 100 activities to choose

from, and it’s based on a free choice system in which

children may choose what activities they want to

participate in. There are no compulsory activities.

Ratio: 1:3 staff to child ratio, the highest in the

country.

Saftey: 24-hour supervision and the camp

counselors are trained and experienced in the

growth and developmental needs of the different

age groups, as well as Emergency First Aid and CPR.

Qualified lifeguards accompany the children to the

beach, lagoon and swimming pool.

Web: www.sugarbay.co.za

Email: holidays@sugarbay.co.za

Tel: (+27)32 485 3778


"Sugar Bay was an amazing

experience – the best trip I've

ever had.

It was my first time at Sugar

Bay and I was a little nervous

that I may not make friends.

But I ended up with so many

new friends, some I know

will be lifelong friends. My

partner Pride and I were warmly

welcomed by the counselors and we were made

to feel at home from the time we boarded the bus

in Sandton until we reached Sugar Bay!

I enjoyed each and every moment from the early

wake-up calls to to the evening activities around

the camp fire. I took part in the AC programmes,

which were exclusive to teens from 15 years and

older. There were so many activities and there was

never a time that I was bored. I enjoyed paintball,

basketball, skating, swimming, going to the beach

and bread-making, to name a few.

We were there for New Years eve where we were

treated to a fire-spinning show that led to the

countdown to 2020! The final campfire evening

was possibly my best experience at Sugar Bay

as we this was when we looked back in time and

shared some of our best and funniest moments

of the week. There was a lot of laughter that night

and it left me feeling happy that I was part of this

amazing experience. I now know why so many kids

keep going back to Sugar Bay each and every

holiday – it's a place of warmth and joy and you

can't get enough of it.

Thank you to the

Sugar Bay team for an

unforgettable experience."

- Nkoki

“Oh wow! I don’t know what I was

expecting from Sugar Bay but I was

blown away. There was a lot to do

and I enjoyed having the freedom

to choose how to spend my time.

Because I’m a bit of a “drama

queen” I loved the Karaoke night,

the secret Gatsby party and the

dance and drama activities.

I spent time on the beach,

swimming and learning to surf, and even though

the weather was a little dull, the fun was not.

We spent New Years eve on the beach and were

treated to a fire-spinning show and a countdown

to 2020 – the best New Years eve ever!

Besides all the activities, I also loved the simple

‘chill’ sessions where we learned to play card

games and pool, and we chatted and listened to

music together.

I was sad to leave Sugar Bay and I’m currently

trying to convince my parents that I need to go

back to camp this year!

Thank you Sugar Bay for all

the lessons and laughs,

you were a highlight in

my life.”

- Pride

“I’ve been on school camps

before but Sugar Bay is nothing

like those! The cabins were so nice

and the beds were comfortable

and the bathrooms clean.

Every day I could choose what

I wanted to do and when I

wanted to do it – nothing was

compulsory and so I could

explore activities I was interested in.

The weather was a bit rainy and windy, so I chose

not to go to the beach and rather stayed at the

camp to play basketball and paintball. Paintball

was awesome!

I also really enjoyed the excursion to Durban,

where we went to Bounce and did a little shopping

at Gateway (and McDonald’s).

I loved meeting new people and I found it really

easy to make friends! I didn’t feel homesick once

and was actually sad when it was time to go

home.

Sugar Bay is not like other camps; it is an

experience that I would love to repeat –

a million more times.

Thank you Sugar Bay!”

- Mathew

82 | Crawford Times

CHANNEL

YOUR (CIVILISED)

INNER RENEGADE

By Tamara Oberholster

What do you get if you cross the rugged Jeep look with a comfortable

car for city streets and the functionality of a compact SUV? The

Renegade – Jeep’s cute, quirky and versatile subcompact SUV that’s

perfect as a small family car, or even a first vehicle for your matriculant.

We drove the Renegade Longitude,

which Fiat Chrysler Sandton says is

currently their top-selling Jeep model.

This version of the Renegade has a

1.4litre turbo-charged four-cylinder engine with an

automatic transmission. We found it easy to drive

and responsive to driver input as we cruised through

suburban streets and highways. It takes off quickly,

offers a smooth ride, and has enough voema to

overtake easily on the freeway.

With the beloved seven-slotted grille and boxy

shape, it’s definitely a Jeep, and with its original

styling details like the X-shaped rear lights, it also

lives up to its name, Renegade, and stands out

from the rest of the subcompact SUV category. We

particularly liked the side roof rails, which come

standard on this model, and the leather-wrapped

steering wheel. The ride height and ground

clearance (175mm) make clearing potholes a

breeze and contribute toward a pleasant driving

experience.

Inside, the cabin has been optimised to ensure

the best use of space. Because of the Jeep profile,

there’s more headroom than many rivals offer, and

the backseats can comfortably accommodate

three children or two adults. The Renegade has two

sets of LATCH connectors for the rear window seats,


as well as an upper tether for the rear middle seat,

meaning it’s well equipped for child car seats.

When the backseats are folded down, the car can

almost be used as a mini panel van, with boot

capacity increasing from 351 litres of space to 1,297

litres. There are also nifty side pockets in the boot for

stowing small items securely.

The Longitude comes with 16” aluminium wheels

(including a full-size spare, complete with mag),

daytime running lights and a surprising amount

of technology for the smallest car in Jeep’s range.

This includes ABS, ESC, Traction Control and Hill Start

Assist, plus six airbags, an electric park brake and

a premium tyre pressure monitoring system. The car

offers cruise control, adjustable electric driver lumbar

support and a boatload of safety features, like front

parking sensors and lane-keeping assist.

Connectivity has definitely been prioritised, with the

user-friendly touchscreen Uconnect 5.0 radio with

6-speaker audio system and Bluetooth, an auxiliary

jack and a USB port. The navigation system is also

easy to operate.

The Renegade Longitude does roughly 7.5 l/100km

in urban environments with a maximum power

output of 103kW (so it’s not too powerful for your

newly licenced teen!).

For those who want a four-wheel drive option,

the Renegade is also available in the Trailhawk

model, which retails at a higher price, but comes

with a 9-speed automatic transmission and Jeep’s

proprietary Active Drive and Active Drive Low systems

and Selec-Terrain, as well as higher spec trim.

The Trailhawk has a 2.4litre petrol engine that offers

an extra 34kW of power.

While the 4x4 model is ideal for people looking

to head out on off-road adventures, for most

families living in metropolitan areas, the Renegade

Longitude, or even the base Sport model, will suffice.

We can picture this car being used by parents with

young kids, professionals looking for a sensible car

to commute to and from work with, or young drivers

who need a fuel-efficient and reliable vehicle.

If you like a bold look and you’re in the market for a

compact but capable car, the Jeep Renegade is

certainly worth considering.

84 | Crawford Times

For more information or to book a test drive, visit

www.fiatchryslersandton.co.za or call 011 707 4500.

PD

BUSINESS

SCHOOL

Higher Certificate in MANAGEMBNT

What we study after school will dictate the

course of the rest of our lives.

A Grade 12 Senior National Certificate

Just one year

What options??

The FPD Higher Certificate in Management.

The what now?

The FPD Higher Certificate in Management!

Do yourself a favour and check it out at

or email them on business@foundation.co.za

You can even call them on (012) 816 9000

A Higher Certificate in Management

NQF Level 5

SAQA ID: 73498

R18 500

Payment options available

Registered with the Department of Education as a Private

Institution of Higher Education under the higher education act,

1997J. Reg No. 2002/HE0?/013

Course content:

Module 1 : Managing Self

Module 2: Managing Others

Module 3: Managing the Organisation

Module 4: Managing Stakeholders


C

M

Y

K

CM

MY

CY

CMY

WELCOME TO OUR

SANDTON DEALERSHIP

Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Abarth and Alfa Romeo are

conveniently situated in the greater Sandton area.

If you’re looking for a new or pre-owned vehicle, need parts or accessories,

or want your vehicle serviced, visit us at 9 Ballyclare Drive, cnr William Nicol

Drive, Bryanston.

FIAT CHRYSLER SANDTON

9 Ballyclare Drive, cnr William Nicol & Ballyclare Drive, Bryanston • 011 707 4500

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