From guitar struggles to academic excellence
A remarkable academic journey marked by dedication, resilience, and the support of loved ones, Christopher Ferreira shares how he achieved excellence.

Christopher Ferreira, a Class of 2024 matriculant from Redhill School, achieved an exceptional 93.43% average in his final exams.
His results included an impressive seven distinctions, six of which were above 90%.
His remarkable academic achievements come after a year of hard work, personal growth, and determination.
Reflecting on his success Christopher said, “It is such an amazing feeling to see my hard work pay off. It was a tough year but now I can enjoy the fruits of my labour. It makes me confident to see what I can do in the future.
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“One of the subjects that posed the biggest challenge for me was music. Having only started playing guitar at the end of Grade 8, I lacked the years of formal training that many of my peers had.”
Christopher said music ended up being the most rewarding subject because he had become a musician that his Grade 8 self could only ever have dreamed of becoming.
“Throughout the year, I made mental well-being a priority. I was in a good headspace throughout the year. I spent a lot more time relaxing whenever I was overwhelmed and took days off whenever it became too much to handle.”
Christopher pointed out that maintaining relationships with loved ones was key to his success.
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“My biggest support has been my close friends and family, without whom none of this would have been remotely possible. The biggest piece of advice I can give to the Class of 2025 is to maintain your relationships. Do not ever let your relationships suffer because of it. Ultimately, it is going to be the people who get you through this.”
He said he was going to study data engineering at Stellenbosch University, a path he has been committed to for years.
“My goals for the future have remained the same after getting my results. It has always been my intention to study data engineering. If there is one thing that has changed, it is my confidence. I am far more confident in my abilities now and I feel like that confidence will do me a world of good.”
Christopher credits his mother, a breast cancer survivor, as his biggest role model.
“In 2020, she developed breast cancer, and seeing her get through that with such a positive attitude was an inspiration for me. It showed me that even in adversity, a positive attitude makes a world of difference.”
As Christopher embarks on his new journey, he plans to celebrate his success with friends and family.
“I would love to go play some pool at a pool bar with my friends as a little celebration for my efforts.”
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