This year, St John’s College celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the St John’s College Academy, one of Johannesburg’s finest after school enrichment programmes.
The Academy offers an extra tuition programme for boys in Grades 10, 11 and 12 living in Yeoville, Berea and Hillbrow who attend Barnato Park High School. The programme has also recently widened its reach to also accept boys from Highlands North Boys’ High School.
The learners, 72 of whom are currently enrolled, are identified by their schools as having academic potential during their Grade 9 year. These young men are then invited to attend the academy until their matriculation with a special focus on Mathematics, Physical Science, English and Life Skills. The programme takes place in the nurturing environment of the St John’s campus and the boys are taught by the experienced St John’s College staff, as well as being provided pastoral care by the College chaplains. There are 24 students accepted in each grade which ensures focused afternoon classes.
The Academy brags an almost 100% attendance and the boys are to be commended for their commitment and determination as they continue to maintain their full-time studies at their respective schools.
The young men enjoy various camps during the course of their three years – an Orientation Camp for the Grade 10’s, a Leadership Camp for the Grade 11’s and an intensive Revision Camp for the matrics. The learners also get to enjoy various cultural outings such as visits to the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, The Cradle of Humankind and Apartheid Museum and are also addressed by various guest speakers throughout the year, providing valuable life experiences. Each year, one boy is also granted a full bursary to study his A Levels in Sixth Form at St John’s College.
Many of the boys achieve fantastic results in spite of having very difficult home lives. Many live in supported homes and many others have challenging home circumstances which they have to cope with daily.
Daniel Biyekele, a graduate in 2013, felt the impact of the Academy’s success and states, “It is amazing that the Academy has been operating for this long. There is no doubt that there are many lives that have been changed due to the programme and I can personally attest to the difference that it has made to me.”
The St John’s Community is proud of this programme which does, and will continue to, have a positive impact on the boys who participate. The boys who pass through our doors continue to leave their mark on their families, their communities and South Africa. Yet the assistance of the Academy boys does not end with their final Grade 12 examinations. The most promising achievers are assisted with bursaries or placed in learnerships once they complete matric.
The St John’s College Academy is run by former headmistress of Barnato Park High School, Mrs Agnes Nugent, who is positive about the impact the Academy has on the graduate’s lives.
“St John’s College is essentially an inner-city school, situated across the road from Hillbrow, Yeoville and Berea. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that there should be a relationship between our communities and the two schools. The impact that the programme has on the boys who attend the Academy is huge. They go back to their schools and are able to help their peers with their schoolwork, they are assisted with tertiary education funding and in turn get jobs that enable them to help their families and play meaningful roles in their communities and our country”, she states.
The Academy aims to place each matriculant into a learnership or tertiary education at the end of his enrolment time.
The cost of supporting one boy is R10 000 per year. This amount includes their St John’s College Academy uniform, all books, notes, handouts and stationery, transport costs to and from the Academy, a hot lunch, tuition and their annual camp.
All costs are funded by the generous donations of the parents and members of the St John’s Community as well as donations from the corporate sector – all of whom keep the Academy afloat financially.
St John’s College is also excited to announce the launch of the St John’s Prep Academy in 2019. Grade 5 pupils who show academic promise from primary schools in our surrounding community will be joining the Prep three times a week for maths and English literacy support.
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