PV 2011 CULTURE WEEK

FUNDRAISER RAFFLE

W I N A HELICOPTER RIDE

TO THE VALUE OF

R5000 TREAT YOURSELF and TWO FRIENDS to a

30 minute HELICOPTER RIDE in a Robbie

44 with a pilot who has flown the likes

of Bono, Jay Z, Beyoncé and Locnville.

R10 PER TICKET

BUY 3 GET 1 FREE Sold at PV every first break at the cafeteria window next to

the tuck shop until 11 March. Draw is on 14 March.

ON THE COVER

22_THE VICTORY NEVER ENDS. How PV won interschools…… again.

32_CARLA NORTJE on why Karate is not about kicking ass.

44_MORGAN WOLF‟s proudest moment ever.

42_ANINKA MOLLER talks victory.

40_CARLA SNYMAN on running SCA.

38_TAMRYN VAN WYK goes green. And so should you!

FEATURES

18_GRUWELGROM OF VREUGDE oor nuwe dansbalreëls?

16_THE CONSERT OF A LIFETIME. When U2 comes to Cape Town…

20_ALMOST AN IDOL. Kerry Spencer‟s IDOLS audition.

ENTERTAINMENT

08_THE ULTIMATE REVIEW. A WHOLE lot of Shakespeare, and other cool

stuff.

FASHION

28_GLEEK OUT ON FASHION. Dress like your favorite Glee character this

winter.

REGULARS

05_MASTHEAD. Who did what…

06_LETTER FROM THE EDITOR. Proud of our pride!

07_DEPUTY‟S LETTER. A confession.

ON THE COVER

Carla Nortje holding her black belt.

Photograph: Kim Swarts.

Hair and makeup: Leigh-Anne Maré

DANIËL GELDENHUYS

Editor In Chief

Creative Director

Fashion Director

CHANTÉ CHARLES

Deputy Editor

features editors

LANA DE BEER

KANYA VILJOEN

JODI COETZEE

KERRY SPENCER

entertainment editors

ZANDILE NDAY

NATASHA BICKNELL

head proofreader

M G STEENKAMP

Parel Vallei High School

95 Parel Vallei road,

Somerset – West

7130

EDITOR‟S LETTER THE MEANING OF PV PRIDE

Don‟t get me wrong, I‟m not saying that the moment they announced that Parel Vallei had

once again won interschools and we all went berserk wasn‟t awesome. But let‟s face it, we did

kind of expect it.

My proudest moment of the interschools day was when we did our parade. Our theme,

costumes, and formations stood out clearly in front of Strand‟s traditional drums and HH‟s air con

vents. When our dancers came down the track in their Indian glitter outfits, I turned to someone

behind me and said, “They look like friggin vampires! This is SO cool!”

Once again, our blazer formations were incredible. Not only do they look good but they

prompt every student in PV to work together to achieve something great. There is no better

example of team work.

The next Monday in our victory assembly, Mr Gouws told us to keep our spirit alive, and I

would like to second that. If we keep this amazing PV spirit going and continue to work together

the way the people on the stands did during formations and the athletes on the field during their

items, this school can accomplish greatness.

PV is so dangerous!

xoxoD^^

Daniël Geldenhuys and Lana de Beer photographed by Kim Swarts.

For me, February is

the month in which I realise that my New Year‟s resolutions are not

working for me and that I should quit while I am behind (usually,

EXTREMELY behind). This year I realised the reason they never worked

is because I never worked. Now that I know this, I cannot feign

ignorance.

Firstly, I need to break a few addictions. I used to (and still

do) take pleasure in knowing that I do not have Facebook (yes,

therefore I can never read this magazine). I then discovered the joys

of Twitter. Now it is the first and last thing on my mind as I live through

my days. I never knew how bad it had become until I noticed that

half my words were Twitter quotes. (By the way, if you have Twitter,

follow @failwhalequotes.) Do you see?

Now instead of acting like a member of a support group, I

should go to one. Is there such a thing as the TA? Find me one and I

promise I will go (or if I cannot, I promise to follow it on Twitter).

Funnily enough, my problem can translate to many situations.

How many times have we found ourselves in unhealthy habits, unable or unwilling

to change it? Now is the time for us to break the cycle. We should detoxify every aspect

of our lives. Donate old clothing, lessen your junk food intake and get rid of everything

that either makes you feel worse or is unnecessary. Life is too short. Think about it this way:

If you die tomorrow, would you want to look back and find that with all the time you

spent in front of the TV, you could have done your homework 1008 times over (and not

been zapped)? I would think not.

My motto for this year is NO STONE LEFT UNTURNED. This is why you can now find

me at the gym (please do not try to find me) or at Toastmasters. As for Twitter… that is a

work in progress.

Point is, you have the opportunity to create an entirely new you. As a starting

point, let me give you a tip. Halfway through class, when you are yawning frequently

enough to fear that your cheeks might rip in two, take a deep breath. Yawning is your

body‟s way of saying, “Hey, I need oxygen!” inhale for a 4 count, hold for a 4 count and

then exhale for a 4 count. Do those until you feel more awake.

This may seem small, but the keys to huge changes are baby steps. Take it slowly,

ease into it and when you realise that you have reached you goals, tell me so that I can

fax you my invoice. (I am only joking!)

Now that I have imparted all the wisdom caffeine has inspired within me, I leave

you. I may not be Yoda, but I want you all to truly think about where you are going, what

you want and how to get it. I would also love to know if anyone understands my

addiction. (Find me on the T-word!) Until next we meet, ciao!

DEPUTY‟S LETTER

THESE ARE MY

CONFESSIONS

A WHOLE lot

of

Shakespeare,

awesome

movies,

music and

celeb news.

F I L M

MARCH is a vastly interesting month for film. Here is

ULTIMATE’s pick of the releases that will make you

laugh, cry, cringe and leave you speechless… Edited by Daniël Geldenhuys

I AM NUMBER

FOUR

A cool action

movie from

producer

Michael Bay. The

perfect thing to

spice up a fun

night out with

friends.

11 MARCH

GETROUD MET

RUGBY

The latest

addition to the

Afrikaans circuit.

Based on the

smash hit kykNET

show, fans will

hopefully not be

disappointed.

11 MARCH

JUSTIN BIEBER:

NEVER SAY NEVER

Yes, there is a

Bieber movie. So if

you want to make

fun and rip it off, at

least go watch it

so that you know

what you‟re talking

about.

11 MARCH

RANGO

An animation

about desert

animals with a

southern accent

and Johnny

Depp as a

chameleon. It

should be

entertaining…

18 MARCH

NEVER LET ME GO

Based on what is

called the best

book of a decade

and starring Carey

Mulligan, Keira

Knightley and

Andrew Garfield

(ABOVE). This one

is a must see!

25 MARCH

RED RIDING HOOD

Amanda Seyfried

plays Red in this

horror take on the

fairytale classic.

Let‟s hope the

Twilight director

didn‟t mess this

one up…

Hold thumbs…

18 MARCH

GNOMEO &

JULIET.

At the very least,

the Romeo +

Juliet cast should

have a good

laugh at this… 25 MARCH

M U S I C

AVRIL LAVIGNE

Album title

Goodbye Lullaby

Genre

Rock

Release March 2011

Review Zandile Ndayi

At only 26 years of age, Avril

Lavigne, the blonde Canadian,

has sold over 30 million albums

worldwide, earning herself eight

Grammy nominations and making

a big name for herself.

The long wait is nearly over, the

anticipation of fans is running high.

This studio album will be released

on the 7th of March 2011.

Our young lady has matured

vocally as well as lyrically. The

beautiful songwriter shares some of

her personal experiences. The

hardcore rock to raw and more

organic sounds appeal to an

evolutionary crowd.

It has taken two years to complete

this album. Avril Lavigne has

collaborated with artists such as

Deryck Whibley, Evan Taubenfeld,

Butch Walker and producer Max

Martin. The first video track is titled

`What The Hell`. Offering a range

of quality sound, it is a spectacular

way to end off the love month

and a must-have for any

collection.

Congratulations to the

winners of our JAN/FEB raffle.

We hope you enjoy your

prizes!

After an audition in September 2010, a few rehearsals in

October and an overdue four week holiday over Christmas and

New Year's, Bryoni Curirn, a bright and bubbly young lady in

matric, has been working hard at rehearsals for the latest

production of Darryl Spijker's, Romeo & Juliet.

During recent months, this soon-to-be-famous actress

playing the role of the jester, has come to know many people

on set alongside her, consisting of approximately 70

hardworking and gifted people, ranging between ages 7 all the

way up to the ripe old age of 70 years. Not all of them are

professionals, there are those without much experience in this

industry. Bryoni says that everyone gets along well, are always

willing to help one another and "we also accept everyone else's

criticism".

Other than having to sacrifice a lot of time and prioritising

the production over all her other responsibilities, Bryoni says that

she has enjoyed meeting new people, reuniting with those she

previously worked with (on A Midsummer Night's Dream and The

Little Mermaid) and the fact that she's become familiar with

people in PV whom she never knew, has made the experience

worthwhile.

One humerous event that Bryoni will never forget:

"At one rehearsal, where Romeo is meant to stab and kill Paris,

"Romeo" acciently stabbed him in the ... "sensitive area" with an

actual fencing sword. Needless to say, Paris did indeed die a

slow and painful death." The following night, "Romeo" presented

"Paris" with a ball-box, saying that when he goes down, it should

at least be with dignity.

For those of you who haven't already realized this, there isn't

actually a jester in Romeo & Juliet, but Darryl Spijkers put the

role in for her, as he believes that it suits her "hyper, inquisitive

and expressive" personality.

Bryoni urges anyone who would like to to be a part of a

production to go ahead and try it, as according to her, "there's

nothing to lose, it's amazing how much you can learn" and like

Darryl Spijkers says, "There's a place for everyone, and everyone

in their place".

Her experience has been summed up by being "unforgettable,

unregrettable and hilarious", and she says she'd do it all over

again-if the director is as caring, fun to work with and

understanding as Darryl Spijkers is.

The

Jester's

Take...

JODI COETZEE talks to the most

theatric girl in the “Romeo +

Juliet” cast…

P R O F I L E

Due to a recent influx of

SHAKESPEARE PRODUCTIONS in the

Cape Town area, THE TAMING OF

THE SHREW, ROMEO + JULIET (and

some others we probably don‟t

know about), NATASHA BICKNELL

gives a little extra info on the

man himself…

William Shakespeare. If I had to say this name in

my English class, I‟d probably run the risk of being

swallowed whole by thirty odd pupils yawning in

unison. No disrespect to them, I get how the

whole “thou, thee, doth, needst” thing could

throw you off, but one thing is for certain.

Shakespeare was certainly not boring. In fact, he

was quite the opposite. His plays are full of

murder, mystery, tragedies and romance, and

dare I say it? - Even humour. Yes, William

Shakespeare was, and is, a legend. Here are a

few things you may not have known about him...

Shakespeare‟s father was a glover and the rest of his family were illiterate (fancy that!)

Every four hours a production of Macbeth begins somewhere in the world.

Shakespeare put a curse on anyone who dared to move his body from his final grave

(needless to say, his bones have remained where they were buried)

All Uranus‟ satellites are named after Shakespearian characters.

When Thomas Edison was a child, his mother read Shakespeare to him.

All of Shakespeare‟s grandchildren have died, so he has no direct descendants today.

He was a successful property investor- he doubled his first investment at the age of 18

Shakespeare didn‟t just write his plays. He played the ghost in his production of Hamlet.

It is believed that he was born and died on the same day (different years of course)

Women were not allowed to act in His day, so all roles had to be played by men (makes you

wonder about Romeo and Juliet...)

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18. She was 26

He named his first son Hamnet

In his will, he left his wife his second best bed.

Shakespeare invented the words eyeball and leapfrog.

He also invented the phrases “in a pickle” and “too much of a good thing”

I think it is now safe to say that William Shakespeare was indeed an interesting person. The mere

fact that he invented the word “eyeball” makes me smile. It also makes me wonder how bland the

English language would have been if not for him. I do hope that after reading this, your respect for

Shakespeare will have gone up a few notches and that you won‟t spend your next Shakespearian

English lesson counting the seconds „til break. Oh, and if you happen to argue and say “it‟s Greek

to me,” you are quoting Shakespeare (Just saying).

C E L E B R I T Y

DIANNEX?

Chante Charles tells us about

Hollywood’s hottest new

couple. Move over Brangelina, there is a new couple in

town. Welcome blonde bombshells, Dianna Argon

(24) and Alex Pettyfer (20). You may remember Alex

from Alex Rider and Wild Child, while Dianna takes to

the TV as Quinn Fabray in Glee.

The two star in the new movie I Am Number 4.

Alex plays John Smith (same as Brad), one of the last

alien survivors on the run from bounty hunters (not like

Brad). Dianna takes the role of Sarah, a photographer

of their school in Ohio. Three guesses as to who ends

up with the Lorien dream.

The two met on set, with director D.J, Caruso

playing matchmaker.

“The films‟ director basically set us up. He was like,

„Maybe you should meet this guy before you‟re

forced together in front of the cameras‟, “ says miss

Argon.

Romance rumours erupted on 25 August 2010,

when Alex visited Dianna on the set of Glee. The two

held hands, cuddled up for even the cameras.

It escalated to spending Thanksgiving in

London (the boy is British) and their representatives

VEHEMENTLY deny rumours of engagement.

Visit alexanddianna.tumblr.com, a blog

dedicated entirely to them.

What do we call them though? Diannex? Allanna?

Arfer? Pettygon? All these options…

1000th 100. Daniël Geldenhuys

analyses the start of

a new era of GAGA

Mamma monster is back.

But is she back with a bang?

The US Billboard hot 100 chart

would certainly say so as her

new single, „Born This Way‟ was

the 1000th number 1 in the

history of the chart.

Those who watched the

Grammy‟s will have noticed a

bunch of people carrying her

across the red carpet inside an

egg. She didn‟t come out until

she performed her new single

on stage to a very

appreciative audience.

Being a die hard fan, it is

hard for me to admit this, but

when I first herd the single, I

was not jumping up and down

with excitement. It seems to be

lacking that “Ra, ra, ah ah,

aha!” oomph that most of her

other singles have. I wouldn‟t

call the song iconic.

That having been said,

we‟ll probably all be singing

along to the lyrics in no time.

The song, although slightly

annoying preachy, does

preach a message people

desperately need to hear right

now.

So, as the tune goes:

“just put your paws up, coz you

were born this way, baby.”

Lady Gaga is here to

stay!

Daniël

Geldenhuys

reports on a

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME

concert

experience.

It is so hard to find words to describe how incredible the U2 concert

in Cape Town soccer stadium was that it is easiest to be sarcastic

and say it was dead boring.

One of the thoughts that went through my mind was that if we

rented the stadium for interschools next year, PV, HH and Strand

would literally only be able to fill about 3% of the stadium. (PV gets

the golden circle, of course.)

By the time the real show began (21:30) the stadium was

ready to rock… and so was U2. The show was exciting, inspirational

and touching, but most of all, it was completely rocking.

One of the many high points was when lead singer Bono

requested that everyone take out their phones… all other lights in

the stadium were switched off and for those few seconds, all 75 000

people got to experience what it would be like in the milky way.

It‟s definitely not the kind of show the average Cape Tonion

will be seeing again any time soon, but if it does happen again, I

strongly recommend you make the effort to go. It‟s a privilege to be

able to say “I was there.”

Gruwelgrom

of vreugde

oor nuwe

reëls vir

dansbal? Is die nuwe reël dat net Parel Vallei-leerders na ons skool se sosiale dansbal toe mag gaan ‘n gawe of ‘n gruwel? deur Kanya Viljoen

Image source:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UWL9avDDvdE/S6_QWgNzKjI/AAAAAAAABRc/TzyYh1MrKnM/s1600/cinderella+story

+gazebo2.png

Ons het die jaar op „n

eienaardige noot begin, veral

as jy nadink oor die nuwe reëls

wat ons skool onverwags

ingestel het. Eers is ons geliefde

trui-voorreg van ons

weggeneem en toe word ons

verwittig dat die sosiale danse

by die skool net vir mede-Parel

Valleiers sal wees.

Leerders het nie stilgebly

nie en daar is vinnig petisies

opgestel en geteken om te

versoek dat die reëls

heroorweeg word. Ongeag die

petisies en gevoelens bly die

vraag staan of die besluit

geneem is om die lewe van

onderwysers en toesighouers te

vergemaklik of skuil iets anders

agter die besluit? Waarom

word daar by ons skool net

Parel Vallei-leerders tydens die

danse toegelaat? Is ons nie

besig om die dam onder die

spreekwoordelike eend uit te

ruk nie? Het ons nie meer „n sê

oor ons eie doen en late nie en

moet ons dit maar net gelate

aanvaar as skoolreëls summier

verander word? Nee wat, vir

die retoriek om aanvaar te

word, moet ons darem eers die

saak koukus en behoorlik

deurtrap.

Dit is „n moeilike saak en aangesien ons „n “ PV-familie” is, moet

ons gou „n middellyn daarstel. Ek het besluit om navorsing oor

die saak te doen en die kantevan die saak so te stel dat julle

self kan besluit of die nuwe metgesel-reël „n seëning of „n vloek

is.

Waarom is die reël ingestel?

Volgens mnr. du Toit (onderwyser in beheer van danse) is die

volgende redes die hoeksteen waarom ons net leerders van

ons eie skool mag vra:

Oneerlikheid: Daar was in die verlede te veel gevalle waar

leerders en selfs leerderraadslede oneerlik was oor wie

genooi word. Mense van universiteite en ander skole is

willens en wetens genooi, ongeag die versoek dat dit nie

gedoen moet word nie.

Veiligheid: Sowel mnr. du Toit as mnr. Gouws het al onder

skeltaal van leerders buite ons skool deurgeloop omdat

hulle standpunt ingeneem het. Die gebrek aan respek en

aggressie wat hiermee saamgaan, is totaal

onaanvaarbaar.

Getalle: Die beheer van getalle speel „n massiewe rol in die

besluit wat geneem is. Daar is alreeds te min spasie vir

paartjies in die saal. Ons het „n verantwoordelikheid om

seker te maak elke senior moet danse kan bywoon. Deur

die getalle intern te beperk en nie buite skoolverband te

kan nooi nie, word dit prakties makliker vir almal om aan die

sosiale geleenthede te kan deelneem.

Geskiedenis: As „n mens na die geskiedenis van danse in

ons skool kyk, is dit opvallend dat die Herfsbal eers as „n

Graad 11-bal voorgestel is, juis omdat so min Graad 11‟s vir

die Valentynsbal gekeur kon

word.

Mnr. du Toit sê: “Hierdie reël

is die laaste poging vir die

voortbestaan van funksies.

Dit was nooit ons idee om „n

rowwe uithangplek te skep

nie, maar wel „n deftige

plek waarheen ouers veilig

sal voel om hulle kinders te

stuur. Anders is die volgende

stap om alle funksies te

stop.”

Opinies van leerders in ons

skool:

“Ons betaal so baie geld vir die

bal en dan kan ons nie eers

mense vra van wie ons hou nie.

Danse by Parel Vallei was

gewoonlik „n groot sosiale

geleentheid: jy kon mense van

ander skole nooi en nuwe

mense ontmoet.”

“Die ouens in ons skool kan nie

eens ordentlik dans nie .

Waarom moet ons gestraf word

vir vorige jare se agtelosigheid

en foute?”

Sabrina Shuttes van die 2011-

Valentynsbalkomitee het die

volgende gesê:

“I get why the teachers made

the decision, but half the school

has boyfriends and girlfriends in

other schools. It affected the

Valentine‟s ball as well, as so

many people asked us to sneak

in people from other schools

and this put the committee in a

very difficult position.”

My siening van die storie:

Elke reël het „n rede: of ons daarvan hou of nie. Ek dink die

situasie kan positief of as „n doodslag gesien word.

Mense spring baie gou op hulle perdjies en sê iets is

nie regverdig nie. As jy mooi hieroor gaan dink, kom jy agter

dit skep dalk net „n geleentheid vir daardie ou of meisie wat

nooit gevra word nie om saam na „n bal toe te kan gaan.

Die Matriekafskeid bly

steeds „n geleentheid waarheen enigiemand geneem mag

word. Dalk word dit nog „n matriek-voorreg en hopelik sal dit

jare lank bly voortbestaan.

Ons is „n groot skool en een kenmerk van Parel Vallei is

die feit dat ons toegelaat word om individualiteit te toon. Ons

het ons eie ritmes en maniere van doen en dit sluit dalk die

feit in dat ons mense van ander skole wil nooi.

Ek sluit af met die volgende: Wat ook al jy oor die

onderwerp besluit het, ek glo ons as „n skool sal staan vir dit

waarin ons glo. Ons sal baklei vir dit wat goed en regverdig is

en soos die Engelse sê, “Life may not be the party you hoped

for, but while you‟re here, you should dance!”

“Waarom moet

ons gestraf word

vir vorige jare se

agtelosigheid

en foute?”

ALMOST

AN

\Every South African knows how

Jody, Sasha-Lee and Jason became

famous. Idols South Africa is one of

the most watched reality television

series on TV and I thought it would

be the perfect tool to help me

become South Africa‟s next big

thing. Auditions were held at the

Cape Town International Convention

Centre on Saturday 12 February. The

gates were to be opened at 7am,

but my day started far earlier than

that… 00:00 I was in the car in a

zombie like state on that Saturday

morning, accompanied by my Mom,

Dad and my ever supporting

boyfriend. The car was filled with a

less than enthusiastic air and shortly

we arrived in Cape Town.

00:30 After scouting out the

short line of sleepy aspiring singers,

we filed into the queue and laid

down our chairs and blankets to wait

out the next six hours. Finally, after a

few hours of disturbed sleep, far too

many hours of out of tune guitars in

the vicinity and six coffees shared

between the four of us, the sun had

come up.

7:30 At least three thousand

excited Idols contestants had arrived

at the auditions and had formed a

queue that snaked around the block

(me being more agitated than

anything from the many ant-like

people that were jumping the line).

Finally, Proverb- the idols presenter-

arrived and all the irritation had

lifted. The crowd was asked to

scream over-enthusiastic things into

the hovering camera secured to

some sort of crane device. Things

such as "I'm the next South African

Idol!" and "Welcome to Cape Town!"

were fun to scream out at the top of

my lungs...the first three times.

9:15 After almost two hours of

exploiting the crowd's excitement,

the camera and Idols crew had one

more request: to wave and scream

at a specific black car that would be

driving past and dropping off the

notorious judges. But in fact, the car

was empty, which brought on an

extremely contagious wave of

injustice to the waiting crowd and

that's when I realised that the

entertainment industry isn't the most

genuine industry. My unbelievably

patient boyfriend cracked and kept

repeating, "This is fake, it's all fake!"

"This is showbiz, babe."

9:30 The doors to the ICC had

opened and everyone pushed

forward, anticipating their moment

to shine. I felt far too tired, hungry

and annoyed at my space bubble

being invaded by so many strangers

to be excited. Everyone filed into a

large hall filled with organised chairs.

Row by row, people were being

registered onto the Idols database

and being sent off to do their first

audition. Two auditions were to take

place that day and whoever passed

both were going to sing for the

judges on Monday 14th. After a

dispute with an usher to let me be

one of the first people to register, as

after all, I had been there since 00:30

that morning, I was then allowed to

get my unique number (2030) and

was off to my first audition.

10:30 I had been assigned to

a group of ten contestants and as

we walked out of the enormous

waiting room, I had a double take

when I saw my parents sitting on a

bench engaged in what looked like

an extremely interesting

conversation with Proverb . I

"LOL'ed". Maybe my parents are

quite cool after all...

11:00 My group entered a

small room one by one, to be

judged by a producer, whose job it

was to decide who would face the

judges. Their goal: find the stars and

the not-so-shining (for entertainment

purposes). Unfortunately my nerves

got the better of me and my

audition didn't go as planned.

11.30 I hadn't made the cut,

but left that enormous conference

venue knowing that I had the most

supportive family anyone could ever

ask for, a loving and assuring

boyfriend and the patience of a

rock. I was exhausted, but happy

because of two simple reasons: I

could complete my Matric year with

no interruptions and I had the

knowledge that if I could get

through an Idols audition, I could get

through anything.

I have yet to decide if I want

to try again next year. Auditioning to

sing on Idols was one of the hardest

things I have ever had to do, but this

after all is showbiz, babe.

THE

VICTORY

NEVER

DIES

Chanté Charles reports on

the proudest PV moment of

the year… so far.

one are the days where

war was fought with

spears and shields. On 11

February, three schools of merit

once again met to take to the

fields in battle.

Hosted by HH High School,

all supporters marched to the

pavilion to take up their seats.

With one look at the stands, all

spectators knew how important

this was to any participating

student.

First were the inspiring

speeches by the HH faculty,

encouraging the athletes to do

their best. Then silence reigned

over the area, and the true show

began…

Strand (otherwise known as

the Green Eagles), started off with

an overhead of a Zulu warrior‟s

speech, backed up by trance-like

swaying. Then began their

mumbo beats in traditional drums

with accompaniment of Haka-like

moves by their students. In

African gear, their

cheerleaders

began a very hip-

hop dance,

leading their

fellows in cheers.

When next

silence fell, every

PV member

tensed with

anticipation and

waited. Nerves

surged, breathing

quickened,

heartbeats raced

and every mind

quadruple checked the order of

movements and songs. This pause

went on for an eternity… thanks

to an electrical failure. Finally, the

HH headmaster announced our

arrival. With armours of navy

blazers, 300 proud Parel Valleiers

raised their heads in fierce

determination.

The loud Bollywood beats

of Jai Ho sounded and out

stepped our leaders, followed by

our outstanding athletes. On

count, every student stood up

and began a dance that would

make Aishwarya Rai proud.

Dressed in flowing garments of

rich colours and bejeweled to the

hilt, our dancers entranced

everyone with rhythmical hip

movements and graceful

stances. Huge ceremonial

umbrellas and swathes of silk

transported all viewers to an

Indian festival. It came to an end

and our head Maha-Raja,

Damon, stepped forward to

G

deliver the two-count that would

begin it all. Gigantic PV, 2011 and

BOLLY stood out starkly in white.

Then came the hypnotic “Oooo-

oo-oooh” of our introduction. We

struck fear with Eminem and

showed we had the “fire.” We

were a firework display and had

“everybody‟s hands go up.”

Hands clicking and clapping, we

dropped down before roaring

with a deafening “A-boom a-

chick a-boom.” Drumline

members sounded out a beat

and we ended off our dramatic

display with claps and a flourish

of hands.

Our “Bosvark” reverberated

in the mountains,

heralding our arrival.

From out of

space came the HH

cheerleaders in shiny

(emphasize that) outfits.

Congratulations also go to them

for coming up with a new use for

giant Slinkies. Counting down,

their space walk then ended with

said Slinkies doing a rather cute

and impressionable, if not

somewhat obscure,

performance. They remixed the

legendary Michael Jackson‟s

“They don‟t really care about us”

and launched into their musical

medley (somewhat reminiscent of

a recent Abby optog).

Immediately afterwards,

the games began. Our knights

(athletes) did final warm-ups,

while the cheerleaders started

the scream-offs. Parel Vallei,

who started with a bang

thanks to our famed long-

distance athletes, used this to

boost ourselves.

In the hurdles, there

were highs and (quite literally)

lows before we took off with

400m sprints. One of the most

memorable first events would

be when Jaden Flagg (RIGHT)

showed HH exactly where the

gap was.

In high jump, discus,

shot put, long jump, triple

jump, hammer-throw and

javelin, athletes pushed

themselves to the maximum.

They surpassed all, including

their own, expectation. New

standards were set, with a 20-

year-old record being broken

by one of our very own. Parel

Vallei shot forward in points,

leaving the other two schools

to battle it out.

When the time came

for the awards, silence

dominated once again. The

Spirit Cup went to HH High.

Though our discipline shone

and we executed our plans

with precision, they walked

with the trophy. It then began

with the two athletes who

scored the most points. Both

belonged to HH. Between the

two, they garnered three

quarters of their school‟s

points.

Strand won too, while

Parel Vallei sat in tense

anticipation. Next came the

awards for the individual girls‟

and boys‟ age groups. Once

again, our girls had us roaring with

applause as they cleared the

trophy table. In a pleasant turn of

events, our boys managed to

scoop a nod or two as well.

Finally, when the

announcement of Interschool

Champion came, Parel Vallei

collectively took a deep breath…

held… and SCREAMED to the

heavens as our school reigned

victorious for the SIXTH (thank you,

thank you) year in a row.

Now February 11, 2011 will

forever be cemented in our mind.

Never has a Parel Vallei learner

tasted anything but the sweet

taste of glory. Next year, we will

come back and continue this

tradition. For now though, we

send a massive thank you to all

who made this possible. Soldiers

can never go out without brilliant

commanders. Our coaches

made us the proudest students,

and our athletes made sure we

were a force to be reckoned

with.

Therefore, let us end with a

new cry. In likeness of a Rihanna

song, “HH, Strand… You made us

feel like we‟re the only school in

the world!”

This month,

take a style

cue from

your

favourite

Glee

character.

ULTIMATE

interprets

their styles to

the

approaching

winter

season…

edited by Daniël Geldenhuys

1. Marc Jacobs 2. Diane von

Furstenberg

THE KEY ITEMS: Rachel: 1. Gathered cotton skirt R8500,10, Marc Jacobs; Mercedes: 2. Chunky

sweater R2820,49, Diane von Furstenberg, all from saksfifthavenue.com

RACHEL is known for her short

skirts and conservative

cardigans. This winter she‟ll be

celebrating her curves with the

look that defines the new

season in fashion… She

wouldn‟t have it any other

way.

Her hemline will fall gracefully

into a calf length 50‟s style full-

skirted dress. Kitten heels are a

must, and so is a nipped in

waist and a minimalist tote

bag. If you want to dress it up,

add a pair of vintage gloves.

Rachel‟s catwalk counterpart:

Louis Vuitton.

MERCEDES plans to back up her

big voice with some big-

personality clothes. Anything

that‟s fluffy and cozy will be her

preferred buy. She must however

remember not to overdo the

look. Although big boots will go

well with a chunky knit, anything

more will become overkill. If she‟s

feeling a little more hardcore,

she‟ll opt for one of the season‟s

must-have shoes: the hiking boot.

Mercedes‟ catwalk counterpart:

D&G.

1. Dior Homme

2. 7 For All

Mankind.

THE KEY ITEMS: Kurt: 1. Classic sport shirt R3477,31, Dior Homme; Mr. Schuester: 2. Plaid duffle

coat R1721,19, 7 For All Mankind, all from saksfifthavenue.com

Mr Schuester‟s catwalk

counterpart: Burberry Prorsum.

KURT is and will always be

blatantly fashionable. He

always finds new innovative

ways to mix the formal and the

playful. This winter he‟ll be

wearing skinnies with high-tops,

a formal shirt (don‟t forget the

tie) and either large shearling

jacket or a sweater over it. He‟s

not afraid to wear primary

colours but is careful not to

clash. It‟s better to take one

bright color and pair it with

something more mellow.

Kurt‟s catwalk counterpart: D&G.

MR SCHUESTER is saying

goodbye to his waistcoats and

hello to jackets with buckles

and big buttons. He gets to

keep his formal teacher look,

but updates it with the perfect

jacket or coat: a dark colour

with an exaggerated collar that

manages to mix utility with the

hiker look. Finally, a bag to carry

all his teacher‟s guides.

the

POWER of

THE 2011

MATRIC GIRLS This year, Parel Vallei is getting a good dose of girl

power.

Beyond this page you’ll meet the girls who are

achieving greatness, running committees and

leading the school to victory.

We love their spirit!

the

POWER of

DISCIPLINE Carla Nortje

mastered the art of karate and achieved the highest merit:

a black belt

WORDS Lana de Beer

PHOTOGRAPHS Kim Swarts

HAIR AND MAKE-UP Leigh-Anne Maré

“My mom

wanted me to

take ballet

lessons but

when she saw

that I wanted

to beat

everyone up,

she put me in

karate. My

Sensei soon

made me

realise that

karate isn’t a

sport at all. It is

an art…”

arla Anne Nortje has achieved a shodan in

karate. In other words, a black belt. That‟s right: A

girl is ranked one of the highest in karate out of

everyone in our school. Take that, guys.

When you hear the word karate, you probably

get flashes of people in white garb facing each other

solemnly and then striving to knock out as many teeth as

possible. This is in fact not what karate is about. So what

is it?

The word “karate” actually means “empty

hand”. It emerged in Japan in the 1920‟s, although its

roots are deep in the histories and traditions of China.

The full name is karate-do and this martial art has spread

world-wide. The founders of karate-do never intended it

to become a sport. Not even a fighting system. Yes, it

teaches self-defense, but it was meant to be an art and

many dojos overlooked that and

now it is all about the competitions.

The dojo where Carla trains is

one of the few which honours its

roots. The Higashi dojo is run by Stan

Holroyd Sensei and is very traditional.

It‟s about respect and self-

preservation. There are no

competitions because he believes

that it will inflate your ego. Also, you

need a black belt to take part in

these competitions and he doesn‟t want to rush his

students. Indeed, it took Carla many years to achieve

hers. She started at the age of seven! There are ten

levels before the black belt and don‟t think it ends there!

After the first black belt, there is the second black belt

then the third, etc.

It took Carla four months to train for the shodan

and in-between she had to help her Sensei teach

classes as well. She was recorded while training and

teaching and it was sent to a head office of Senseis in

Japan, where she was evaluated on her performance

and awarded a black belt. She admits that this was the

toughest moment in her life. Well, it‟s certainly worth it.

Before her class starts, she takes part in a

Japanese greeting ceremony. The students line up and

then sit in seiza (on knees). Now they are asked to clear

their minds in a sort of meditation and completely forget

about their everyday struggles. They greet the portraits

of masters on the wall and then turn to their Sensei and

ask him to look upon them kindly (Yoroshiku onegai

shimasu). Only then class will start. Afterwards they thank

him (Domo arigato gozai mashita). A polite bunch, hey?

Karate is all about self-discipline and humility. You

need to focus on yourself and perfect yourself. It has little

to do with anyone else.

Your breathing has to

be absolutely flawless

during your routine. You

need to breathe deeply

– so deeply in fact that

you need to draw from

your toes to the top of

your head. Carla did a

little demonstration for

us and she breathed so

loudly, so precisely, that

I thought she was

muttering things under

her breath. It seemed to

vibrate through her. She

calls it an energy flow.

The one thing

she wants everyone to

know is that all women

in karate are treated

equally to the men. She

trains on the same level

as any guy and she‟s

just as good as them.

But that doesn‟t make

her any less feminine.

When people find out

about her belt, they

tend to be wary around

her and she doesn‟t like

that. It‟s the same with

guys who dance. They

aren‟t any less

masculine. She admires

them.

Karate is a way

of life for many people.

For her Sensei, it is a

religion. It is not to be

taken lightly. After her

demonstration, I was

dumbstruck. Karate is

truly beautiful and I can

see why it is considered

an art.

C

“She breathed

so loudly, so

precisely, that I

thought she

was muttering

things under

her breath.”

GETTING TO KNOW

CARLA… Her form of communication with her friend in preschool consisted of growling. They

never spoke.

She played dinosaurs instead of Barbies.

She has a zoo in her garden. Her parents started looking after animals and specialised

in breeding some of them. For example, African Gray Parrots. Now they‟ve handed the

job over to her. A seriously skilled woman here. In her lifetime she‟s had 70 guinea pigs,

20 rats, 2 cats, 3 dogs, 25 birds, 40 rabbits and 15 fish.

The only things that she and her brother (Pierre in Grade 9) have in common are karate

and their parents. She can‟t believe they‟re related. They fight a lot.

Her favourite colours are green and turquoise.

Her favourite actor is Nicholas Cage and her favourite actress is Nicole Kidman

Her motto is, ”Never let an opportunity pass you by because you only live once.”

The last movies that seriously struck her were Inception and Avatar.

She chews her nails. (Don‟t kill her, Kim Swarts.) She also plays with her hair a lot.

She received a silver bracelet from her mother for her birthday, which was inscribed

with the words Live, Laugh, Love in Japanese. She cherishes it.

She considers Severus Snape to be the scariest character ever.

She doesn‟t think she‟s an irritable person but she gets annoyed when someone asks

her what‟s wrong when she‟s daydreaming or thinking.

Things that she wishes she could do but never could are singing and dancing.

After Matric she wants to study Human Resources because she likes working with

people, and then she wants to take a gap year and go to either Australia or America.

She never leaves her house without her lip ice, cell phone and chewing gum

Her dream holiday places are France, Japan and Thailand. She craves the rich culture.

She is head of Finances on the Culture Week Committee.

She looks up to anyone who has achieved anything in their lives. She admires people

who try something impossible and even more so when they succeed at it.

Carla is an amazing human being and will try to help you even if she doesn’t know you. All

you have to do is ask. I’m in her Geography class and when the teacher isn’t there, she takes

her place. She likes to get involved. We wish her luck for Matric, the future and for her next

black belt!

the

POWER of

GOING

GREEN Tamryn van

Wyk is co

head of the

PV GOES

GREEN

committee.

She tells us

what PV is still

lacking in our

green status…

INTERVIEW

DANIËL

GELDENHUYS

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A PART OF THE ECO COMMITTEE?

My family, we really care about the environment and my parents are very conscious about

everything we use, buy and end up recycling. My dad is always recycling his newspapers

and my mother‟s constantly switching off lights. When you‟re surrounded by that it grows on

you. I joined the eco-committee because I also wanted to do my bit, but on a larger scale,

and PV is just large enough.

WHAT IS THE SCHOOL‟S CURRENT FLAG STATUS? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

To receive a Green Flag or to apply for one certain criteria need to be met, such as doing

projects and obtaining evidence, drawing up a monthly planner in which all the projects,

activities and events are set out in, to ensure they are executed, etc. The Eco-schools

programme consists of nine topics, from which the school can choose, to focus on, for

example: Global Perspectives, Water, Litter, and Waste. This year the Eco-Committee has

chosen Nature and Biodiversity as our theme for 2011. This means all our projects, events

and work throughout the year will be focused around the theme Nature and Biodiversity.

The eco-committee really only kick-started last year so we‟re still in the beginning stages but

we‟re doing our best to create awareness of the environment and ways in which we can

reduce the school‟s waste by establishing recycling bins outside the tuck-shop and properly

disposing e-waste (Electronic Waste). Everything we do contributes to our green flag status

and hopefully in the near future we will have completed more projects for Parel Vallei to

receive its majestic Green Flag.

WHAT DOES PV STILL NEED TO DO TO GET A GREEN FLAG?

„Eco-Schools” is a programme run internationally. More than 46 countries run these

programmes so the number of schools running this programme is incredible. Once the

school is registered it does projects and mainly creates awareness of the environment and

certain issues (nine topics) within the school and the environment. Although all this hard

work is not for nothing. Each eco-school wants to achieve an award and The greatest

award it can achieve, is the distinguished Green Flag Award alongside the Silver and

Bronze awards. For Parel Vallei to receive its Green Flag Award we need to continue

transforming Parel Vallei into a complete “Green Gogga” and continue to better the

community in which we live and our school by reducing the amount of paper we use,

amount of water we consume, electricity etc.

IF THERE IS ONE THING YOU CAN SAY TO THE SCHOOL AS ADVICE TO HELP US GET OUR GREEN FLAG, WHAT WOULD IT

BE?

Everything starts at home. I started recycling and re-using at home and did the same at

school. If we are able to get into that „green mode” at home it will become second nature

and we will not only find ourselves recycling and being cautious at home and school but

virtually everywhere we go. Everything needs to start somewhere.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR HELPING PV GET THE GREEN FLAG?

My future plans will be to become more involved in the community‟s already established

projects such as beach clean-ups, river clean-ups, etc. By the school volunteering to be a

part of something greater than us, will have a large effect on the environment and both

parties will benefit. We will conserve the environment and Parel Vallei will unconsciously be

steps closer to receiving that Green Flag Award.

Chinese Proverb- “Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a songbird will come”

the

POWER of

RELIGION Carla Snyman

is head of the

SCA this year.

After a very

successful

love week,

she chats

about her

other plans for

2011.

INTERVIEW

JODI COETZEE

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO APPLY FOR SCA CHAIRPERSON?

Technically, I didn‟t. I applied for a different position, and this is what I got! Ha-ha no,

actually, I enjoy it so much because I get the amazing privilege of being able to act out

what I believe in a way I hope will be effective; to be God‟s tool. Of course, you don‟t

need to be chairperson of SCA for this to be true about you.

WHAT‟S IN STORE FOR SCA IN 2011?

A solid helping of bold, defiant truth! This year is all about foundation, on which we hope

the following year‟s SCA can be built. We‟re counting on God for changed hearts and

mind-sets that can only come with an encounter with Him. The blatant and reviving reality

of God is what we want to settle in!

WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES BY WHICH YOU RUN THE SCA?

There are many decisions to be made regarding how you run groups like the SCA, and I

try to implement them, all of which I hope aren‟t mine but God‟s, the greatest of which, I

think, is keeping the focus on God and not ourselves or the things we do. Once the focus

shifts, SCA is on unstable ground. Another commitment I have is to remember that

EVERYONE is welcome, not just an elite group of established Christians (which no Christian

ever is). SCA is for those who don‟t know Jesus as much as it is for those who do… So how

could I judge who comes?

HOW DO YOU BALANCE EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE?

Come to think of it, it‟s really not that difficult. Everything I do, I do because I choose to.

Since I choose to, I enjoy it all. When you enjoy what you do, you make time for it. Other

than that, I guess it‟s simply learning how to do things quickly and effectively. When you

have a lot on your plate, you need the wisdom to know when to cut out what.

WHAT IS YOUR AIM AS SCA CHAIRPERSON?

It‟s not so much an aim as a vision I need to have as chairperson – an aim implies an end

to SCA‟s efforts, while a vision can form part of a longer term mission. And it‟s extremely

simple: all I want is for SCA to become a tool in giving God glory, which I believe it does

(although, of course, it has its flaws).

ANY TIPS YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WANTING TO LEAD A GROUP OR SCA SPECIFICALLY?

Don‟t hold back out of fear– it might not be just you, but a whole lot of people that you‟ll

be disadvantaging, and keeping from going forward. Keep a sensitive ear to God, and

be sure of your motivations for decisions, and the vision that you‟re working towards. And

importantly: keep your focus and will in line with God‟s.

WHAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE OF HEADING UP SCA TAUGHT YOU ?

I really shouldn‟t try to control freak my way through everything – some things are out of

my hands, some things I simply can‟t do… and some things I should just leave to others to

do! I‟m part of a team that needs to work together, and if communication sucks, or if

we‟re not all on the same page, then everything won‟t work out as planned. Planning

ahead is so essential, as is trusting each other‟s abilities. But most of all, relying totally and

terrifyingly on God is so important – planning our own ways in and out of meetings and

projects won‟t serve Him or achieve any ends. We have got to trust that God always has

His hands right behind our backs, just waiting for us to stop toiling miserably and

ineffectively, and fall back in faith that He‟ll lift us higher than we could ever go

ourselves.

the

POWER of

THE

CAPTAIN Aninka Moller

fearlessly led our

under 19 girls to

victory at

interschools. We

talk victory…

INTERVIEW

DANIËL

GELDENHUYS

DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE ATHLETICS CAPTAIN?

To be honest, the fact that I could be captain only ever occurred to me this year. I

was happy to be chosen though. I used to admire previous captains but never

actually thought I would be one.

WHAT WAS YOUR HIGH POINT OF THE ATHLETICS DAY (OTHER THAN WINNING)?

Amongst other things, seeing our teacher relay team win was pretty fantastic.

Another highlight was that we took two boy trophies this year.

WHO IS YOUR ATHLETIC ROLE MODEL?

Oscar Pistorius.

WHEN YOU‟RE NOT TRAINING, YOU‟RE…

Ha-ha, showering, playing outside, drinking tea, finding new bands, sleeping, not

sleeping.

HOW DID IT FEEL TO WIN THE ATHLETICS THIS YEAR?

Bad.

...No, obviously it was sick.

IF YOU COULD SAY ONE THING TO THE GIRL WHO WILL TAKE YOUR PLACE NEXT YEAR, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Put your faith in your team and encourage them. A positive attitude is vital and

contagious. Laugh at yourself a lot. That‟s more than one thing, isn‟t it?

the

POWER of

LEADERSHIP Morgan Wolf,

PV’s fabulous

head girl,

talks about

her year so far

and her plans

for the rest of

2011.

INTERVIEW

DANIËL

GELDENHUYS

HAS BEING HEAD GIRL LIVED UP TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS?

I honestly didn‟t expect to become head girl and I still feel extremely blessed and

privileged. It has lived up to be more than any expectations I could‟ve had. It is a lot

more work then I had imagined it would be but it‟s definitely worth it and I‟m enjoying

every second.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR SO FAR?

There have been so many highlights but my favourite one would have to be winning

interschools for the 6th consecutive year. It was one of the proudest moments in my life.

WHAT IS IT LIKE, SPEAKING IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL EVERY MONDAY? IS PV A TOUGH CROWD?

I love speaking in front of the school on Monday mornings. It was very intimidating at

first but no, PV is a great crowd to talk to and I feel that it is a great privilege.

WHAT‟S THE BEST THING ABOUT WORKING WITH CHARL?

The fact that a lot of the time, it doesn‟t really feel like work. We get along really well

and are always laughing and joking around.

WHEN YOU TURN 18 YOU‟LL…

When I FINALLY turn 18, only at the end of December (not ideal), I‟ll have graduated

from high school, hopefully driving and ready to start a new chapter of my life.

NAME ONE THING THE SCHOOL DOESN‟T KNOW ABOUT YOU.

I‟m more South African then I am American, even though it doesn‟t sound like it. I‟ve

lived here for 10 years now and I love it.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOU EXPERIENCE AS HEAD GIRL THIS FAR?

I have learned more then I can say or explain to anyone. I have learned how to work

with different types of people, how to work alongside someone, how to trust in God just

for strength to complete something, how to handle stress, how to organise things but

mainly, how to lead a group of people to one common goal. I‟m learning life-long

lessons now that I know I will never forget.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE REST OF 2011?

To try and make 2011 the best year that PV has ever had. We‟ve won interschools but

there‟s so much more to come. I want to take every opportunity and give it my very

best. I don‟t want to have any regrets looking back on the year.

RELIVE THE ICONIC

CARTWHEEL/YODEL/FAIRY

MOMENT

CHECK OUT PV‟S

INTERSCHOOLS REWARD

VIDEO ON OUR

“ULTIMATE PV” FACEBOOK

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