High School champion debater in need of sponsorship

Rhodesfield Technical High School (THS) Grade 10 learner Nomsa Mboneli is in need of funding to take part in the International Schools Debating Tournament.

The event will take place in Praque, Czech Republic, the heart of Europe, in July this year.

Mboneli is part of the South African junior debate team which comprises six members, who will represent South Africa at the tournament.

The Grade 10 learner is an academic top achiever, athlete, public speaker as well as an excelling debater. Mboneli joined the debate society at her school in 2016 while in Grade Eight and has never looked back.

She went on to make history and became the first Grade Eight pupil from her school to make it as part of the Gauteng provincial team which participated in the South African National School Debating Championships in December 2016 in Limpopo.

Since joining the debate team, the team has won many trophies. In 2016 her team came second in the Eastern South African Council of English Education Debating Championships and is the reigning debate champions in Ekurhuleni, as well as the reigning province in other debating leagues.

The debate champion took second position for best female public orator in Ekurhuleni at the 2017 Ekurhuleni District Awarding Ceremony at the civic centre in February this year.

In 2017 Mboneli and her team went to Robben Island for a week-long spring school camp after taking first place in the Constitutional Hill Debating League. This was the second taste of glory having been champions of the same league in 2016.

The school’s debating team won the Gauteng Schools Debating Board Championship 2016 and 2017 and four members of Mboneli’s team were selected for the 2017 Gauteng provincial team which participated in the 2017 South African National Schools Debating Championships (SANSDC).

There Mboneli was selected for the SA junior debating team trials along with 24 other chosen learners from all participating South African schools. Following intense training and trials, which took place at Heron Bridge on April 1, she then made it into the SA junior team.

“If there are companies that are willing to sponsor me to make my dream come true to attend and represent South Africa, I would really appreciate it,” she said.

She said debate had exposed her to a lot of things.

“I never expected I would experience being on radio and television. My team and I have featured on Bush Radio, a station in Cape Town, CAPS Radio, SABC and SABC 1’s YOTV show, where we won a debate against other schools,” she explained.

If you would like to sponsor Mboneli or would like more information, email hr@rhodesfield.co.za for attention Me L Musheche.

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