National Solo Soprano Champion

Our very own Olu currently doing grade 11 at the school came out as number one in the whole of South Africa in the music competition, the solo soprano category. The school Principal had this to say about the young lady’s outstanding achievement in a message written to the school staff soon after receiving the wonderful news, “wait, rejoice and be filled with jubilations for thou hath given birth and nurtured a soprano soloist national champion. What a wonderful, breath-taking performance; it choke the whole International Conference Center to a silent comatose, with some unable to stop a tear dropping down in ecstasy” To OLU we say congratulations for lifting the Toise school banner high, a feat so extra ordinary so much that it will echo for years to come all over South Africa and eventually abroad … Well done we are proud of you.

The Toise Quiz Team

Three of the school top learners have been chosen to represent the school for the first time in the National School Quiz Competition that is aired live on Dstv channel 139 Mindset channel every wednesday at 7pm.The learners will be proceeding to Selbourne college were there will pit their brain power against other well established and formidable teams.Should there make it to the top 32 schools there will then be expected to travel to Johannesburg, Monash University in December to compete for the first prize money that covers university fees etc for four years. “sihamba nan ma Toise amahle”

Mandela Rhodes Scholarship

Six outstanding young South Africans at Rhodes University have been recognized for their potential to make a difference in society with the prestigious Mandela Rhodes Scholarship. This is a record number of scholarships for the university.

Rhodes has the highest number of scholarships awarded to a University in South Africa. Mandela Rhodes Scholarships received 400 applications nationally, 60 applicants were interviewed and 40 scholarships were awarded for 2015.

Aviwe May, Ameil Harikishun, Lumumba Mthembu, Abigail Branford, Kyla Hazell and Selokwane Morake represent a range of disciplines including Law, English, Marine Biology and Biotechnology, and epitomize the best of what South African youth have to offer society.

Vice-Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, met with the students recently and congratulated them on their achievements and asked them to share their research interests and ambitions with him.

Describing Rhodes as a leader in many of the fields represented by the six awardees, Dr Mabizela said they couldn’t be in a better place to pursue their particular research interests at a postgraduate level than Rhodes.

Aviwe May, who aspired to be a medical doctor throughout school, changed his mind after his love for Chemistry was “revitalized” during career exhibitions in his Grade 11 year at Toise High School, King William’s Town.

May is interested in the biological side of Science, and wants to pursue studies in medicinal chemistry. Currently, the Rhodes chemistry department offers research topics ranging from designing inhibitors of molecular chaperones, medicinal natural products and the use of photodynamic therapy in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The research for his BSc Honors will be determined early next year, but of all the topics offered by the department, the use of magnetic fluid (MF) to treat cancer stands out for him.

“In South Africa I have a responsibility to play with regard to rural development and reconciliation.” In the short term he plans to continue with chemistry research, and plans to pursue his dream of moving into the medical side of science in the long term.

May said; “I did not expect to make it this far due to the competitiveness of the selection process. When I was informed that I was awarded the scholarship, I began to give praise to God.

STEM EXPO Hosted by Taungana

The article featured on the daily dispatch 02/09/2014 read, “Two Eastern Cape girls from a rural school, with hopes of one day becoming scientists, were flown to Johannesburg last week to explore Science, Technology, and Mathematics(STEM). Awonke Gonose and Simelela Vukubi, grade 12 learners from Toise Senior Secondary School in KwaNonkcampa outside King Williams Town, were chosen to be the province’s ambassadors in the first ever STEM expo hosted by Taungana.”

Taungana meaning, “coming together” in Shona, is a nonprofit organization that offers school girls from rural disadvantaged communities access to information and exposure to STEM education and careers. 30 girls from rural South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia came to Johannesburg to get real-life exposure to STEM careers from high flyers like BMW, SA, Nestle, Eskom, Flysaa, Neesa, Au-Recon, and Anglo American.

The Department of Education was asked to help select a rural performing school in line with Taungana school selection criteria, of which Nomso Kana (scientist with the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Neesa), is a coordinator. Toise Senior Secondary School came out tops. The girls were chosen to participate on the basis of their aptitude in Math’s and Science, having a heart for the community and coming up with projects that alleviate their communities at large.

The expo include workshop on business creation, career expo and mild projects. Although Taungana is still yet to initial projects with individual schools, there has been a commitment that there will continue to work closely with the schools and surrounding communities for their STEM awareness activities.