Organised preparation, lots of summaries and old-fashioned hard work helped Catherine Willis-Smith earn nine A symbols in her Matric exams, and win the R30 000 offered by businessman, Charlie Adalis, to the best performing Dundee High School student.
Mr Adalis of Charlies Hardware made the offer in December last year, in memory of Nelson Mandela, who often said the children are the country’s future. The Willis-Smith family was overwhelmed when they received the cheque from Mr Adalis on Saturday in a short ceremony, which was also attended by Dundee High Principal Rudi Haschke. Catherine achieved As in English, Afrikaans, German, Life Orientation, Maths, Maths paper 3, Physics, Economics and Art. “Start early and prepare well,” was her simple message to the Matric class of 2014. Catherine also paid tribute to her teachers at DHS for their dedication and support. She has put her studies on hold this year as she flies out to Germany this week as part of the year-long Rotary Exchange Student programme.
She told the Courier that any nervousness is ‘far outweighed by the excitement’.
The R30 000 will go towards her studies next year, when she intends to study Law to fulfil her dream of becoming a human rights lawyer.
Parents, Marion and Gerald Willis-Smith, said they were ‘immensely proud of our daughter’, and thanked Mr Adalis for his gesture. “It is a case of hard work being rewarded, which is line with Dundee High’s motto.”
Mr Haschke said Catherine’s results were ‘the best for some years’ at the school. “Nine As is quite a rarity. It is wonderful to see people like Mr Adalis supporting the school. This gives a lot of encouragement to us.”
For his part Mr Adalis said he thanked the public for supporting his business. “Thanks to the public I am able to support local schools in this manner. I am glad about the many wonderful comments that we received following the announcement of the R30 000 incentive.”