The Durban High School annual Senior Prize-Giving Ceremony was held on Monday 18 October. The guest speaker for the event was DHS Old Boy, Mr Sbu Ngwane (Class of 2003).
The audience was welcomed to the ceremony by Departmental Head, Mr Ian Lewis, and then addressed by the Head Master, Mr A D Pinheiro. Mr Pinheiro congratulated the Boys on all their incredible achievements, praising them for all they had managed to achieve despite the hardships they had faced. He then paid homage to the teachers for nurturing our boys to achieve all the successes that were being celebrated: “You don’t need to look around the world for role models, for heroes. The superheroes are seated right behind me.”
After a musical interlude, Mr Lewis introduced guest speaker, Mr Ngwane, who is the Group Chief Strategy Officer for Old Mutual Limited.
Mr Ngwane has studied at UCT, Edinburgh Business School and Harvard Business School, obtaining a Bachelor of Business Science and a Master of Science in Financial Management. Mr Ngwane has stood on many stages all around the world, but said “this is the most honoured stage that I’ve ever stood on in my entire life… because this one means something.”
Mr Ngwane shared with the boys his memories of being a proud DHS boy, and left them with the following message: “So why was I able to achieve the things that I’ve achieved? … It was because I came here, and DHS made me believe that I could do anything that I wanted to do. If I wanted to go to UCT… I could! If I wanted to go to Harvard… I could! If I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer… I can! If I want to be in the arts… I can! I learned that here, that I have no constraints. …
You’ve got the foundation; DHS has given that to you. And no one can take that away except yourselves. I want to say thank you, and in closing:
There is a school upon a hill
Which has been there for many a year ….”
Mr Ngwane was then invited to hand over the awards to the prize winners, assisted by Departmental Head, Mrs Nagiah.
The major award winners of the day were as follows:
Owen Morgenrood received The George Armstrong Award for Head Prefect of the School, the Cecil Renaud Award for being, in the Opinion of his Peers, the Most Memorable Character in Grade 12, the Ernie Theunissen Award for the Captain of Rugby, the Niekie Gerber Prize for Afrikaans First Additional Language and a Merit Certificate.
Michael Russell received the Old Boys’ Award for the Head Prefect of Blackmore House, the Stephen Mulholland Prize for All-Round Involvement in School Life, the Geoff Mace Award for Excelling in Sport, Academics and Cultural Aspects at School, the Kessel Feinstein Prize for being Third in Grade 12, the Subject Prize for Business Studies, D C & E V Thompson Prize for Life Sciences and a Merit Certificate.
The Cambridge Dux for 2022 was Nureldin Mohamed and the School Dux for 2022 was Daniel Kreuzer, who was presented with the C G Hands Memorial Prize. Darian Robert, second in Grade 12, received the G B Lapinsky Prize for Dux Proxime Accessit.
Once the prizes had all been awarded, Head Prefect, Owen Morgenrood, took to the podium. He thanked Mr Ngwane and presented him with a gift from the school. He then addressed the audience. Owen took a walk down memory lane, reminding the Class of 2022 of some of their special moments. He thanked Mr Pinheiro, the teachers, the parents and the Old Boys; and he thanked the boys of DHS. To his class mates he said: “There has never been a better time to be a proud DHS Boy. We have represented our School well and left a legacy. Now we can be proud DHS Old Boys. And remember, wherever you bear your fruit, never forget your roots.” His final message to them was: “Class of 2022, our time has passed, however, our Blood will forever remain Blue.”
Then, in the introduction of an exciting new tradition, Owen was presented with an envelope which he opened, and in an Oscar-like moment, read out the name of the Head Prefect for 2023 … Riley Clarivette!
Owen then assisted Riley into his new Head Prefect blazer to signify the changing of the guard and handing over the reins to the incoming leaders of School for 2023.
The National Anthem was sung by all and the procession party left the stage to end off the ceremony. Tea was served in the Seabrooke Theatre Foyer.
This was followed by the Matric Bell Ringing Ceremony which was held on Van Heerden Field. The Matrics were addressed by CEO of the DHS Foundation and Old Boy, Mr Andrew Shedlock (Class of 1981), and Old Boys Storm Sibisi (Class of 2018).
Owen Morgenrood read out the significance of the 8 Bells and then another new and exciting tradition was introduced by Mr Shedlock. As the Matrics of 2022 signed off on their High School career, Mr Shedlock presented a DHS Old Boys blazer to Owen on behalf of the Foundation. During the ceremony the Matric Class were welcomed into the DHS Old Boys community. DHS is a school which is already steeped in so much tradition, and history, one only hopes that this is another tradition that will continue forever.
The Matric boys then all filed past the Head Master, Mr Pinheiro, and Mr Shedlock, shook their hands and rang the Rhineland Bell overlooking the pool in farewell to their years at Durban High School. Each boy received a gift bag before going through to the Memorial Courtyard to sing the School Song and perform the war cries.
Farewell & Good Luck, Class of 2022!
