David Moodley (3rd), Mahil Dessai (2nd) and Neeven Naidoo (Dux)
The Durban High School annual Senior Speech Day & Prize-Giving and Matric Final Assembly were combined this year into one ceremony and held in the evening instead of the morning as has been the tradition. Renamed as the Senior Prize-Giving and Grade 12 Bell Ringing Ceremony, it was held on Thursday 11 October at 17h30. The guest speaker for the event was Mr Craig Kesson, (Class of 2002).
Mr Kesson gave an insightful speech about the changing dynamics of public schools in South Africa. In ending his speech, he said to the Boys:
“You will change over time as will your memory of this place – that is to be expected of everyone who wishes to personally grow with their life experiences.
We should celebrate the leaders who have emerged from this school, like Hashim Amla who has been an example of leadership on the international cricket field.
Or the late Professor Phillip Tobias, whose intellect and insights helped us understand our very humanity.
All of you follow in their footsteps.
When you leave these classrooms and these halls, your time at high school will remain with you forever, the memory stronger in some than in others but ever-present.
You have had the honour of attending a school that has tried to change with the times and adapt to history, always trying to be a centre of excellence and achievement, and hoping to instil in its learners a measure of personal success and attainment.”
After his address, Mr Kesson was invited to hand over the awards to the prize winners. The top three academic awards for the year included:
The Kessel Feinstein prize for third in Grade 12 which was awarded to David Moodley, who also received the Eddie Corlett Prize for Accounting, the Buxton Family Prize for Economics and a merit certificate for achieving an “A” aggregate in 2018;
The GB Lapinsky Prize for Dux Proxime Accessit (Dux runner up) was awarded to Mahil Dessai, who also received a merit certificate;
Finally, the crowd erupted with applause for the major award for the day; the CG Hands Memorial Prize for Dux which was awarded to Neeven Naidoo. Apart from Dux, Neeven also achieved the D C & E V Thompson Prize for Life Sciences, the W I Knight Prize for Mathematics, the G J Armstrong Prize for Physical Sciences, the Bill Payn Prize for English Home Language (shared), the Niekie Gerber Prize for Afrikaans 1st Additional Language and a merit certificate.
Other achievers of major awards at the Prize-Giving were as follows:
Zakariya Adam who received the George Armstrong Award for Head Prefect of the School, the Tim Wells Prize for Dramatic Arts and a merit certificate;
Donovan Adams who received the Transvaal Old Boys’ Award for Head Prefect of Blackmore House;
Ethan Mack, Deputy Head Prefect, who received the Patel Family Award for the RCL Chairman and a merit certificate;
David Whitfield, who received the Christopher Wells Award for Sport & Culture involvement and the prize for Mathematical Literacy;
Tiagan Terreblanche received the Stephen Mulholland Award for All Round Involvement and Commitment;
Cayden Pather received the Devi Rajab Award for Cultural Involvement;
Tawanda Zimhindo received L C W Theobald Award for Captain of Cricket;
Lutho Ndamase received the Shaun Gray Leadership Award for Outstanding Service as a Prefect;
Sbonelo Mbambo received the Cecil Renaud Award for the Most Memorable Character in Grade 12;
Nicholas Singleton received the Rotary Award in Memory of Geoff Mace for Outstanding Involvement in Extra-Mural Drama.
Both the Head Master, Mr A D Pinheiro, and Head Prefect for 2018, Zakariya Adam, took to the podium to address the audience before the Grade 12 Bell Ringing Ceremony began with an address by the Chairman of the Governing Body, Mr Paul Sponer.
Mr Bodasing then gave an explanation as to the significance of the 8 Bells, Zakariya rang the School Bell 8 times signifying the end of the watch of the Grade 12s of 2018 and Mr Pinheiro handed each Grade 12 Boy a certificate to commemorate his years at DHS.
Finally, to mark the changing of the guard, Zakariya assisted the Head Prefect for 2019, Xhanti Njokweni, into his new Head Prefect blazer.
To end off the ceremony, the Head Prefects and Prefects, new and old, led the school song – a memorable occasion for all and a fitting farewell to the Class of 2018.
The full list of learners who received subject prizes and merit certificates awards are as follows:
Shay Naidoo (Transvaal Old Boys’ Prize for English Essay, Prize for Life Orientation, shared Bill Payn Prize for English Home Language and a merit certificate)
Jack Short (Allan Turton Prize for Visual Arts and shared Ladies Committee Prize for Visual Arts Practical)
Christopher James (shared Ladies Committee Prize for Visual Arts Practical)
Devash Ishwarlall (Prize for Business Studies and a merit certificate)
Koval Woolganathan (Prize for Engineering Graphics & Design and a merit certificate)
Martin Mugoni (‘SAS’ Nourse Prize for Geography and a merit certificate)
Cameron Dasram (A W McIver Prize for History)
Nhlakanipho Mkhize (Innocent Chamane Prize for IsiZulu First Additional Language and a merit certificate)
Dhishant Hariram (O N T Downes Prize for Information Technology and a merit certificate)
Merit Certificates – Sridhar Chandraduth, Theolin Govender, Kylen Moodley, Anas Moola, Zaheer Moola, Yushail Naidoo, Santhiran Pillay and Pranam Ramlugaan
