Jewel Harris
Founder of Growsmart and General Manager of Growthpoint Properties Cape Town
Shawn Theunissen Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Growthpoint Properties
From left to right: Portia A. Smit (Deputy Chief Education Specialist: Senior Curriculum Planner for Languages at Western Cape Education Department), Mathari Makgatho (CSR Specialist at Growthpoint Properties), First Place Story Writing Winner, Olwam Sondlo (Learner at Tuscany Primary School), and Altina Gabriels-Kannemeyer (Educator at Tuscany Primary School).
The Growsmart Educational Programme, an initiative by Growthpoint Properties, celebrated the brightest young minds in the Western Cape at the pinnacle of its annual competition season. The final event took place at The Lookout, V&A Waterfront, where top-performing learners in literacy, mathematics, and story writing were honoured.
Launched in 2010, Growsmart is a nationally and internationally recognised initiative fully endorsed by various Education Departments and serves as the flagship programme of the Western Cape Department of Education. This impactful programme aims to enhance educational outcomes in underperforming schools by engaging learners in grades 4, 5, and 6 through a dynamic, curriculum-based competition. Focusing on literacy, mathematics, and story writing, Growsmart helps intermediate learners improve critical academic skills while fostering creativity and problem-solving abilities.
2024 Western Cape Competition
The 2024 competition kicked off in April, with schools from districts including Cape Metro and West Coast District participating. Following multiple rounds and semi-finals, the best 15 learners in literacy and mathematics and 10 learners in story writing advanced to the final competition.
In the Literacy Competition, the 15 finalists were selected from 327 participants and tested on their ability to spell, define, and use words in sentences, alongside their understanding of verbs, nouns, idioms, and adjectives. The winners are:
1st Place: Delft South Primary School
2nd Place: Teske Primary School
3rd Place: Dagbreek Primary School
This marks Delft South Primary School’s second consecutive win, earning the school an iPad Lab valued at R350,000, further enhancing its learning resources.
In the Mathematics Competition, 15 finalists out of the 321 participants tackled questions ranging from BODMAS to problem-solving and mental maths. The winners are:
1st Place Idasvallei Primary School
2nd Place Diazville Primary School
3rd Place Eikendal Primary School
The Story Writing Competition is a project-based, mentor-led event in which learners
submit their own original written stories. Nearly 166 storybooks were submitted. The
winners are:
1st Place Tuscany Primary School, Olwam Sondlo
2nd Place Helderkruin Primary School, Sobo Ndongo
3rd Place Kenmere Primary School, Jordan Theart
Most Creative Kenmere Primary School, Kylah Simons
The winning schools were awarded prizes to further support their educational efforts and enhance their students’ learning experiences.
Inspiring Future Leaders
Jewel Harris, Founder of Growsmart and General Manager of Growthpoint Properties Cape Town, applauded the dedication and talent of this year’s participants. “Congratulations to everyone who took part in this year’s interactive programme. It has been more focused, relevant, engaging, and innovative than ever before. Well done to the winning learners, mentors, and schools.”
Shawn Theunissen, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Growthpoint Properties, echoed these sentiments, adding, “The winning learners and mentors represent the leaders of tomorrow and today. We’re incredibly proud of them all. Investing in positive social impact across the entire education value chain not only transforms lives today but also shapes future generations.”
A Platform for Continued Success
Beyond the competition, Growsmart provides learners with additional opportunities through the Growsmart Bursary Programme, supporting their ongoing educational journey.
As Growsmart concludes its fifteenth year in the Western Cape, the programme continues to expand its reach and impact, celebrating growing successes in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo. Growsmart remains dedicated to creating educational opportunities that empower communities and foster future global citizens within a more inclusive society.
Guests were greeted with a complimentary coffee generously sponsored by Vida e Caffè and served with a smile by their friendly baristas.
Congratulations to all the Western Cape winners!