Arts & Music
THEATRE NEWS
On Saturday evening, our beautiful Mkwanazi Theatre was buzzing with laughter and fun as we hosted The Assembly Improv, where acting troupes gathered to perform long-form improvisation. It was a sellout crowd with phenomenal talent on display!
A massive shoutout to Kailin Pillay for bringing these shows to our stage. We look forward to welcoming more shows to our theatre in 2025.
MUSIC
The Grade 9 Elective Sound Engineering and Music Production students attended a workshop at the incredible Universal Music Studios, where they learned from one of the best local engineers. The students also had the opportunity to get involved in some practical activities and create a song on the spot. Thank you to 808 (Thuthuka Mbanjwa) for guiding our students in such a wonderful way and providing them with unique learning opportunities.
BEST SPEAKERS’ COMPETITIONS
Best Speaker is arguably one of the most contested and exciting competitions on the Kingsmead Public Speaking Calendar. It is an internal competition in which students traditionally prepare speeches. This year, we added another category to the competition to make it even more thrilling: an impromptu section. The range of speeches was impressive, some delving into serious topics, existential questions about life, and some with unbridled humour. The results of the Best Speaker Competition 2024 were as follows:
Senior Prepared Speeches
Hanaan Kana
Oprah Orimoloye & Ella Stuart
Thando Sibanda & Liyana Patel
Senior Impromptu Section
Zaara Banwa
Liyana Patel
Hanaan Kana & Sanda Tuku
Junior Prepared Speeches
Brhita Ganda
Aleeza Nanabhay
Thato Makhalemele
Junior Impromptu Section
Aleeza Nanabhay
Isabella Cadman
Esona Totshi & Chloe Pon
Because luck comes from within” by Brhita Ganda
As she steps onto the court, she steps into focus. She starts to bounce the ball, she starts to hit the ball with her racket, while the world around her starts to disappear until the only sound she can her is the flow of her own breath. Every swing of her racket is another reminder to push harder, to challenge herself more.
She persists with injuries around her hands and legs. She has been crushed by many other opponents and made many mistakes in her career, yet she takes it as a lesson, rather than a setback. She keeps persisting while being disciplined, nothing can stop her.
For her, luck is not something she waits for, but rather something you work for. There was no such thing as lucky matches or lucky points – each thing she performed on the court was a result of those long practises. Her luck came from within.
Luck is often seen as one having a magical ability or a result of a random chance, but this is not true. Luck depends on one’s thoughts, actions and decisions. A persons action or mindset will create their own good or bad luck within every situation they experience. Our mindset and beliefs has more to do with luck than any other factor.
So if you think you’re just unlucky, you’re not. You just haven’t done the right things to create your own good luck. To all the people who you may think are just “lucky”,they are not. They have a positive and open mindset. Positive thinking allows you to think of solutions, rather than focusing and complaining about problems. Positive thinking and having an open mind attracts more opportunities to come your way. Keeping an open mind will allow you to try new things, allowing for new opportunities and new doors to open.
This is certainly one thing I try to practise every day. Ever since I’ve started being positive and looking for the good in every situation, I feel more joyful and excited of what lies ahead of me. Being positive has completely changed the outcomes of my life and more opportunities have come my way. For every bad grade I’ve gotten, I feel really disappointed and I will allow myself to be disappointed for a while because at the end of the day we are all human, but then I have to get back up and look for area where I went wrong and improve. This is an example of myself creating my own luck. My luck comes from my actions and most importantly, my mindset.
Lucky people do not just wait and wish for good luck to come their way, but instead work towards the luck that comes their way, speeding up the process of luck. For example, being surrounded by the right people is something you create from within, instead of “just being lucky”. When someone is kind, happy and supportive, they will attract meaningful relationships that will bring more opportunities into their lives. We all have our best and closest friends who have changed our lives for the better, this could have happened of your actions and energy you projected out to the world, building a friendship that could have changed your life completely. This is too luck that comes from within.
Thomas Jefferson once said “ I am a great believer in luck and I find that the harder I work, the more I have of it.” This quote displays that luck is not a random chance, but is based on one’s own determination, perspective and preparation. You can live a lifetime being lucky or half of it being unlucky. You are responsible for your own luck.
People who take responsibility for their own actions and shape it in a way that serves them best, are the people who do not blame others for bad things happening to them. You are the only one who can live your life and you are the only one who can change your life for you.
This is one of the most beautiful things about luck. It is that you are the only one who has control of it, your luck is in your hands. You can work as hard as you want and will have either good or bad luck, depending on your effort.
So, next time you think someone else is lucky, remember you have no idea how that person got there, what hurdles they had to get through and what goes through their mind every day. What you will know is that their luck came from within.
How to be funny by Hanaan Kana
This past weekend, as I sat down and started to write my speech. A cliche, motivational one, I came across a bit of an issue. I had no idea how to make jokes in my speech. So I took it upon myself to do some research and the results I found were very interesting. So I scrapped my original idea and decided to write a new speech. This is how to be funny 101. Through my meticulous Chat GPT research I came across a couple of pointers when trying to be funny.
1. The first one is THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE
That seems to have worked. I must write that down. Studies suggest that incorporating an element of the unexpected (something surprising or novel) into messages helps make them stick in people’s memories. Moving on to the next!
2. The second tip I’ve learned is that dad jokes, while loved by dads, do not tend to be funny. I wonder why that is? Allow me to test this theory on you, the audience. Where do you find a cow with no legs? Wherever you left it. What do you call a fly without wings? A walk. Okay… I think I might be starting to understand it now. It’s not funny. 3. The third tip I have learnt is to use irony when speaking. And this tip I found particularly interesting as it reminded me of something my grandfather once said to me. He said “Don’t watch your money; watch your health.” So one day while I was watching my health, someone stole
my money…It was my grandfather.
14. The fourth tip that I came across, is simply experiencing something that builds character.For many of you this will be going through an ugly phase. When looks aren’t in your favour, humuor can certainly help.For me… it was my grandfather stealing my money, if I don’t laugh about it I’ll cry.
5. The fifth tip that I have learnt is to learn from others who are funny and who have good comedic timing.
This includes people such as Trevor Noah, and Chris Rock and does not include people such as Joseph Stalin and Jeffrey Dahmer. 6. The sixth tip I have to give you is my personal favourite: Sarcasm Sarcastic statements are kind of an honest truth. You’re saying exactly what you mean, and the communication only fails if your listener thinks you’re being insincere.
7. The last tip I have to give you is to laugh about your embarrassing moments. Just like one day I’ll be laughing about this speech. With that, I hope my 8 top tips to be funny prove to be helpful. Studies have shown that 60% of the time, they work every time. If your ever feeling unfunny, always remember that you are absolutely unique… Just like everyone else. And that sometimes whoever told you to be yourself could not have given you worse advice. And that is how to be funny 101. Thank you, and I am not liable for any awkward silences.
The Arts & Music department would like to wish the Kingsmead community a most wonderful, blessed festive season, fantastic holidays, and a super 2025!
Elsabé Fourie
Director of Arts & Music
Sports
Gauteng Water polo
Good Luck to the following students who are selected for Central Gauteng Waterpolo teams that will be participating in East London this December:
Lucy Davis U19A
Holly Franks U19B
Clea Ellens U16B
Charlie Davis U16B
Ariana Boyd U16 Non-travelling reserve
Chloe Chapman U15B
Hannah Cooke U15 Non-travelling reserve
Erin Boyd U14A
Leila Connoway-Chang U14A
Kyla Hall U14A
Scarlett Grundlingh U14B
Olivia Piccolo U14B
Emma Clowes U14 Non-travelling reserve
Maryam Hassan U14 Non-travelling reserve
SA Selection
Congratulations to Lucy Davis, who has been selected to participate in the South Africa Women’s National Senior Water Polo team at the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup, which will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, from 14 to 17 December 2024. This is a fantastic achievement, and we wish Lucy all the best and well done on making Kingsmead proud!
Diving
Good Luck to Maya (u14) and Grace (u15 ) for being selected for the Gauteng Diving team that will participate this December.
Synchronized swimming
Congratulations to Sienna Fry, who recently participated in a synchronized swimming competition and achieved first place for the senior trio and first place for the team.
Service
Spreading Festive Cheer: A Year of Giving
Throughout the year, we host a variety of Service @ Home initiatives, where the items we collect are thoughtfully distributed to our Service partners, addressing their specific needs and requests. As we enter the third term, our focus shifts to Spreading Festive Cheer. With the festive season upon us, we purposefully request items that are often found on Christmas wish lists.
We are deeply grateful to the Kingsmead community for your unwavering generosity. The simple act of donating a bar of soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste, or deodorant, may seem small, but for those who receive so little, it is truly life-changing.
Thanks to your kindness, we have had the privilege of supporting the following Service partners:
Fight with Insight
As our Grade 4 Service Partners, we are thrilled to once again contribute to the Fight with Insight Christmas Party, which will benefit 100 children. This year, we have provided an assortment of donations, including bags, water bottles, party packs, and activity kits, all aimed at bringing joy to the children in their care.
Park Care
We are delighted to gift Park Care with toiletry packs for the elderly, offering some comfort and dignity during the holiday season.
Lefika
Thanks to the generosity of our Music Department, musical instruments have been donated to Lefika, supporting their Music Therapy program and helping bring the healing power of music to those in need.
Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital
Patients in the Psychology Unit at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital will receive activity packs, stationery, and toiletry kits, providing both practical items and a sense of care and support.
San Salvador
Our relationship with San Salvador has flourished over the course of the term. The team from San Salvador regularly visits Kingsmead, assisting us with various campus tasks. It is always a pleasure to host our San Salvador friends, and we have been told that they often eagerly ask, “Can we go to the school today?” This year, San Salvador will be receiving party packs and stationery packs for their end-of-year celebration.
As Mother Teresa so wisely said, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
Thank you once again to each member of the Kingsmead community for your continued support and kindness. Your generosity makes a world of difference.
Warm regards,
Karen Landi
Director of Service
klandi@kingsmead.co.za
MDC
Support the Matric Dance Committee and stand a chance to win incredible prizes by entering our exciting raffle! Prizes include a Nox Padel racket, an overnight stay at the luxurious Monarch Hotel, a 2-night weekend getaway for 10 people at the Witklipfontein Eco Lodge, a Matis facial voucher, and a stunning pair of KD designer earrings. Tickets will be available for purchase next week in the school parking lot before school starts or at the Senior School reception. Don’t miss this opportunity to win fantastic rewards while contributing to a memorable Matric Dance for our students. Your support makes all the difference!
Inter-House
Inter-House General Knowledge
Last Thursday, Senior School students gathered in the Mackenzie Hall for an exciting General Knowledge quiz. Split into our respective Houses, we formed pairs or trios to compete in six fun categories: Space, Sport, Brands & Logos, Kingsmead College, South Africa, and Music. The event was entertaining and a great opportunity to discover areas where we excelled and needed to brush up. Baker House, known as the “general knowledge queen,” performed exceptionally well, confidently answering most questions. The quiz was made even more enjoyable by dramatic background music and clever dad jokes on every slide. The atmosphere was electric, filled with laughter and cheers. Morgan Bunkell, Kruger’s House Captain for 2025, ran an exceptional quiz, even drawing Mr Allen into the fray. Timlin, not to be left out, excelled in the Sport category. We wrapped up the session with a spirited karaoke session, belting out Justin Bieber songs while some teachers joined in, much to everyone’s delight. It was a memorable, well-organized event, and I can’t wait to do it all again next year!
Melokuhle Zungu – Grade 10 Student
Inter-House Dance
This week, Kingsmead College buzzed with excitement as the annual Inter-House Dance competition took the spotlight. Students from Timlin, Kruger, and Baker showcased their creativity and teamwork in a thrilling event that highlighted the spirit of our school community. Each grade had just 30 minutes to choreograph and rehearse a dance routine to a song of their choice. The time challenge added excitement, but true to Kingsmead’s spirit, some groups took it further by planning in advance and even sourcing their own outfits to elevate their performances.The performances were a colourful celebration of talent, passion, and camaraderie, with every participant leaving their heart on the stage. Congratulations to all involved for making this year’s Inter-House Dance an unforgettable event that truly embodied the creativity and spirit of Kingsmead.
Robyn Dixon
Head of Spirit
Inter-house soccer brings laughter, fun and memories to the end-of-term celebrations!
On the 28th of November, the annual Inter-House soccer event took place, and Kingsmead’s soccer stars took to the field. Students from Grades 8 to 11 were split up into their respective Houses and grades, forming different teams for the day. The Grade 11 team ensured the day ran smoothly, everyone was okay, and the vibes were “lekker”. There was live commentary from the field, which kept the games lively, and each team had their audience of supporters who were ever so jubilant and vibrant. Each game was fairly umpired by Ms Dibetswe and Mr Padayachy, who remained patient when the students (unfortunately) kept forgetting the rules. Despite the few injuries and disappointments, memories were made, friendships were formed, and many goals were scored!
Nozipho Magondo
Head of Ethos
A Visit from Martene Michael: Nutri Dynamix Brings Wellness to Kingsmead
Kingsmead School’s Wellness Week took an inspiring turn with a visit from the dynamic Registered Dietitian Martene Michael, the founder of a private practice in Sandton, Nutri Dynamix and Co-Founder of Lean Lab, a weight loss clinic in Johannesburg Surgical Hospital. She has worked with a variety of patients, clients and companies nationally and internationally, spanning from South Africa to the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.
Drawing from her experience in health and wellness, Martene spent the day engaging students and staff in insightful discussions about the role of nutrition in achieving overall well-being – blending scientific knowledge with medical nutritional therapy in an understandable and relatable way.
Her interactive workshops highlighted the importance of balanced meals, staying hydrated, and making smarter food choices to fuel both body and mind. Students left with practical tips on maintaining energy levels during busy school days, while staff gained new perspectives on creating a healthier school environment.
Kingsmead’s Wellness Week was a resounding success. We are incredibly grateful to the Pastoral Committee for organising this talk for us. Martine’s visit has left a lasting impression, sparking conversations about healthy habits across the school community.
Sophia Yiallouris
Head of Baker
Wellness Day Yoga
Inhale
Yoga is a physical and mental exercise that includes breathing, meditation, and physical stretches to improve overall health. Kingsmead College was honoured to have Ristha Sanei, an experienced Yoga Instructor, who led the students through a relaxing session.
In a physical sense, yoga helps to improve students’ balance, posture and flexibility. All exercises helped to relax and ease tension in the muscles. Additionally, in a mental sense, it alleviated all the academic pressures that students may have faced during the current term. Furthermore, yoga helps to improve mental clarity and reduce stress.
Students learnt from Ristha that yoga could also be associated with spirituality and promotes inner peace and healing as well as self-discipline. We noted the significance of how yoga can become a way of life and affect relationships, work and diet.
The yoga session tested students’ physical strength and flexibility with a range of stretches, all while managing to relax the mind and breathing. Ultimately these both contribute to overall health.
We are grateful to the Pastoral Committee and Lucia Harding for organising this for all of us after a stressful examination period.
Exhale.
Oprah Orimoloye
Deputy Head Discipline and Organisation
Kingsmead Students Step into Sustainable Style with Stadio School of Fashion
On Wednesday, 27 November, Kingsmead College Senior School students had the privilege of attending an insightful lecture presented by the renowned Stadio School of Fashion, celebrated as South Africa’s most progressive institution for fashion design and retail training. The talk delved into the hidden realities behind fast fashion, exposing the harsh working conditions endured by factory labourers producing the popular pieces from brands like SHEIN and Temu.
Guest lecturers Elizabeth Dreyer and Tumi Montsho introduced students to the devastating environmental consequences of fast fashion, including excessive waste and pollution. More importantly, they were encouraged to embrace ethical and sustainable shopping habits – both online and offline. The lecture championed alternatives such as supporting local designers, thrifting, and investing in durable, versatile clothing intended for repeated use.
For some students, the session was a first encounter with the concept of fast fashion, while others found it an opportunity to voice their concerns and align their values with sustainable practices. Thus, this eye-opening discussion left a lasting impression, inspiring students to think critically about how to transform their consumption habits and wield their purchasing power for good.
We look forward to wowing Elizabeth and Tumi with our Inter-House recycled fashion show designs on the final day of school for 2024!
Zaara Banwa – Grade 10 student
Dress to Impress: Recycled Edition
From the beautiful models to the creative designers and the finest dresses on display, the 2024 Inter-House Fashion Show proved to be a success. This year, we were so honoured to have Stadio School of Fashion join us as the official judges for the show. With captivating themes such as Masquerade, Afro-futurism and Fantasy, this Fashion Show was bound to be “one for the books”. The preparation time, although it was quite short, was filled with fun, cherished memories and teamwork. Excitement was in the air leading up to the actual fashion show and creativity needed to be at its best as each form class had to work. The dresses were successfully completed and ready to hit the runway! The audience was filled with excited students and staff who were ever-so-eager to see the outfits and the gorgeous models who absolutely stole the show. Overall, the day was magnificent and truly showed the commitment, passion and creativity found within the walls of Kingsmead. Well done to each of the models and form classes who contributed to the outfits. The designs were absolute magic – the world better watch out for the Kingsmead creatives. Afterall, intelligence never goes out of style.
Nozipho Magondo – Head of Ethos
Inter-House Beading and Karaoke
We made colourful beads on our blazers in our houses to symbolise pride and belonging. These beads are a simple yet meaningful way to show our love and support for our Houses. The activity was quick and easy to complete but brought everyone together creatively and engagingly. Once we finished making these handy House badges, we participated in a lively karaoke competition judged by three enthusiastic judges. I think I can speak for everyone when I say this was one of the most enjoyable activities recently. Many groups participated, enthusiastically choosing and singing a song with energy and creativity. The performances showcased not just talent but also our sense of community. These activities were more than just fun – they provided a chance to connect across the grade, foster House spirit, and celebrate our shared love for our Houses.
Mira Naidoo – Grade 10 student
Grade 8 Outing to the Places of Worship
As a part of our end-of-term Wellness programme, the Grade 8s were treated to an outing to different places of worship, which dovetailed with our studies in the Growth Curriculum. The Places of Worship outing was peaceful and enjoyable. I was grateful to go on this trip because, despite the weather being extremely hot, we could learn and see certain aspects of a religion that we would not typically experience if we did not belong to that religion.
All the places of worship were uniquely built but quite spacious. The Mosque was massive but beautiful in a simplistic way. The Synagogue was round, with detailed stained glass on the ceiling. The Hindu Temple focused more on the status of its deities, represented in extravagant clothes with vibrant colours, and the Greek Orthodox Church had many murals and gold objects.
I never noticed how much reverence goes into the sculpture of a religious building and the iconographic features inside of it until this outing. A constant similarity was the adoration that goes into creating the buildings and the supportive community and culture behind them.
Thank you to Mrs Wilkinson and Ms Osman for organising this outing.
Ren Clement – Grade 8 student
Making a Splash at Inter-House Swimathon
On Monday, 2 December, laughter and splashing could be heard from the swimming pool. The annual Swimathon is a fundraising event for upcoming school tours. Students were given ten minutes to swim as many laps as possible this year. Some allowed their competitive edge to shine, namely, Charlee Davis, who swam the most laps, whilst others took the opportunity to enjoy time with friends. Lilos and pool noodles heightened the day’s enjoyment, especially during a heatwave. Inter-house events at the end of the term are always an opportunity for celebration and togetherness post-examinations. House pride was shown off in each grade through fun outfits worn by parents and teachers who participated in a guest swimathon session. At the heart of it, the Swimathon is ultimately an event filled with giggles and joy, uniting different grades while revelling in some fun competition.
Emma de Kock
Head of Timlin
BINGO!
The Inter-House Bingo event was memorable experience, with the Grade 11s doing an excellent job of organising it. Their attention to detail and enthusiasm created a lively, inclusive atmosphere that brought everyone together. It was incredibly thrilling and a great way to engage with one another. The use of beans as markers was amusing and chaotic, adding a playful twist to the game. Every call of a number built suspense, while the occasional “Bingo!” was met with laughter and groans. The Grade 11s made sure everyone felt involved and entertained. Their efforts went beyond just organizing; ensuring the event was as enjoyable as possible and even playing some rounds with us. It was a refreshing break from routine and amazing opportunity to bond across grades. The energy brought to the day truly made it an unforgettable experience. Morgan Bunkell, Head of Kruger and Bingo organiser and announcer, had the following to say about the event: “It turns out that teenage bingo is far more exhilarating and competitive that the stereotypical old age home event. Students were very excited about the game and enthusiastically participated on behalf of their Houses. Congratulations to all bingo winners and the winning House: Baker!”
Olivia Salmon – Grade 10 Student