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Merrifield’s Very Own Bi-Weekly Newspaper 9 September 2016

From the Executive Head,

Dr Guy Hartley

Merrifield celebrated its

nineteenth birthday over the

past weekend and it was a

most memorable three days of

jubilant activity.

At our Founders’ Day assembly

we were most fortunate to be

addressed by Mr Gary

Atkinson, a key founding

parent and current trustee

member, Ms Fiona Camden-

Smith, representing the Class

of 2006, and Mrs Caroline

Bawden, spouse of the late Mr

Dave Bawden, our first

headmaster.

The speakers reminded us of

our early cultural heritage with the emphasis on people and community rather than on facilities per se;

with the importance of caring, friendly and mutually respecting relationships; with the academic focus on

discovery and creativity, as well as guiding and stretching our students’ critical thinking abilities.

Those attitudes and values, nurtured by our early founders, have remained a distinctive feature of

Merrifield and are also displayed in the character and careers of our alumni.

The class of 2006, ten years out of school, are a good example of the advanced qualities and varied abilities

of our former students making their way positively and productively in wider society from a committed

chartered accountant in Fiona Camden-Smith to an enthusiastic, internationally-renowned surfer in

Nikita Robb to meticulous, research-driven, qualified Masters students in sociology and psychology in

Mireille Barnard and Tara Wentworth respectively, to business entrepreneurs and managers in Jeff

Atkinson and Gaylin Nonoh to environmentally-concerned, global travelling citizens in Lana Kowarski.

Clearly our alumni are learning to fly and spreading their wings on the basis of a broad-based and relevant

educational nurturing.

It is encouraging to witness the school advance and develop on the foundations of its early principles and

values.

We have an exciting year ahead of us as we turn 20 in 2017 with an array of specially-planned functions.

There is no doubt that we are a thriving community coming into fruition.

NEARING THE END: Wishing the matrics all the best in their

prelims as they approach the end of their school career.

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Stars of the week De Beers English Olympiad

Bronze: Matthew Dewey, Georgia Craddock, Samuel Townes,

Sandisiwe Nkumanda, Wonga Majila.

Silver: Emily King, Angela Waterson.

Merit: Thamsanqa Nleya, Rory Thomas, Matthew Amm.

Participation: James Gibson, Rebekah Krull, Dominique

Plaatjes.

Eisteddfod

Poetry: Danielle Heathcote (Gold ++), Khian Denison

(Gold ++), Nicholas Gregoriou (Gold ++), Natalie Taylor

(Gold +), Catherine Bruce (Gold), Leah Schewitz (Gold) and

Yhovaan Mansingh (Bronze).

Original verse: Khian Denison (Gold).

Monologue: Natalie Taylor (Gold).

Public Speaking: Yhovaan Mansingh (Gold +), Danielle

Heathcote (Gold), Natalie Taylor (Gold).

Advertisement: Team 1 (Gold), Team 2 (Silver+).

Junior Team: Team Speaking (Gold).

Poetry, Grade 6: Gold: Devina Pillay, Kutloano Jonas, Nishreya

Naidoo, Megan Waechter, Emily-Faye Xantho and Trishara

Naidoo.

President’s Award

Bronze: Zaheera Limbada, Cameron Wicks, Hannah Toogood

Khian Dennison.

Silver: Sive Selanto and Deniran Naidoo.

SACEE results, English, Grade 8 and 9

Senior Public Speaking Competition: 1st: Yhovaan Mansingh.

Poetry Competition: Grade 8 Gold Awards: Catherine Bruce

and Catherine Williams-Jones.

Silver Awards: Georgia Goosen and Jessica Craddock.

Grade 9 Gold Awards: Talitha Stapelberg and Jade Underwood.

Silver Awards: Lara Jonas, Jocelyn Ward and Colby Weiss.

Short story competition: Gold Awards: Miguel Da Silva and

Jocelyn Ward.

Science Expo

Gold: Cameron Wicks.

Silver: Colby Weiss, Khian Denison and Saskia Giese.

Bronze: Taoni Mansingh and Miguel da Silva.

Grade 10 dissection

Grade 9 American orals:

Democrats vs Republicans

Grade 4 MerriMaths Mix

IsiXhosa Fun

Entrepreneurs Day

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CROSS COUNTRY Good luck to Thomas Braun and Anke De Ridder who will be participating in the SA Cross Country Champs in George this weekend, and to Isobel Louw who has been announced as team co-ordinator.

HORSE RIDING 27 August: Demi and Emerson Nel, Merrifield Grade 6 and Grade 3 students respectively, took part in a BEC Novice Show and did well once again. Demi came 1st in both her dressage test and got 2 first’s and a second in her showing classes. Emerson had two lovely clear rounds in her jumping.

SURFING Merrifield Grade 11 student Danica Stockict performed exceptionally well at the Senior U20 SA Champs held recently in Cape Town. She earned a second and two first places in the heats, earning a place in the final and placing 4th overall. Border as a team placed second. Congratulations! DERBY DAYS 27 August: Merrifield Prep vs St Georges. U11 netball, Merrifield lost 12-2; U13 netball, Merrifield won 9-8. Chess drew 3-3. Tennis boys won 6-2; Tennis girls drew 6-6 then lost in tie breaker. Soccer: U9, Merrifield lost 2-1; U11 B, Merrifield lost 5-0; U11 A, Merrifield lost 7-0; U13, Merrifield won 2-1. Hockey: U9 girls, Merrifield lost 1-0; U10 A girls, Merrifield won 2-1; U10 B girls, Merrifield won 2-0; U11 boys, Merrifield won 4-0; U13 B girls, Merrifield drew 0-0; U13A girls, Merrifield drew 0-0; U13 boys, Merrifield drew 1-1.

NETBALL U13 Netball vs Stirling: Merrifield won 14-3; U12 Netball vs Stirling, Merrifield won 8-1.

HOCKEY 24 August: U13 girls hockey, Merrifield beat Komga 1-0; U11 girls hockey, Merrifield lost to Stutt 5-1. 23 August: U11 boys vs Berlin, Merrifield beat 4-0; U13 boys vs Selborne, Merrifield lost 3-0;. U10 boys festival: Merrifield beat Stutt 4-0; drew to Stirling B 1-1; lost to Stirling A 6-0; beat Stirling C 4-0; beat Cambridge 2-1.

DANCING Grade 4 student Paige Collins competed in the JJDC Dance Festival last weekend. She won first place for all her solos, as well as being awarded 11 & un-der Dancer Of The Year. In total, she received seven firsts and one second place.

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Merrifield College tennis players have again

walked off victors at the prestigious Sun City

Independent Schools Tennis Tournament

that took place last week.

The tournament involves players from

independent schools across the country, and

it was Merrifield’s victory over Michaelhouse

in the finals that clinched the coveted

trophy. A team from Merrifield won the

tournament in 2015 as well.

Merrifield executive head Dr Guy Hartley

said the school was extremely proud of the

players defending their title this year.

“The matches were against top independent

schools and to defend their title is no small achievement for a smaller school,” Dr Hartley said.

“This is a sign that Merrifield’s tennis is growing from strength to strength year on year. Particular

congratulations to Dylan Smith and Samuel Townes who were recognised as the best No1 and No2 players

respectively, having been undefeated in all their matches.”

This year’s team consisted of Merrifield College students Alex Murray, Dylan Smith, Peter Townes,

Samuel Townes and Guy Evans.

In matches against St Alban’s, Merrifield won 7-0; against King Edward School Merrifield won 6-1; against

St David’s Merrifield won 4-3 and in the final against Michaelhouse, Merrifield won 4-3.

Congratulations to the team, led by Merrifield College Sports Co-ordinator Andre Du Toit, for an

excellent achievement.

College tennis triumphs again

More

sporting

action

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On Saturday, 3 September, eight keen Merrifield Prep teams took on the Adventure Race at Lilyfontein School. The weather was perfect for the event, and with supporters and adventurers everywhere, the atmosphere was exhilarating.

The event proved to be a tough one; however, our teams did extremely well, and finished with excellent results. In the U13 section, Keelan Hartley, Anke De Ridder, Corbyn Keen, and James Ford took first place, and Lhea Johnston, Fathima Moola, Sebastian Harris, and Samuel Perks came in third. Both teams have now been invited to participate in the SA Nationals. The Grade 5 team, made up of Thomas Braun, Mvelo Sibam, Anesu Chimusoro, and Anna Ford, also placed third. The younger teams all came back full of mud and smiles, showing they also enjoyed, and gained valuable experience, from the race.

We are so proud of all 32 Merrifield participants. They worked together as a team, made friends along the way and challenged their own physical abilities. We trust that each one of them gained valuable life lessons, had fun and have fond memories of this adventure. We look forward to continued growth and development amongst our young adventurers. Thank you to all the parents, Mrs Louw, Miss Grimmer and Mr Johnston for all the hard work they put into training and organising these teams.

Adventure Race

End of

season

soccer at

the beach

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Congratulations to Mr Timo Lehmann for being named the School Champion of the Eastern Cape Region,

recognised for his constant encouragement and promotion of MySchool participation at Merrifield. He

won a R5500 Woolworths voucher which he donated to Greensleeves Place of Safety. MySchool funds

generated for Merrifield are used for various projects around the school.

Happy birthday to the following staff and

students, from 20 August to 9 September:

Students: Asiphesona Nkala, Madison-Shae

Summers, Codi Smith, Seth Van Rensburg, Lara

Braitmaier, Farah Narkedien Fleitas, Cameron

Giese Scott, Akiera Govender, Jordan Ramoo,

Sarah Nel, Dylan Puttergill, Britney Schroeder,

Mpho Malumbazo, Kwezi Sikwebu, Matthew

Fleischman, Marley Johnston, Thando Moolman,

Tyson Ott, Ayakha Ngcwangu, Zaheerah Limbada, Tia Mostert, Siyazingca Makatala, Cabe

Morrison, Daniel Goosen, Gesine Gundermann, Erin Farley, Ngcali Jafta, Hlonela Mrwetyana

and Kelly Perks.

Staff: Emilie Rautenbach, Gary Nel and Kirsty Richards.

www.merrifieldschool.co.za

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