Penny Heyns motivates youngsters at Casa do Sol

Olympic record holder Penny Heyns recently visited Casa do Sol School for learners with special educational needs to give a motivational talk, Northcliff Melville Times reports.

Casa do Sol School, situated in Linden, is a school for children with intellectual disabilities. Penny Heyns paid the school a visit to give one of her motivational talks.

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The school’s principal, Jenny Drew, welcomed Heyns into the school hall, where children gathered, and were eager to meet her and hear what she had in store for them.

Penny Heyns receives a special drawing from one of the learners.

Heyns started off by telling the youngsters who she was and why she was there. She told her story about when she started swimming at a tender age and how she had to leave home and go train in the US and Canada to become a better swimmer.

“I had a negative mindset when I was away from home, and that didn’t help me at all. I had to change my attitude and be positive so I could move forward,” said Heyns.

Youngster and teachers send Penny Heyns off with a song of motivation.

The schoolchildren had some questions to ask Heyns. “How did you win?” asked one. Heyns said: “I worked very hard and made sure that I was achieving goals that I set for myself and not competing with or trying to be like others.”

The value she was trying to teach the children was that you could do anything in the world if you put your mind to it.

A youngster poses a question to Penny Heyns.

The school choir sent Heyns off with two songs before taking pictures and autographs.

The school choir entertains the crowd with two songs.

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