Spar Superstars HWM 2025

JOHN Wesley School SPAR Star of the Month is athlete Angel Machado
The school described Angel as a committed and helpful learner, well regarded by her educators, coaches, and peers. Her determination has taken her to provincial and national level competitions, where she has proudly earned her South African colours.

In the National Championships held recently, Angel represented John Wesley School and the KZN Christian Schools’ Sports Association (KZNCSSA) Team where she placed third in the Girls U13 800m and took first place in the long jump event. With an extraordinary leap of 5.08m, Angel equalled the SACSSA (South African Christian Schools’ Sports Association) record that had stood since 2022.

Looking ahead, Angel has set her sights on competing in the African Games and the Olympic Games, while also pursuing her dream of becoming a neuropsychologist.

“Angel’s dedication, hard work, and sportsmanship are truly inspiring. Not only does she excel in sport, but she also sets a fantastic example for her peers both on and off the field. We’re all so proud of her,” said the school’s principal Darron Tarr.

WESTVILLE Senior Primary School’s SPAR Star of the month is a cheerful, friendly girl, Casey Allen.

Her educator Lorien Cuthbert, who also convenes cross-country at WSPS, described the Grade Five learner as a diligent, hardworking learner who applies herself consistently.

Casey is known for the meticulous presentation of her work, with mathematics standing out as her favourite subject.

Balancing academics and sport, Casey participates in a wide range of school activities. She competes in cross-country and athletics, and represents the school in the ‘B’ teams for swimming, hockey, and netball.
“Casey is a quick runner who is light on her feet. She regularly finishes in first place at inter-school cross-country events, and has never missed a race,” said Cuthbert.

She consistently participates in the weekly Mixed League Time Trials hosted at various running clubs. Training twice a week with Richard Argall and her father at Chiltern and Westville Athletics Clubs, she has steadily built strength and speed. Earlier this month, she represented the KZN ‘B’ team at Nationals. Currently she holds first place on the leaderboard for the 4km Junior Women (U19) in the Mixed League Time Trials.

Casey said she looks up to her father as her role model.
“Last year, he completed back-to-back Comrades Marathons to raise funds for Philakade Care Centre – running from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on the Saturday, followed by the official Comrades Marathon the very next day,” said the proud daughter.

Her ambitions are to earn a place on the South African running team and achieve a top 20 national ranking.

KHANYA Khoza, Westville Junior Primary School’s SPAR Star of the Month, was placed in the top three in her race at the SACSSA National Cross-Country Championships which were held at Domino Sevite in Kranskop recently.

This exceptional achievement earned her the South African Christian Schools Colours.

At just nine years old, Khanya has shown remarkable dedication, determination, and sportsmanship both on and off the field.

Her hard work and perseverance paid off, and she continues to inspire her peers with her passion for running and commitment to excellence.

BENJAMIN Pine Primary School SPAR Star of the Month is softball champ, Uminathi Ntuli. Uminathi was recently named in the U13 Girls KZN Softball Squad. She is also the vice-captain of the school team.

GRADE Seven learner Zibusiso Xulu was chosen as St Mary’s DSG SPAR Star of the Month.

Zibusiso recently represented South Africa in the U13 age group for open water swimming, competing in the 3km swim at the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Open Water Swimming Championships in Manzini, Eswatini on September 7.

She finished second and earned a silver medal. Zibusiso has also been selected to represent KZN in the U13A age group at the SA Schools Water Polo Inter-Provincial Tournament in Johannesburg from December 6-10.

Earlier this year, she represented the province in KZN Coastal Hockey and was awarded KZN Provincial Colours for her selection in the KZN Biathlon Team.

“We are incredibly proud of Zibusiso and cannot wait to see what she achieves next!” said the school.

WHEN Grade 12 Hillcrest High School learner Carla Schwarz matriculates this year she will leave behind a legacy of dedication and commitment, embodying a strong work ethic and kind-hearted and trustworthy nature.

Carla has served behind the scenes on the Audio-Visual Club since she was in Grade Nine, giving up many hours of free time, working late nights and weekends to ensure that the sound and lighting at events ran smoothly.

Her service to the school includes working backstage to support the annual school play productions and investing many hours learning the necessary skills. She also shares her knowledge with younger learners as she moves up the ranks.

“I achieved full colours for my service to the club and attended Splashy Fen, owned and run by HHS past pupil Stuart Berry, to volunteer behind the scenes in support of the technical crew at the festival,” said Carla.
Carla has maintained a high level of academic excellence, achieving Half Colours for academics.

“After taking part in a German writing competition, I was selected as one of seven South African German Additional Language learners to attend an international German Summer Camp in Frankfurt, and I dream of being offered a scholarship to study as an audiovisual engineer at Euro Park in Germany.”

STAR College Girls High SPAR Star of the Month is Jiya Maharaj.

As the captain of the Senior Debate Team, Jiya recently led her team to victory in the Star Schools Debate Competition.

Her outstanding skills earned her the Best Speaker Award. Besides excelling on the debate stage, she has also dedicated time to mentor the Junior Debate Team.

Jiya’s creativity extends beyond the debate podium. She is a passionate writer, contributing regularly to the Girls High School magazine, sharing insightful articles and heartfelt poems. Her poem, The Unyielding Flame, was recently published in the Eduvos Poetry Anthology Book for 2025. In addition to her academic and extracurricular pursuits, Jiya demonstrated her versatility by submitting a short film for the Durban 48 Hour Film Festival. The Grade 11 learner is also an active member and organiser of the school’s charity club, Time to Care, where she dedicates her time to making a positive impact in the community.

RAVOLEN Chetty’s outstanding achievements and well-rounded involvement in the school community have earned him the SPAR Star of the Month title at Star College.

The Grade Nine learner has excelled academically throughout the year, consistently topping his class in all terms.

His has demonstrated talent and commitment in a range of Olympiads. This year, he competed in the Maths Olympiad, Natural Science Olympiad, Proverto EMS Olympiad, Afrikaans Olympiad, Geography Olympiad, and History Olympiad.

He was recognised as one of the top achievers in the South African AI Olympiad 2025, earning a distinction in the Junior Category.

Beyond academics, Ravolen has showcased his scientific talents by competing in the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, where he earned a gold medal in the regional round. His artistic side came to the forefront during the Turkish Competition held in Johannesburg in May 2025, where he impressed judges by singing a Turkish song and performing on various musical instruments, securing third place in the Individual Performance category. Additionally, his team achieved second place in the Turkish quiz, demonstrating his strong teamwork and cultural knowledge.

Ravolen’s enthusiasm for Turkish culture continues as he prepares to participate in another Turkish competition at the end of October. This online event will involve other Star Colleges across South Africa, further fostering international cultural exchange and friendly competition.

Apart from his academic and extracurricular pursuits, Ravolen is an active member of Star College’s Media Club, where he regularly contributes articles to the school newsletter, The Star Chronicles. He is also an active participant in Scouts South Africa.