Following a story of grit and academic brilliance, Holy Rosary School announced that Bella Chang emerged as one of the top performers in the school’s Class of 2025 and in the country.

Despite arriving at the school in Grade Eight with no English language skills, the Dunvegan resident achieved a 90.43% overall average.

She ranked first overall in terms of her average and third in terms of her number of distinctions across the Grade 12 year group.

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Bella ranked in the top 1% nationally in three subjects, which are mathematics, further studies mathematics (FSM), and Mandarin.

A journey of resilience

Bella’s path to the top was far from traditional.

After starting at Holy Rosary in Grade Eight, without speaking a word of English, her education was further complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to her leaving the school temporarily.

When she returned, Bella made the courageous decision to repeat Grade Eight to master the language and build a solid academic foundation.

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From that moment on, she didn’t just catch up; she excelled, climbing the ranks to become one of the school’s most distinguished scholars and a top-tier student on a national level.

National academic excellence

Her final results reflect a mastery of both complex sciences and languages.

Bella secured the highest marks in the school for an incredible six subjects.

Her 99% for Mandarin and 98% for both mathematics and further studies in mathematics placed her in the top 1% of all candidates in South Africa for those subjects.

In addition to her national rankings, she achieved 91% for accounting and physical sciences and shared the top spot in the school for information technology (IT) with a mark of 91%.

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She also earned a distinction of 88% for life orientation.

Honoured by her peers

While her academic rise is extraordinary, Bella is equally admired for her character.

Her fellow learners voted for her to receive the prestigious Chriss Ingram Memorial Fellowship Trophy.

This award is given to a young lady who is friendly, approachable, and courteous, and who shows genuine concern for her peers and the wider community.

Her classmates chose her specifically for her kindness, empathy, and the authentic care she shows to everyone she encounters.

Looking to the Future and Beyond

With a talent for numbers and problem-solving, Bella intends to pursue a degree in either actuarial sciences or engineering.

Her journey from overcoming a significant language barrier to ranking among the top three learners in her grade and the top 1% in the country serves as a powerful inspiration.

Holy Rosary School stated that, “Bella’s journey is one of the most inspiring stories to come out of the class of 2025.

“To rise from having no English to being a national top performer is a truly remarkable achievement that speaks to her incredible character and work ethic.”