Silverstar Casino and HOT 102.7FM through Hot Cares have helped shine a spotlight on the importance of education and the support some of the sector’s trailblazers need, through their latest contribution in the Silverstar Pays It Forward campaign.
This campaign is being rolled out in partnership with HOT 102.7FM and HOT Cares, and it calls for nominations, for deserving individuals, initiatives or organizations that “could do with some help”.
Every Wednesday on HOT 102.7FM’s flagship show, the HOT 1027 Breakfast, a life – or lives – are being changed, and one of the stories recently concerned Far North Secondary School, which mostly serves underprivileged students from Zandspruit informal settlement and the surrounding areas. The school consistently punches above its weight, largely thanks to its dedicated teachers and visionary principal.
That principal is Patrick Maropeng, who noted with concern that most of his Grade 12 learners didn’t have the space nor suitable environment to study at home, especially during examinations. He decided that he needed to come up with a plan to meet this challenge and during his research he got the inspiration to start a study camp, having seen a similar camp at a local Diepsloot school.
The camp runs until the end of September and the goal is to prepare students for their prelim exams, giving them every opportunity to achieve their best National Senior Certificate results possible.
The matriculants attending are staying over at the school, where they study, write their exams, and, most importantly, benefit from the space and support needed during their prelims. The students go home on Saturdays to spend time with their families, before returning to school on a Sunday.
During this time the principal and teachers are all on rotation schedules to stay with the matriculants attending the camp – just another example of their incredible dedication.
But, the study camp does have needs, such as food, blankets, and refreshments, and that’s where Silverstar and Hot Cares saw the opportunity to help. They are assisting the school with a 16-litre urn for hot beverages and providing crockery, food, refreshments and a few ‘study treats’ for the learners, along with blankets for the staff and students.
“We hope this will ease some of the challenges of hosting all the students and we wish the matriculants all the best for their upcoming exams!” said Carmen Rocha, Managing Director of Hot Cares.
“We salute these fantastic teachers, as well as the students themselves, who have taken their education into their own hands, and our role is just to highlight the work being undertaken by Patrick and his team and, hopefully, provide them with the exposure to perhaps draw more support for this incredible initiative,” says Lloyd Madurai, Managing Director of HOT 102.7FM.
That is already the case, with two organisations hearing the Far North Secondary School story on air at HOT 102.7FM and immediately pledging their support, with Invest Solar donating a solar invertor system and DieselTrac coming onboard with 20 rechargeable LED lights, to help keep the study camp lights on.
Those looking to nominate an individual, initiative or organization that could do with some help, as part of the Silverstar Pays It Forward campaign, can send an email to info@hotcares.co.za.
