GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - The 2023 head girl of Union High School in Graaff-Reinet, Caitrin Spence, has once again made her school beyond proud with an exceptional achievement - and no, we're not only talking about the fact that she's Union's top matric performer who passed with nine distinctions and an overall A aggregate of 92,63%.
Caitrin's outstanding performance in the recent matric exams has seen her being recognised as the third highest achieving matriculant in the ECDoE's Cluster B, which consists of the Amathole East, Amathole West, Buffalo City, Chris Hani West, Nelson Mandela and Sarah Baartman districts.
What is more, the school was also presented with a prestigious Premier's Top Achiever Award as the third highest achieving school in the same cluster based on the results of the recent NSC examination.
Headmaster William Pringle attended the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of the school.
These remarkable successes were recognised at a special awards ceremony held in East London on Friday 19 January.
"I was initially very excited to be invited to the top achievers' awards ceremony. I assumed I was first in the district so placing in Cluster B was a very memorable moment. It exceeded my expectations," said Caitrin.
Last year she was also presented with a well-deserved Honours Award. This is the highest accolade presented at Union and only awarded on very rare occasions.
Building on her success, Caitrin plans to pursue a degree in B Com Actuarial Sciences at Stellenbosch University.
This choice aligns with her long-term goal of becoming an actuary, a career she has aspired to since Grade 8.
Her ambition, however, extends beyond academics, as she intends to continue contributing to her community by actively participating in charitable committees, just as she did during her time at the Union schools.
Caitrin's success is an inspiration for future matriculants.
"I very strongly believe that setting achievable goals is the first step to accomplishing your dreams. It simply keeps one on track. Goals do increase the chance of failure, which can be frightening, but it is important to remember the difference between personal expectations and what you wish to achieve. It is okay to be optimistic," she said.
Rupert Achievement Award
Caitrin also received the prestigious Rupert Achievement Award earlier this week. This award is given to the top matric learner in Graaff-Reinet annually.
The award consists of a generous cash prize that will be paid towards her studies.
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