La Rochelle computer boffins shine in Olympiad
2011-02-03
TWO La Rochelle girls were in the top six of the South African Computer Applications Olympiad – beating more than 6 000 participants countrywide. The Computer Olympiad attracts 38 000 participants in the first round, but only 3 500 go on to the second round which requires programming skills. This time there was a second round for Computer Applications, such as spreadsheets, databases, word processors and presentation tools. It was a pilot project, and the organisers expected around 500 participants – instead there were more than 6 000. The top eleven of the 6 000 were invited to a Final Round last weekend to find the best computer application user in South Africa. La Rochelle was the only school in the country to have two learners among the eleven finalists. Adriëtte le Roux was a matriculant at the time, but Helen Denny was only in Grade 11 when she won her place in the Final Round – one of only two Grade elevens to make the finals. Helen won a silver medal thereby beating all but one of the more than 6 000 entries (the winner is from Pretoria). Helen is a regular Olympiad participant, having participated in the Maths Olympiad, the English Olympiad, the Bible Olympiad, the Debating Competition and a number of Eisteddfods. Not surprisingly she is Chairperson of the Debating Society and was her school’s Grade 11 Dux. The academic achievements are balanced by her interest in netball, tennis and swimming. She plans to study Law and Accounting at Stellenbosch University next year. Adriëtte le Roux, who won a bronze medal and was in joint third place, was the top achiever in CAT (Computer Applications Technolgy) in the Western Cape during the matric exam. She has also achieved in many other fields. She was a prefect in 2010, came 5th in the Bilingual Olympiad and was first in the Backsberg Art Competition. Her writing has been published in “English Alive” and her artwork has been used for a calendar and an anti-drug poster. Commented judge, Dr Pam Miller: “One could see the artistic talent. She designed by far the most original letterhead.” Adriëtte has just started her studies for a BA degree at Stellenbosch University and intends to become a teacher. Said CAT teacher Corné Coetzee, “I am proud of these talented students. They are both hard workers.”
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