The Strive programme was designed to help academically at-risk Grade 11 learners to complete their school curriculum and enable them to reach their academic and intellectual potential.
The Rotary Club of Benoni Aurora has been running this programme for more than 15 years.
“This project was brought to our District 9300 at the time by Rod and Barbara Carruthers from the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, Arizona,” said club member Grace van Zyl.
According to van Zyl, the programme was initially implemented at Benoni High School, but much greater need was identified at St Francis College.
“The programme runs for 11 weeks and we identify Grade 11 learners who are in need of assistance,” said the principal of St Francis College, Peter Harris.
“We work closely and are grateful to the Rotary club for their assistance with our learners.”
According to Harris, the 11-week course starts during the middle of February and is completed before the June exams begin.
“Last year, two learners who were assisted through this course became part of the Top 10,” Harris said.
Several mentors are chosen by the club to assist these learners by attending to various aspects of their lives.
“The mentors are provided with appropriate training prior to commencing their programme and a manual is provided to them and the learner,” van Zyl said.
“The school principal is also a participant in the programme and assists by helping to identify the ‘at-risk’ learners who are interviewed by the programme manager.”
According to van Zyl, these learners are identified according to the following needs:
• A need for someone to take a personal interest in them
• Focus and organisation in their lives
• Guidance in establishing short-term goals to achieve long-term objectives
• Mastering fundamental lifetime skills
“The school has benefited greatly from the project as many ‘at-risk’ learners who entered the Strive programme finished school and went to study further,” van Zyl added.
“Mars many of our Strive learners have been selected into leadership roles such as prefects, head prefects, captains of sports teams and even Rotary Interact president.”
In 2015/2016 this project was introduced to a community based in Etwatwa at the John Wesley Community Centre.
“The main purpose of applying for a district grant is to fund the tertiary education supplementation for the learners who display the best improvement during the Strive process,” said van Zyl.
“If funding was not available, the tertiary education supplementation would fall away as most Strive learners come from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Each year, during the 11-week mentoring sessions, a Saturday morning is set aside for the mentors to meet the at-risk learners’ parents to discuss the programme and their child’s progress since embarking on the programme.
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