Deeya Kalian, a pupil from Trinity House Glenvista, reflected on the highs and lows of her matric year. She spoke about the sadness of parting ways with her teachers and friends but shared her determination to become someone greater after finishing her matric.
“My academic year went much quicker than I had expected, but it was a fun fun-filled year. Some of the highs were the memories I made with my friends and classmates this year. I didn’t experience many lows, except saying goodbye to my favourite teachers, and the stress before I wrote my chemistry paper,” she said.
She further shared that her biggest highlight was receiving an award in the WESSA YRE Young Reporter Competition.
“This year I participated in multiple cultural activities, such as public speaking and eisteddfod. One of my highlights was winning the WESSA YRE young reporters competition. My biggest school highlight of the year was definitely my matric dance and my valedictorian ceremony.”
The 19-year-old earned seven distinctions for the 2024 IEB matric exams.
Kalian aspires to study actuarial science at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) or the University of Cape Town (UCT). 'I hope to build a career in the finance sector or private equity,' she shared.
During the country's lockdown at the peak of the pandemic, Kalian said attending online classes was a significant adjustment. However, she quickly adapted as her school made the necessary efforts to ensure a smooth transition back to in-person learning.
“When I was in grade 8, and had to do school online, it was a huge adjustment. However, I am grateful that my school made a great effort to get us back at school as soon as the COVID restrictions eased.”
Kalian advises the class of 2025 to stay consistent with their work and to have fun.
The Star