KEARSNEY College held its annual Speech Day and Grade 12 prizegiving at the school last Friday.
The school’s academics were endorsed with 30 per cent of matric boys achieving academic colours and honours (for an aggregate of more than 75 per cent), seven of those Cum Laude (more than 86 per cent).
The College’s dux for 2014, Neil Lillelund, received academic honours Cum Laude, as well as subject prizes for history, English literature and shared the engineering graphics and design trophy with Dhirren Pillay. A strong leader and sportsman, Neil played in the school’s 1st tennis team and was head of house.
His runner-up Keagan Loader, who also received academic honours Cum Laude, received subject prizes for biology and geography. Keagan plays for the school’s 1st soccer team.
Kearsney’s coveted trophy for best all-rounder in the 6th Form, as well as academic honours Cum Laude and subject prizes for Afrikaans, mathematic and accounting, were awarded to Patrick Zietkiewicz. A prefect, he also played for the school’s 1st rugby and water polo teams.
Thirty-six years after matriculating from Kearsney, Nick Sloane returned as guest speaker. International hero and chief salvage master of the Costa Concordia, he challenged the boys to never accept being told something couldn’t be achieved. He said the successful salvage of the vessel, which ran aground off the Tuscan island Giglio in January 2012, proved it.
Other Kearsney matrics who received academic honours Cum Laude were Ivan Crockart, Daniel Campbell, Dale Sandy and Alex Harvey.