Fifteen-year-old becomes youngest matriculant at Destiny Christian Academy

Altheone Loste, a learner from Destiny Christian Academy, Boksburg, has completed his matric at the age of 15, making him the youngest learner in the school’s history to reach this milestone.

Altheone’s achievement is also a first for school, thanks to his commitment and the support of the SwitchedOn Education curriculum, which offers an online, goal-oriented learning platform.

According to the principal of the school, Sandi Moodley, SwitchedOn Education’s curriculum, which provides an interactive online dashboard, allows learners to set goals and complete their studies at their own pace.

“The system is designed to let learners progress more quickly if they grasp concepts with ease and work consistently towards their targets.

“He showed exceptional discipline and commitment, working ahead of the average pace from an early stage,” Moodley said.

Moodley said Altheone began his educational journey with the Accelerated Enterprise Education (AEE) curriculum, formerly known as Accelerated Christian Education (ACE), from Grade Three.

“This curriculum, also self-paced, enabled him to work through workbooks, setting daily goals and steadily surpassing the requirements of each academic year.

“By Grade Seven, he had accelerated so much that he was able to complete grades seven and eight within a single year.”

She pointed out that after transitioning to the SwitchedOn system in Grade Nine, he needed some time to adjust to the new online format and it took him a year, but he quickly resumed his accelerated progress.

“By Grade 10 he was already tackling several Grade 11 subjects, and by Grade 12, which he did this year, completed the curriculum in just six months.”

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The principal went on to say that he achieved seven distinctions out of the eight subjects he studied.

“Unlike traditional schools that rely on timed exams, we employ continuous assessments, allowing learners to show their understanding consistently.

“Notably, his final examinations were conducted at the school under the supervision of teachers,” said Moodley.

She expressed immense pride in Altheone, describing him as “dedicated, hardworking, committed and self-driven”.

“His achievement not only highlights his unique academic abilities but also marks a milestone for the school, inspiring young learners to reach for their dreams with dedication and faith.”

Moodley extended gratitude to the teaching staff for their guidance and to the SwitchedOn curriculum for its supportive, accelerated systems.

Altheone also credited his family, teachers and faith for helping him navigate the curriculum’s high standards, which require a minimum of 70% to pass each subject.

Reflecting on his journey, Altheone shared, “Nothing distracted me; I kept pushing. It was my dream and goal to complete my studies early.

“It wasn’t easy, but with the support of my parents and teachers, I managed to overcome the challenges.”

“Achieving this at such a young age feels incredible, and I’m really proud of myself,” he added.

Altheone also shared his aspiration to pursue a career in software engineering.

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