Edition 1

Launch (May 2011)

MESSAGE FROM GERARD DEEB

Dear Alumni With the assistance of the new Director of Student Affairs, Mrs Odelle Howard, a great group of past pupils, current and past parents, the Old Petrians Alumni Society is in the process of being established. On 28 May, after the Cornwall Hill Derby Day, we will be having a function at the school which will include past pupils rugby against Cornwall old boys, netball and hockey matches, as well as past pupils musicians. Refreshments will be served and a cash bar will be available.

28th MAY DERBY DAY:

Time: 08h00 19h00 (OPAS sport begins early afternoon) Venue: St Peters College
- Join us for live entertainment, refreshments and great conversation RSVP: Steven Tudhope tudhopes@stpeterscollege.co.za

Come and view the new pavilion which is currently being built and will be the home base of the Old Petrians. If you'd like to get involved in rugby, speak to Steven Tudhope on 082 548 0054 or tudhopes@stpeterscollege.co.za. For Netball and Hockey, speak to Tasmin Hartog on 082 488 3071 or tasmin.hartog@yahoo.com. Please join us for a fun filled day, and meet up with some old school mates. We already have over 400 people in the Facebook group, which we'd like to grow to include ALL past pupils, so please invite every past pupils you know. Looking forward to seeing you all on the 28th. Gerard Deeb On behalf of St Peters College Council
JOIN OLD PETRIANS ALUMNI SOCIETY ON FACEBOOK: Share your news and achievements with the Society Keep in touch with classmates Receive info about upcoming OPAS events

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PAST STUDENT PROFILES

CARIEN VAN DYK
Carien van Dyk matriculated from St Peters College in 2004. She enrolled at the University of Johannesburg and started her BA Corporate Communication in 2005. In 2006, she also enrolled at Damelin, Bramley, and completed a three month part -time Diploma in Conference, Exhibition and Events Management. During her years of study, Carien worked numerous part-time jobs including tutoring private students in Afrikaans, doing various promotional jobs, working as a night club bartender and dressing models for, among other events, Africa Fashion Week and Wedding Expo. In 2008, while still completing her studies, Carien became a Public Relations Officer for a small public relations firm, CVL Consulting, in Randburg. During her time there she assisted in organising the 2008 Public Relations Institute of South Africa (PRISA) Awards and the ACSA Disability Expo at Gallagher Estate. Carien graduated from the University of Johannesburg in 2009 and enrolled at the University of Pretoria for her honours degree in Psychology, which she completed in 2010. Currently, Carien is managing a division of the family business in the motor industry.
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She is in a long term relationship with Joseph Liebenberg (OPAS 2004). Carien was part of the team who started the Old Petrians Alumni Society (OPAS) in 2008, and organised various social events during 2008 and 2009.

ROLF ROUX, SPCs first Head Boy

I was asked by the Editor to write a brief synopsis of my life since my St Peter's College days. I will try my utmost to keep it brief and if there are any exaggerations in this write-up, it's because that's what I told my wife to go out with me for the first time and I can't change my story now The College opened in 1998 I was in Grade 10 that year (for all the people my age, that means Standard 8). We were the seniors in the College as the Grades only went up to Grade 10 at that time. We were a tiny little school (I think there were 90 of us in total), but those three years were fantastic. Bonds and friendships were created in those years that still stand today and with the help of social networking sites, most of us are still in contact with each other. In Grade 12, I was fortunate enough to be elected as the first Head Boy of the College, as well as the 1st XV Rugby Team Captain. I Graduated from the College in December 2000 (luckily - I thought Trigonometry and Geometry would be my downfall) and began studying at RAU the following year. I qualified for my BCom (Law) Degree and, as if I
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wasn't crazy enough, decided to study some more, ultimately receiving my LLB Degree from the same university (by then renamed University of Johannesburg) in 2005. During my final year I decided to further my studies and specialise. By serendipity, or something a lot like it, a Tax Partner at KPMG approached the final years in our tax lecture and mentioned a new Graduate Recruitment Programme where university graduates could work at KPMG in the Corporate and International Corporate Tax Departments, gaining valuable on-thejob training and experience, whilst being provided the opportunity to study towards a Postgraduate Higher Diploma in Tax Law. I leapt at the opportunity and was selected for enrolment in 2006. At this time I met my wife (we studied together at university but I only had the courage to ask her out when I started working). During 2006, we were both admitted as Advocates of the High Court, which I tell you is quite nerve wracking! I then did the craziest, albeit smartest, thing I have ever done in my life - I proposed to my wife and she said yes. We wed in April 2009 and have been happily married since. I worked at KPMG in the Corporate Tax Division for 4 years, whilst I obtained my H. Dip. Tax Law qualification. During my final year at KPMG I was approached by some previous colleagues of mine to send a CV through to them at FirstRand Bank Limited (in the RMB Division). I was then privileged enough to be offered a position with them. I have now been working in the Tax Risk Management division at FirstRand Bank Limited since January
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2010 and have, as at January 2011, enrolled for my M Com (Taxation) Degree at Wits University. I look back at my time in the College with fond memories and look forward to the future memories that will be created with the Old Petrians Alumni Society.

DR KOPANO MATLWA
Dr Kopano Matlwa, author of the internationally acclaimed novel Coconut and youngest ever winner of the European literary award, began her academic career at St Peters College. The oldest of three siblings, she has always had an affinity for leadership and a love of knowledge. In 2003 she was selected as Head Girl, matriculated with seven distinctions and received full academic colours. From an early age Matlwa found that the everyday stories of ordinary people fascinated and resonated with her and this willingness to understand and experience these stories motivated her to get involved in community outreach programmes and charities. It is these experiences that fuelled her love for writing and her desire to become a Medical Doctor. In 2004, she enrolled into the MBChB Programme at UCT. While there she distinguished herself academically by being selected as a member of the Golden key Society, an international Society that recognises students for their academic excellence.
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In 2007, she founded and chaired Waiting Room Education by Medical Students (WREMS). WREMS is a student run organization, which seeks to educate patients and their families in the waiting rooms of the student run SHAWCO mobile clinics through health promotion programmes. It went on to be so successful that in 2008 she was invited as guest speaker to represent WREMS at the annual Goldman Sachs leadership award ceremony in New York. In 2009, she Graduated from the University of Cape Town with an MBChB degree awarded with distinction. Despite her tight academic schedule she not only partook in other activities but was also selected for various leadership roles such as class representative, Orientation leader, Mentor to first years and Member of the Clairinus house committee. All these achievements culminated in her being awarded the Goldman Sachs Global Leader Award in 2005. In 2006, while completing her 3rd year of medicine, she published her first Novel, Coconut. The novel is centred on the loss of identity of black South African youth. The book went on to win the EU Literary Award and the Wole Soyinka Prize for literature in Africa in 2010.

Today Coconut is a setwork at a number of schools and is used as a teaching tool at a number of universities in and outside the country. In 2009, Matlwa was selected as a Rhodes Scholar and in the same year she published her second novel Spilt Milk which was received with great praise from the international literary community. Today she lives in Pretoria with her husband Motlatsi Mabaso and is currently finishing her internship at Kalafong Hospital in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. She plans to pursue an MSc in Global Health at Oxford University later this year.
Written by Mr Joe Wedi, PA to K. Matlwa

Have news, anecdotes or achievements youd like to share with fellow Old Petrians? We want to hear from you! Email: opas.newsletter@gmail.com

Should you wish to make a contribution, please use the following banking details:
St Peter's College PA Standard Bank Rivonia Account number 420095144 Branch code 001255 Reference: Old Petrians and your name. All contributions will be greatly appreciated.

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One of the Colleges most revered former staff members,

INDIA: First Impressions

Julia Bailey, who was the Director of Student Affairs from June
2002 until December 2010, has this year embraced an exciting new lifestyle in a distant land From the moment I arrived in India, I felt the warmth and acceptance of the people of this amazing land. They have such diversity of language, religion, culture, geographical surroundings, food, almost every aspect of their lives that if they did not accept each other, there would be continual discord. There is a form of order within the chaos that typifies much of what one experiences. Traffic is always going to feature; 1,2 billion people will cause traffic jams everywhere, but in a place where the rules of the road are seldom followed, traffic congestion is a part of life. However there is almost no aggression, everyone pushes forward but no one is trampled upon. The roads are filled with taxis, brightly decorated lorries, buses with open windows and no glass, tricycle peddled people carriers, motorized tricycles, private cars, mopeds, bicycles and pedestrians everywhere. In addition, on any one journey there will be cattle to be avoided, dogs, cats, monkeys, goats and crows to move around. The visual experience is everywhere, but it is the cacophony of sound that I think of most when I visualize my experiences so far. Use of the horn to announce your presence is mandatory. It is multi-functional though for it transmits whatever communication is required. Kolkata is a very full city; there is filth and poverty all around. There are children everywhere, beguiling dark eyes that shine with all the enthusiasm of the very young. Everything is sold on the streets, most services are performed on the streets, cars are mended, sewing machines are set up and alterations done, spectacles are ground and fitted. Whatever one needs is available on the street and someone is able to direct you to the necessary kiosk. Kolkata has acquired four shopping malls over the last couple of years; the young people love these malls and the shopping Mall Culture that we are aware of in South Africa is starting to emerge. As a foreigner, a Mall with a Supermarket for groceries is very helpful. The markets where you walk for miles to find the stalls with the various commodities require a large amount of time. However these markets are an essential part of life in Kolkata and the fruit and vegetables are fresh as they are brought into the city in the early mornings each day.

The visual experience is everywhere

PAST STAFF

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Julia Bailey now works as the

Director of Education for

the Ashok

The schools are enormous; 3450 students in one school with similar numbers in the other two schools that fall under my directorship in Kolkata. In the Foothills of the Himalayas, where I have spent a month already, are three schools. Two smaller residential schools, one for boys, one for girls with one day school of about 3000 boys and girls.
View of the Residential School Classrooms are not for the fainthearted; classroom numbers are large, even in private, fee-paying schools. The residential schools are within sight of the snow capped high Himalayas and are truly magnificent; I feel so honoured to have already spent a month up here in the crisp, clear air. The opportunities for me are endless here, the point is to accept the challenges and make the most of every day. All the experience of my years of teaching and helping students and teachers is being put to good use.

Hall Group of Schools

in Kolkata, India.

In many ways I feel that my years at St Peters enabled me to be ready to accept a position such as this for there was much opportunity to experiment and try out different methods of communication and people management. I was very heart sore to leave St Peters College but opportunities are not to be missed and this was one of them! MAJESTIC INDIA: A clear day in the High Himalayasview from the roof of the Residential School

PAST STAFF

FESTIVAL OF COLOURS: Embracing Indias vibrant and colourful culture

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Please send your newsletter comments/ queries to: opas.newsletter@gmail.com