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End 2011 Report:
Firstly I want to thank the foundation for having me as part of the Kay Mason family. It’s been an interesting and valuable experience so far. Here we are in the last term of another year and I can’t believe I am on my way to the senior phase. It feels like I just started high school the other day.
During the third term we were given letters on subject choices. We could only choose two subjects, since we have Mathematics, English, Afrikaans, Life Orientation and Life Sciences as compulsory. I chose Accounting as my other subject, after we did a test to see if we could get into the Accounting class, but I also wanted to do Physics very badly. I’m trying to find out if our school will offer it as an extra subject. My results for the third term had an improvement compared to the second term.
Our school had a talent show and it was fantastic. As a member of the school band we did a few items that we did at the Grand West School Jam. The Music school also had their year end gala concert, which took place at the City Hall in Cape Town. I’ve been promoted to the Junior Band at the Music school and adapting nicely to the change.
I really enjoyed the KMF workshop we had with Mama Nandi earlier this term. She really taught us something new: to believe in ourselves, to be strong and to have high self-esteem. Another lesson that was brought to the table was to respect others. The things that we discussed were really inspiring and very motivating.
I recently started playing softball for Falcons and am really enjoying it, since I already have two blue knobs on my legs. We’ve played five matches, but only won one so far. Winning’s not really important, because I’m having fun and meeting new people, as I don’t have friends at home because of my tight schedule between school and music school.
I so much want to play another instrument in the new year, one of the three Saxophones, seeing that I already play the Clarinet, but unfortunately my mother can’t afford to pay for two Music lessons. My father’s company closed in April this year and he has been without work ever since. The things he used to cover now have to be paid by my mother.
We are having our final show on the 3rd December at school; it’s called Concert in the Park. Our music school also has their final concert on the same day.
We are currently busy with our final exams and I have four more papers to write. My Mathematics teacher told me that I got the highest mark for my paper 1 and also that I am set to receive the Mathematics Prize at prize giving this year.
I’m really trying my best and hope not to disappoint anybody, especially my mother and the Kay Mason Foundation who have so much faith in me.
My mother works very hard and has taken a weekend job to help us cope. She still makes time to help with my school work and I’m very grateful for that.
Thank you for giving me a chance in this difficult time. I wish you, your family and the Foundation family a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.
Mid-2011 Report:
Here we are again with the fisrt half of the year behind us. A lot of good and bad things have happened.
This year I've experience new things and the school work is even more difficult than my first year at high school. The year started off a bit roughly, since our previous year's class had to be split, because of behavioural problems. We had to get to know new people and adjust to the new changes.
We had our athletics that took place at the end of the first term. It was an inter-house since we weren't ready to participate in an inter school athletics. I was in the blue house and we were the winners. I was an athlete for the first time in my school career and did the 800m and 1500m races and came second in both races. It was a great success after the difficult training we had.
In March I was chosen through my class to represent my school at the Mathematic Olympiad that took place at the University of Cape Town. It was something new and a great experience. I had a partner and we obtained 50% in the test. It also made me think of attending University after I complete school.
The school work have been going well so far, not exactly what I'm striving for,but it's close enough. My mathematics mark in the first term was only 66% which I was not too happy about. In the second term term it increased to 87% which was the highest in my class.
My English results have not changed much. Unfortunately you can't be too great in all your subjects even though I try my best. My Natural Sciences mark was only 44% the second term. I think I really need help, because it's my lowest mark and a pretty good subject, open to almost careers. My other marks were ok. We have a new teacher for Human & Social Science so my History and Geography result has gone up a bit from 80% to 89%.
I wanted to study law, but I really enjoy doing accounting so I might be looking at becoming a Chartered Accountant.
Our school band has been chosen to participate in a Music Jam competition at Grand West at the end of July 2011. There are 10 schools and the first price will be R 50 000.00. The semi- final will be on the 30th July and the final on the 31st July.
Our band went on a camp the first week of the holidays in preparation for the competition. It was very tiring since we had an 8 hour practice session every day. We were gone for 4 days.
I really hope that we will win this competition, because our music department can really do with the money. We've had some disappointments already, regarding members not being able to participate because of other commitments. I can't wait to see what's in store for the remaining terms and my goal is to be in the top 10, which I only missed by 4%.
I still miss some of my friends at Primary school. I'm not able to see much of them because we don't live in same area. It is difficult to make friends at home because I only get early (5pm) on a Wednesday. The other days I get home after 6pm because I have band practise on a Monday at Beau Solil Music school. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have band practise at school till 5pm. Weekends I have to do schoolwork and go to church, which does not leave a lot of free time to make friends.
I enjoy the company of my niece's four year old and say I'm his older sister. Other times I just visit a friends or family with my mother. Other times I visit my dad and his family.
Many thanks for the continued KMF support.
God bless
Who I am:
I am Kirsten Dominique Harris. I was born on a Wednesday afternoon, at 15:30 at St. Monica’s Hospital in Cape Town on the 10th of July 1996. My mother is Deirdre Harris and my father is Cyril Philips. I am my mother’s only child but I have three half-sisters, their names are Celeste, Bettina and Carla and I also have two nephews and one niece. My mother and I used to live with my grandmother until I was four years old in Tafelsig, Mitchell’s plain. I was baptized at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church on the 22nd of August 1996. For the first four months of my life my mother took care of me until she had to go back to work and my grandmother took-over until I was ten months old, after that I went to Tinkerbell Day Care until I was four. At the age of four my mother and I moved to Grassy Park where I attended Toddlers’ Heaven.
I started school in 2003 at St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Witebome, Wynberg. I do a lot of extra-mural activities at my school; ballet, music, scholar patrol and first aid. I started doing ballet in grade one and music in grade three and I only started doing scholar patrol and first aid this year. At school I am part of the choir and I play the descant recorder and received a trophy for playing this instrument and two distinctions.
I really enjoy school and I work hard to get good marks. The only subject that I struggle with is Economic and Management Sciences. Mathematics is my best subject; I even got an award in grade three, and in grade four an award for English, Afrikaans and Arts & Culture. I work hard in my academics and extra-murals because I take pride in everything I do.
My mother and I live in Mitchell’s Plain again, but this time around my mother has her own house and my grandmother now lives with us. My father is married and lives in Athlone. I sometimes visit him on weekends and holidays.
One other thing that I enjoy doing outside of school is dancing. I belong to Arnold’s Dance Academy, where I do hip-hop and modern jazz. Every year I take part in the Eistedford which is held at the Sea Point Civic Center. In 2007 my partner and I were involved in a competition in Grand West where we came in third place and took home the bronze medal. I also went to Johannesburg for another competition.
In the afternoons I do my home work. My mother usually explains to me the work that I don’t understand, she has a nice way of explaining things and she always makes sure that I understand what I’m doing. When I don’t have any homework or books to read, I go to visit my friends and we like going to the movies.
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