19th CALTEX/SAIIA INTERSCHOOLS QUIZ

TUESDAY 17th MAY 2011

AT MALLETT CENTRE, DIOCESAN COLLEGE (BISHOPS)

This year Chevron most generously increased their support of the Quiz from R63 000 in 2010 to R150 000 in 2011 and similarly for the next two years. This enabled the Quiz Committee of the Western Cape Branch of SAIIA to make plans to expand the Quiz to a total of 50 schools, including 15 less resourced schools and thus fulfil the objective to further create interest and raise awareness among learners of the importance of international affairs,

Innovations in 2011 included running a Workshop for the Teachers of these less resourced schools who could then return to their learners better equipped to train their teams. Tim Hughes, founder of the Quiz 19 years ago, tutored the Teachers. The Learners Workshop followed later in March and was facilitated by Martha Bridgman who ran a simulated Quiz. Before the Quiz, Pippa Segall and Mary Carson visited some of the new Workshop schools to familiarise them with the work of the Institute and give them encouragement to participate. The value of the workshops has been shown in the results. Elsies River High School, Masibambane, Masiphumele, as first timers, did exceptionally well. Hector Peterson and Sans Souci improved greatly on their results from the previous year. The level of motivation and excitement from these workshop schools has been tremendous as seen in the feedback from the teachers.

The workshop schools included: Bonteheuwel High School, Elsies River High School, Esangweni Senior Secondary, Fairmont High School, Durbanville, Hector Peterson, Hottentots Hollands High School, Immaculata High School, Masibambane Secondary School, Masiphumelele High School, Rhodes Secondary School, Sans Souci Girls High School, Sarepta Secondary School, Simon's Town High, Thembelihle Senior Secondary.

Chevron's increased donation has allowed the Western Cape Branch of SAIIA to give the Quiz schools membership of SAIIA Western Cape for a year. This will allow them to attend the valuable monthly talks hosted by the Institute for free and to receive important publications. A large Caltex/SAIIA notice board has been given to each school for the team to affix articles sent to them by SAIIA, and for them to search the Cape Times or any other newspaper for articles of international importance and of those relating to South Africa. This year, a 12 min DVD is being produced by Shoot the Breeze and will be used by Chevron and SAIIA for their purposes and can be bought by the Schools for future training purposes.

Further acknowledgement of thanks are due to the Cape Times for their newspapers and distribution skills to the 50 schools. The Abe Bailey Trust donated R10 000 for the purchase of books for school libraries. Twenty other publishers donated many worthwhile educational books. Further donors provided refreshments and prizes. Our partnership continues too with Bishops who make an enormous contribution by hosting workshops and the Quiz at the school.

The 2011 winners were Bishops on 41 points – out of 48 – and tied second were Livingstone, Jan van Riebeeck and Westerford High Schools all on 39 points. Tim Hughes was the Question Master, Africa Melane, the Master of Ceremonies. Martha Bridgman, Referee, Christopher Trott, the UK Consul General, joined the markers and provided some amusing relevant stories. Suzanne Pullinger, Communications Manager of Policy, Government & Public Affairs at Chevron spoke of Human Energy well displayed at the Quiz.

With the winners' trophy in his hand, Cai Nebe, captain of the Bishops team said, "This event really puts the important topic of international affairs on the radar for a large number of boys and girls in the Cape Town area for a few weeks of the year"

Feedback from the quiz:

• Thank you so much for a wonderful event. The learners really enjoyed themselves and learned a lot. Jacqui Ord (St Joseph Marist)

• Thank you for the efficient organization of the quiz. Linnell Holland (Groote Schuur High School)

• Thank you for the Ranking List we were 'chuffed' with our spot on the log. Please thank SAIIA for the great books. It was a generous and much appreciated gift. The books went in the school library with an acknowledgement to SAIIA on the inside cover. The others were given to Equal Education for school libraries. Gill Sutton (Herzlia High School)

• Thanks for another well-organised and enjoyable quiz evening. Jeanne Potgieter (Jan van Riebeeck High School)

• We must thank you, for very efficient organisation, and always such friendliness and enthusiasm. You can put our names down for 2012 already - we will certainly be there! Elaine Hyland (Rhenish Girls)

• Many thanks for organising the quiz in such an efficient manner! Well done on another successful Quiz! Cedric van Dyk (Rustenburg Girls High School)

• Thanks very much to you and everyone involved - as always it was a very rewarding experience for our girls. Although they didn't do fantastically they really enjoyed it and are keen to give it another go next year! Thanks for the wonderful books too. Mignon Gulbrandsen (Immaculata)

• Congratulations to you for organizing such a successful quiz. Thank you for all the hard work you put into the quiz. Phil Court (Bishops)

• Thanks for all your amazing work, Pippa. Roslyn Fish (Westerford)

• Thank you very much for affording Cape Town High the opportunity to experience such a wonderfully enriching experience. Even though they didn't excel in the competition, their presence at the competition inspired them to take a much keener interest in the news and international affairs - and work much harder for next year's competition. We thus look forward to the SAIIA Interschool Quiz 2012! Naiema Abrahams (Cape Town High)

• Thank you for a wonderful evening. The girls and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you to all sponsors and organisers involved. Congratulations to Bishops. Leonie Pretorius (Fish Hoek High School)