Congratulations to Cannons Creek Independent School’s Grade 10 learners Simiso Sibiya and Alaya Kaplen who achieved second place and won a silver medal in their category for visual merchandising, at the Western Cape Education Department’s 6th annual skills competition. The competition took place on 30 August 2025 at Bellville Technical College. This provincial competition sees pupils from a wide variety of schools in the Western Cape compete as teams of two per grade in two Design categories.

The Grade 10 learners were tasked with creating a display unit for visual merchandising based on a book they had pre-selected. Book in hand, they were briefed in the morning and proceeded to complete their project in five hours, to be judged by an external panel of industry specialists. The school’s entrants won silver for their well thought-out and beautiful interpretation of ‘James and the Giant Peach’. The Grade 11 learners were tasked with manipulating paper in various forms and on receiving the brief on the day, had to draw inspiration from “Alice in Wonderland” and make a paper hat; where the school’s Daniel Wise and Belle Laithwaite took part.

“Our pupils absolutely loved the experience. Their products and pieces showed a high level of proficiency and creativity. We couldn’t be prouder of our pupils!” said Mrs Elzette Malan (Design Teacher).