𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. Union High School, Graaff-Reinet held its annual prizegiving ceremony for its Primary Department (Grade 5 to 7 learners) on Friday morning, 21 October.  The event is one of the most important days in the school’s calendar and long-awaited by everyone- educators and learners alike. Before learners were presented with different awards as per their performance and achievement, they were addressed by the departmental head of the Primary Department, Mrs Yvette Cloete.

In her address, Mrs Cloete emphasized that the prizegiving ceremony is a significant moment in which to celebrate the assiduousness and hard work of the learners across all subjects and extra-mural activities. “The school’s annual prize giving ceremony is that moment of the year in which we recognize our top achievers as well as encouraging others to take their studies seriously, so that next year they could be counted amongst outstanding learners,” said Mrs Cloete. The event also featured delightful performances by Liso Sobantu who performed Taylor Swift’s ‘Wildest Dreams’ on the piano, and the school’s junior choir, who sang ‘I am the Earth’.

Then came the moment that everyone had been waiting for – the presentation of awards. Although the ceremony saw numerous awards presented to learners across all subjects and grades, the climax of the event was the presentation of the Old Unionite Shield for the Dux learner which was this year awarded to Grade 7 learner, Aimee Short, who received a big round of applause from her peers and all present in the hall. Here follows a list of all the prize winners – Congratulations!

 Academic Prizes Grade 5

• Certificates of Merit for Diligence: Sumaya Akther, Lihlombe Dali, Lynique Grimsell, Josh Seis & Abonani Matushe.
• Certificates of Merit for Overall Progress: Tyrique Baartman, Skye De Agrella, Murray Hope, Asamele Mayekiso, Caleb Reid, Cedine Retief, Elandri Retief &Mbuso Tini
• The Chookie Geard Prize for Work Presentation: Miley Burger Bilingualism Clea Clark,General Knowledge: Clea Clark, Tables Champion: Clea Clark, The Prize for Mathematics: Clea Clark,  Merit Certificate for Excellence in Languages: Maribel April, Chante  Bezuidenhout, Miley Burger,Clea Clark, Duvallene Fass, Leagan Katzen, Logan Marais, Kayla Norval, Connor Te Water Naude, Helen van den Heever & Adriaan van Jaarsveld

Certificates of merits to learners who achieved an average of 80% or more for the year: Maribel April, Chante Bezuidenhout, Miley Burger, Kate Charles, Clea Clark, Duvallene Fass, Aidan Ferreira, Jae Filles, Samantha Gilfillan, Kira Hector, Alison Jacobs, Leagan Katzen, Logan Marais, Jordan Maritz, Micha Murray, Annabelle Nel, Kayla Norval, Connor Te Water Naude, Helen van den Heever, Adriaan van Jaarsveld & Rachel Wenham

• 3^rd Year: Chante Bezuidenhout
• 2^nd on Year: Adriaan van Jaarsveld
• 1^st on Year: Clea Clark

Grade 5: 3𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: Chante Bezuidenhout , 2𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: Adriaan van Jaarsveld and 1𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: Clea Clark Grade

Grade 6:

Certificates of Merit for Diligence:  Claire de Klerk, Sarah Geel, Kay-Leigh Hartney, Aaliyah Jaftha, Aidan Jaftha, Brett Kenmuir, Bothale Mashiane, Alive Mayekiso, Sithandile Mhlana, Zoë Mills, Ethan Raath, Hlelo Skotshi & Emihle Vuthuza:

Certificates of Merit for Overall Progress: Mia Botha, Junior de Bruin, Mark Lemke, Luvela Makaula, Makayla Menos & Alexandra Short. The Chookie Geard Prize for Work Presentation: Zoë Mills, Bilingualism: Antonia Adams, General Knowledge: Emihle Vuthuza, Tables Champion: John-Henry King, The Prize for Mathematics: Antonia Adams

Merit Certificate for Excellence in Languages: Gerda Clarke, Zunaida Deysel, Philip Kayster, Carlen Prinsloo & Antonia Adams

Certificate of merits to learners who achieved an average of 80% or more for the year: Antonia Adams, Gerda Clarke, Cate Cochrane, Zunaida Deysel, Isabella Hulleman, Philip Kayster, John-Henry King, Quinn Naude, Kwakhanya Ntlonti, Owen Paxton, Carlen Prinsloo, Thomas Taylor & Alyssa Trollip

• 3^rd on Year:  Zunaida Deysel
• 2^nd on Year:  Isabella Hulleman
• 1^st on Year: Antonia Adams

6: 3𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: Zunaida Deysel, 2𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: Isabella Hulleman and 1𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: Antonia Adams.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝟳:

Certificates of Merit for Diligence: Jasmine Abercrombie, Sinead Christoffels, Kyle Finnis, Brogan Koeberg, Khazimla Mbulawa, Sinoyolo Pantsi, Jannat Qaiser, Jacquin Smith & Liso Sobantu

Certificate of Merit for Overall Progress: Kwakhanya Buyiselo, Vincent Clarke, Nasreen Foster, Callum Jacobs, Jourdan-Bethany Koeberg, Leander Kraai, Toka Ledwaba, Declan Lewis, Skye Meyers, Zakithi Sishi & Jennavieve Woods

The Chookie Geard Prize for Work Presentation: Amber Slater,General Knowledge: Tara Piercey

Certificates of merits to learners who achieved and average of 80% or more for the year: Kirsten Collett, Elizabeth Houseman, Benji Loots, Richard Murray, Tara Piercey, Aimee Short, Sixolile Singeni, Amber Slater, Jade Slater & Zach Verwey

Subjects Prizes (These learners achieved the top  mark in the grade in these subjects) –

Afrikaans and Natural Sciences: Sixolile Singeni

Economic Management Sciences, Creative Arts and Mathematics: Aimee Short

English: Tara Piercey

Social Sciences, Life Orientation and Technology: Amber Slater

• 3^rd on Year: Tara Piercey
• 2^nd on Year: Amber Slater
• 1^st on Year and the learner who receives the Old Unionite Shield fot Dux Student: Aimee Short

3𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: Tara Piercey, 2𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: Amber Slater and 1𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘹 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵: Aimee Short.

Cultural Awards

Art Gordonville Art Prize: Aimee Short

Chess Prizes

• Merit Certificate for Chess: Sixolile Singeni & Keanu Linch
• Merit Certificate for the most improved chess player: Cedine Retief
• Merit Certificate for the most promising chess player: Jasmine Abercrombie
• Harwood Dixon Trophy for the Chess Champion: Jasmine Abercrombie

Music Prizes

• Merit Certificates for Progress in music: Aimee Short
• Merit Certificate for Excellence in music:  Alison Jaftha, Kira Hector, Curen Willemse
• The Leon Fouché/ Joan Kramer Cup for the pupil who gained the highest mark in the external piano exam: Helen van den Heever
• The Leon Fouché cup for the most outstanding Music Pupil: Liso Sobantu

Speaking

• The Ron Dugmore Cup for the Best Speaker: Aidan Ferreira
• All round achievement in cultural activities
• The Brink Family trophy goes to the learner who contributed the most to all Cultural activities of the school: Sixolile Singeni

Sport Awards

Athletics

• U11 Victor Ludorum: Jordan Maritz
• U11 Victor Ludorum: Miley Burger
• U12 Victor Ludorum: Owen Paxton
• U12 Victor Ludorum: Mia Botha
• U13 Victor Ludorum: Keanu Linch
• U13Victor Ludorum: Imivuyo Nondlazi

Cross Country

• Merit certificates for the Grade 5 winners: Jordan Maritz & Samantha Gilfillan
• Merit certificates for the Grade 6 winners: Owen Paxton & Mia Botha
• Merit certificates for the Grade 7 winners: Qhama Soloman & 𝘈 𝘵𝘪𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 – Amber Slater & Elizabeth Houseman

Cricket

• U11 Best Fielder: Murray Hope
• U11 Batsman who scored the most runs: Joubert Vorster
• U11 Bowler who took the most wickets: Joubert Vorster
• U13 Best Fielder: Owen Paxton
• The UHS Trophy for the most promising cricketer:  Leander Kraai
• U13 Batsman who scored the most runs: Richard Murray
• U13 Bowler who took the most wickets: Richard Murray: Richard Murray

Justin Kingwill Trophy for the Best All-Round Cricketer: Richard Murray

Hockey

• Certificates of merit for the most improved hockey player: Zanique Soutter
• Certificates of merit for outstanding Hockey Performances: Mia Botha, Onika Jantjies & Jade Slater
• UHS Trophy for the most promising hockey player: Amber Slater
• UHS Hockey Trophy for the Best All-Round team player:  Elizabeth Houseman

Rugby

• Certificate of merit for the best forward player of the year: Leander Kraai
• Certificate of merit for the best all-round player of the year: Keanu Linch
• Certificate of merit for the best back line player of the year: Keanu Linch
• UHS Trophy for the most promising player: Dwayne Koeberg
• The Mickleburgh Cup for the most improved U13 player:  Hayden August

Swimming

• Certificate of merit for the most improved swimmer: Gerda Clarke
• Certificate of merit for the most promising swimmer: Alyssa Trollip
• Victor Ludorum: Callum Jacobs
• Victrix Ludorum: Kayla Norval

Tennis

• Certificate of merit for progress in tennis: Aimee Short
• Certificate of merit for Boys Doubles Champion: Owen Paxton & John-Henry King
• Certificate of merit for Girls Doubles Champions: Amber & Jade Slater
• Gilbert Biggs Trophy for the Junior Boy’s Champion: Owen Paxton
• UHS Trophy for the Girls’ Champion: Mia Botha

All-Round Achievement in Sport:

• Oxenham Cup for the Most Promising All-Round Junior Sportsman:  Owen Paxton
• Oxenham Cup for the Most Promising All-Round Junior Sports Woman: Mia Botha

Special Awards

Hazel van Niekerk Award for All-Round Achievement in Academic, Sport and Culture to a Grade 7 (boy or girl or both) who will continue their education at Union High School : Jasmine Abercrombie & Kirsten Collett